Here are the day’s main developments:
Iran’s Foreign Ministry has confirmed the departure of Araghchi from Pakistan for Russia, where he is scheduled to meet with President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg.
After canceling his envoys’ scheduled visit to the Pakistani capital, US President Trump has once again stated that the Iranians can “come to us, or they can call us” if they wish to resume talks.
The Israeli military continues its deadly strikes on southern Lebanon despite a three-week “ceasefire,” resulting in the deaths of at least 14 people on Sunday alone.
Top diplomats from Qatar and Saudi Arabia have engaged in discussions regarding regional efforts to de-escalate US-Iran tensions, amidst growing fears of a potential return to war.
While acknowledging that Beijing has the potential to “help a lot more” in the conflict with Iran, Trump has indicated that he is not “overly disappointed” with China’s involvement.
The standoff in the Strait of Hormuz persists, fueling concerns over global economic stability and energy supplies. Senior Iranian lawmaker Ali Nikzad affirmed that Tehran will not permit a return to pre-war conditions in the strategic waterway.
Oil prices have seen a rise as US-Iran talks stall and transit through Hormuz remains restricted. Brent crude futures climbed $2.22, or 2.11 percent, to $107.55 a barrel by 22:02 GMT. Concurrently, US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose $2.02, or 2.14 percent, reaching $96.42 a barrel. These price increases are attributed to stalled Iran-US peace negotiations and limited shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, which continue to tighten global supplies.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, following talks in Oman, expressed gratitude to his “gracious hosts.” In a statement on X, he highlighted “important discussions on bilateral matters and regional developments.” He added, “As the only Hormuz littoral states, our focus included ways to ensure safe transit that is to the benefit of all dear neighbors and the world. Our neighbors are our priority.”
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported no violent incidents in the besieged Strait of Hormuz today, but noted that the situation remains precarious. “No incidents were reported across the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman during the reporting period,” the UKMTO stated, adding, “The regional security environment remains volatile with ongoing military activity and continued threat to commercial shipping.”
The Lebanese armed group Hezbollah announced that its fighters launched several attacks on Israeli forces within Lebanese territory on Sunday. According to their statement, targets included: a newly established Israeli artillery position in Biyyada with a squadron of drones; a gathering of Israeli soldiers in Taybeh with a drone; an evacuation force in the Israeli army in Taybeh with an attack drone; Israeli army vehicles and troops at Tal al-Nahas, on the outskirts of Kfar Kila town, with a guided missile; and a Merkava tank in Taybeh with two drones.
Iran’s IRNA news agency reports that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg. The news agency cited the Iranian ambassador to Moscow regarding the details of the upcoming meeting. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is also expected to participate in discussions focusing on the current state of negotiations to end the US-Israel war on Iran.
Regarding a potential Iran-US ceasefire, several sticking points remain. With falling approval ratings, Trump faces domestic pressure to conclude the unpopular war. Iran’s leaders, though militarily weakened, have found leverage in negotiations through their ability to disrupt shipping in the economically vital Strait of Hormuz, which typically carries one-fifth of global oil shipments. Disagreements between the US and Iran extend beyond Tehran’s nuclear program and control of the strait. President Trump aims to limit Iran’s support for its regional proxies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, and curb its capacity to strike US allies with ballistic missiles. Conversely, Iran demands a lifting of sanctions, an end to Israeli attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon, war reparations, and the removal of crippling sanctions on oil exports.
US President Trump reiterated that while Beijing could “help a lot more” in the conflict with Iran, he is not “overly disappointed.” “I don’t think much. I think maybe helping, but I don’t think much. They could help a lot more,” Trump told Fox News. He drew a parallel to US support for Ukraine, suggesting he did not consider China “very bad” given that Washington also assists allies in conflicts. Trump is scheduled to travel to China to meet President Xi Jinping in Beijing on May 14-15.
Maritime analytics firm TankerTrackers reports that Iran loaded the equivalent of 4.6 million barrels of oil at crude export terminals. An additional 4 million barrels of Iranian oil appear to have circumvented the US blockade line. Iran’s oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz account for approximately 80 percent of its total oil exports. According to Kpler, a trade intelligence firm, Iran exported 1.84 million barrels per day of crude oil in March and has shipped 1.71 million bpd so far in April, compared with an average of 1.68 million bpd in 2025.
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