A Japanese-managed oil tanker named Idemitsu Maru has successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz for the first time since a blockade, according to Japan’s public broadcaster NHK. The Panama-flagged vessel is carrying about two million barrels of crude oil from Saudi Arabia and is expected to arrive at a refinery in Japan’s Aichi Prefecture next Monday. NHK reported that three crew members holding Japanese citizenship on board are safe and in good condition.

The successful passage marks a significant development for Japan’s energy transport operations following the disruption caused by the blockade. The tanker’s journey underscores Japan’s continued reliance on Middle Eastern crude oil and the importance of secure maritime routes through the Strait of Hormuz.

The report did not specify details about the blockade’s duration or the conditions that allowed the tanker to resume passage, leaving some uncertainty about the broader regional situation.

A gas explosion at a coal mine in northern China’s Shanxi province has killed 90 people, marking the country’s deadliest mining accident in more than a decade. The incident occurred at the Liusheniu coal mine in Changzhi city on Friday evening around 7:30 p.m. local time. At the time of the explosion, 247 workers were inside the mine. By Saturday morning, at least 201 workers had been rescued, while nine others remained missing.

According to state broadcaster CCTV, rescue operations are still underway, and the number of casualties is being verified. The state news agency Xinhua reported that carbon monoxide levels inside the mine had dangerously exceeded safety limits before the explosion. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered a full-scale rescue effort and called for a thorough investigation into the incident, instructing that those responsible be held legally accountable.

Ten people were killed in Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon on Friday near the Syrian border, according to the country's National News Agency. The attacks targeted the mountainous Nabi Sraj area on the outskirts of Brital, marking the first strikes there since a ceasefire with Hezbollah was declared on April 17. Israel continued its air operations into Saturday.

An AFP correspondent in the southern city of Tyre reported hearing two explosions, one hitting a building on the city's outskirts and another inside the city, sending plumes of smoke into the sky. Lebanon's Health Ministry confirmed that the victims included six rescue workers and a child.

The ministry further stated that in Deir Kanoun al-Nahr village near Tyre, an Israeli strike killed two members of the Risala Scouts Association and a Syrian girl among six total casualties. Despite the ceasefire, exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah remain ongoing.

Organizers of the 'Global Sumud Flotilla' have accused Israeli forces of torturing and sexually assaulting detained activists after intercepting their aid mission to Gaza. The flotilla, comprising 50 ships and 430 volunteers, was stopped in international waters last Tuesday. At least 15 participants alleged sexual abuse, and several were hospitalized. Israel’s prison authority denied the allegations, calling them false and baseless, while Reuters said it could not independently verify the claims.

Germany confirmed that some of its citizens were injured and described the allegations as serious. Italy’s prosecutors have opened an investigation into possible crimes including abduction and sexual assault. French and German participants reported severe injuries, and some were hospitalized in Turkey. A video showing Israel’s national security minister mocking detainees has intensified international outrage and pressure on Israeli authorities to explain their treatment of prisoners.

Italy stated that European Union members are discussing potential sanctions against Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Several European activists expelled from Israel are expected to return home via Turkey by Friday.

Israel carried out new airstrikes in Lebanon, killing at least 10 people on Friday, followed by additional attacks early Saturday in the country's eastern and southern regions, according to Lebanese authorities and local media. The state news agency reported five strikes near Nabi Serij, a mountainous area close to the Syrian border that had remained relatively calm since the April 17 ceasefire. Explosions were also heard in the southern city of Tyre, where Israeli forces struck two locations.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry said the Friday attacks killed six rescue workers and a child, including members of the Hezbollah-linked Amal Movement’s Risala Scouts and the Islamic Health Committee. The Israeli military claimed it targeted two armed individuals near the border, while Hezbollah said it launched retaliatory strikes on Israeli positions in southern Lebanon and northern Israel. Hezbollah parliamentary leader Mohammad Raad accused Israel of destroying villages and displacing civilians.

The United States recently imposed sanctions on nine individuals linked to Hezbollah, accusing them of obstructing Lebanon’s peace process. Despite the April ceasefire, Israeli strikes and evacuation orders have continued in southern Lebanon, with over 3,111 Lebanese and 22 Israeli soldiers reported killed since the conflict began.

Mediators have stepped up efforts to prevent the collapse of the month-long ceasefire between Washington and Tehran. Pakistani military chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir arrived in Tehran on Friday with a delegation, signaling heightened diplomatic activity as fears of renewed conflict grow. Qatar has also sent officials to Iran to support negotiations, though the timing of their visit remains unclear.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said deep differences persist between the two sides, emphasizing that the current focus is solely on halting hostilities. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking in Sweden, acknowledged some progress but noted that diplomats have yet to reach a final agreement. The talks remain stalled over Iran’s nuclear program and control of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

US officials maintain cautious optimism but warn that the situation is fragile. President Trump has delayed a major strike on Iran at the request of Gulf leaders seeking more time for diplomacy. Any deal is expected to hinge on issues including enriched uranium stockpiles and freedom of navigation through the Hormuz Strait.

Negotiations to reopen the Hormuz Strait in exchange for lifting US sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets have reached a decisive stage, according to reports. A Qatari mediation team has urgently arrived in Tehran to finalize a memorandum of understanding that could pave the way for 30 days of nuclear-related discussions. The United States has maintained that Iran will not be allowed to impose tolls on commercial vessels passing through the strait.

Qatar, long regarded as a skilled regional mediator, had not previously taken a direct role in the US-Iran standoff, which was earlier handled by Oman and more recently Pakistan. Pakistan’s army chief is also expected in Tehran, while Iran remains cautious about the prospects of major progress. Meanwhile, US media have reported that Washington is considering new military action against Iran, though no final decision has been made.

Iran has formed the Persian Gulf Strait Authority to regulate maritime routes and tolls, a move opposed by the US and several Gulf states. Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE have urged ships to avoid contact with the Iranian authority, warning that Tehran’s plan could set a dangerous precedent for regional maritime control.

The United Nations conference on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) ended without consensus, partly due to Washington’s attempt to use the forum to address Iran’s nuclear program, according to a US-based nonprofit observer group. The Arms Control Association (ACA) stated that the failure to reach an agreement means there is now no mutually accepted limit on the size of Russian and American nuclear arsenals for the first time since 1972.

ACA Executive Director Daryl Kimball said that NPT member states missed a crucial opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to the treaty’s principles and goals at a time of rising nuclear risks. He noted that the ongoing dispute over Iran’s nuclear activities, complicated by the US withdrawal from the 2018 nuclear deal, could not be resolved within the NPT review framework.

Kimball added that the future of Iran’s nuclear program, which Tehran insists is for civilian purposes, must be addressed through more sustainable diplomacy outside the United Nations process.

After four weeks of negotiations focused on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, United Nations member states failed to reach an agreement. The conference, held in New York, concluded without consensus, according to the presiding diplomat, Do Hung Viet of Vietnam. He told reporters that despite maximum efforts, the conference was not in a position to finalize its core mandate and that he would not present the draft document for approval.

A draft text seen by AFP stated that countries without nuclear weapons should never develop them. Delegates had been reviewing the decades-old Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), under which 191 nations agreed that only five countries—China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States—could possess nuclear weapons as of January 1, 1967. Currently, India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea also hold nuclear arsenals.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), as of January 2025, about 90 percent of the world’s 12,241 nuclear warheads were held by the United States and Russia.

International efforts to reach an agreement between the United States and Iran have intensified, with the presence of a Qatari delegation in Tehran underscoring the sensitivity of the current diplomatic moment. Abdullah Bandar Al-Etaibi, an assistant professor at Qatar University, shared this assessment, noting the significance of Qatar’s involvement alongside Pakistan, which has been acting as a key mediator.

In a post on social media platform X, Al-Etaibi stated that several central issues remain unresolved, including the future of the Strait of Hormuz, limits on uranium enrichment, and the mechanisms for linking de-escalation to enforceable guarantees. He emphasized that Qatar’s role does not replace Pakistan’s mediation but rather expands trust and helps prevent communication channels from collapsing.

Al-Etaibi warned that the situation stands at a critical juncture, where either a preliminary agreement could open a political path while preserving the image of all parties, or a failure could escalate tensions further.

International analysts suggest that U.S. President Donald Trump is stepping back from the Iran conflict, interpreting recent diplomatic efforts and ceasefire initiatives as a form of strategic retreat. According to reports, Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Washington is discussing a letter of intent with Tehran to formally end hostilities and begin 30 days of talks on Iran’s nuclear program and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

The crisis began in March when Israel attacked Iran’s Pars gas field, prompting Iranian strikes on Qatari energy facilities. Since then, Iran has demanded war reparations, unrestricted uranium enrichment, control over the Strait of Hormuz, and the lifting of sanctions. The Institute for the Study of War reported that Iran is consolidating control over the strait, signing transit deals with oil-importing nations and imposing fees on others.

Analysts warn that the international sanctions system could weaken as more countries negotiate with Tehran. Netanyahu reportedly expressed concern that Iran may emerge stronger after the conflict, potentially undermining Israel’s security and regional influence.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wedeful announced that Berlin is preparing to participate in a United Kingdom-led mission aimed at securing the Strait of Hormuz. He clarified that Germany does not view this as a NATO mission. The statement was made on May 22, 2026, as reported by Al Jazeera.

Wedeful also welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy an additional 5,000 American troops to Poland. He urged the United States to proceed with its original plan to deploy long-range missiles in Germany. The German minister’s remarks came shortly after Trump reversed an earlier decision to withdraw about 5,000 troops from Poland within six to twelve months.

The developments highlight shifting defense alignments in Europe and renewed cooperation among Western allies over regional security and deterrence strategies, particularly concerning the Middle East and Eastern Europe.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that no country should accept Iran’s attempt to impose a toll system in the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking at a press conference in Sweden, where he attended a NATO meeting in Helsingborg, Rubio said Iran was trying to persuade Oman to join the proposed toll arrangement. He emphasized that such a move should be rejected by all nations.

Rubio also mentioned that there had been slight progress in discussions with Iran, though he cautioned against overstating it. He described the progress as a positive sign but reiterated that the core issue remained unchanged: Iran must never be allowed to develop nuclear weapons. He added that the United States needed to continue addressing the matter of Iran’s enriched uranium.

The remarks came amid ongoing diplomatic efforts concerning Iran’s nuclear activities and regional maritime security, with Rubio underscoring the importance of maintaining international consensus on these issues.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in Tehran, according to semi-official news agency Tasnim. The two ministers reviewed the latest proposals intended to resolve remaining disagreements between the United States and Iran. Iranian state media IRNA reported that Naqvi also met President Masoud Pezeshkian, who praised Pakistan’s constructive role in promoting regional stability.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that Tehran is currently examining a new US proposal aimed at ending the ongoing conflict. The proposal seeks to formally conclude hostilities and establish a broader framework for addressing unresolved disputes. One of the key outstanding issues remains the status of the Strait of Hormuz.

The meetings highlight ongoing diplomatic efforts involving regional and international stakeholders to reduce tensions and pursue a structured dialogue between Iran and the United States.

China has called on the United States to refrain from making threats of force and to stop using sanctions and judicial measures against Cuba. The appeal was made by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun during a regular briefing on Thursday, where he emphasized that Washington should cease actions that undermine Cuba’s sovereignty.

Guo stated that China firmly supports Cuba’s efforts to safeguard its sovereignty and national dignity and opposes any form of external interference. His remarks came after the United States filed charges of murder and conspiracy against former Cuban leader Raúl Castro over the 1996 downing of two civilian aircraft between Cuba and Florida, an incident that continues to strain U.S.-Cuba relations.

Cuba has rejected the U.S. charges as politically motivated, while China’s comments signal its alignment with Havana and opposition to U.S. pressure tactics in the region.