Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei released a new written statement through state media on Thursday night, his first public message since assuming leadership after the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, at the start of the war. In the statement, Mojtaba warned that Iran would seek justice for every martyr killed in joint US-Israeli attacks and vowed to demand compensation for losses and injuries.

The message called on Iran’s supporters to take to the streets, asserting that public voices could influence negotiations. It emphasized that Iran never sought war and still does not, but would not retreat from defending its legitimate rights. The statement also mentioned that Iran would take the management of the Strait of Hormuz to a new stage, though no details were provided.

Meanwhile, US and Iranian representatives are scheduled to meet in Islamabad on Friday to discuss the ceasefire, according to The Guardian.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said that any discussion with the United States depends on achieving a ceasefire in Lebanon. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, he stated that all attacks, particularly in Lebanon, must stop before talks can take place. Baghaei emphasized that solidarity between the peoples of Iran and Lebanon is stronger than ever.

He explained that ending the conflict in Lebanon is an integral part of Pakistan’s proposed ceasefire agreement. According to him, Pakistan’s prime minister has declared that the United States is committed to halting hostilities across all battlefronts, including Lebanon. Any action contrary to this commitment would amount to a refusal by Washington to honor its pledge.

Baghaei added that Pakistan has invited both sides to hold discussions in Islamabad, which are under review and planning. However, he stressed that any such meeting would only occur if the United States provides assurances of fulfilling its ceasefire obligations. Details of Iran’s delegation will be announced once travel plans are finalized.

At least a dozen US military bases across the Gulf region have been severely damaged in Iran’s retaliatory strikes following attacks by the United States and Israel, according to a report published on April 10, 2026. The damage is described as so extensive that the bases have become more of a liability than an asset for US forces. The New York Times previously reported that the affected installations were nearly uninhabitable, though the Trump administration has not acknowledged the extent of the losses.

Mark Lynch, director of the Project on Middle East Political Science at George Washington University, stated during the Arab Center Washington DC’s annual conference that Iran had rendered the physical architecture of US dominance ineffective within a month. He added that no comprehensive or accurate report on the scale of the damage has been made public. Access to bases in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman remains tightly restricted by both the Pentagon and host governments.

Analysts cited in the report suggest that secrecy around the sites is being maintained to protect the security of US bases used in operations against Iran.

A planned meeting between the United States and Iran has fallen into uncertainty following continued Israeli attacks in Lebanon. The talks were scheduled to take place on Saturday in Islamabad, Pakistan, but Iran’s delegation has yet to leave Tehran. Abbas Aslani, a senior fellow at the Middle East Strategic Research Center, confirmed to Al Jazeera that Iran refuses to engage in any dialogue while the attacks persist.

According to Aslani, Tehran has made it clear that no discussions will occur in Islamabad as long as the situation in Lebanon continues. The ongoing conflict has pushed the diplomatic initiative into deep uncertainty. Beyond the violence, Tehran attributes the delay to a shift in the US position, noting that Washington has signaled a move away from a ten-point peace plan previously approved by the US president.

Aslani added that this change has created a renewed trust deficit among Iranians, reinforcing fears that the United States cannot be relied upon to keep its commitments.

The fragile two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran is on the verge of collapse following renewed accusations from both sides just hours before a planned high-level meeting in Islamabad. According to AFP, tensions have escalated over disagreements involving the Strait of Hormuz and Lebanon, with both nations refusing to compromise on key issues.

US President Donald Trump accused Iran of failing to uphold its commitment to ensure oil supply through the Strait of Hormuz, warning against any collection of fees from oil tankers. Meanwhile, Tehran insists that continued Israeli attacks in Lebanon violate the ceasefire terms, while Washington and Tel Aviv maintain that the truce applies only to direct US-Iran hostilities, not to Hezbollah.

Diplomatic analysts cited by AFP said that the Islamabad meeting, attended by US Vice President JD Vance and senior Iranian leaders, will determine whether peace can be restored or if the region will slide back into conflict. If no progress is made on reopening the strait and resolving the Lebanon issue, the ceasefire could formally end at any moment.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has warned that the country will avenge every martyr killed in the joint attack by the United States and Israel. In a statement broadcast on state television, he declared that Iran is determined to seek retribution for all killings, including that of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was reportedly killed on the first day of the war. The statement emphasized Iran’s resolve to demand compensation for all losses, the blood of martyrs, and the injuries sustained in the conflict.

The statement also mentioned that Iran would take the management of the Strait of Hormuz to a new stage, though no further details were provided about what that would entail. Meanwhile, discussions between the United States and Iran on a possible ceasefire are scheduled to take place in Islamabad on Friday, with Pakistan preparing to host the talks.

The developments come amid heightened regional tensions and uncertainty about the next steps in the ongoing conflict.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has stated that the country’s armed forces have not launched any missiles toward any nation since the start of the ongoing ceasefire. The statement was published by Iran’s Fars News Agency and came in response to reports of a drone attack on a facility of Kuwait’s semi-military National Guard.

In its statement, the IRGC said that if the reports of the drone attack were true, the incident was undoubtedly the work of what it called the Zionist enemy or the United States. The IRGC further emphasized that if Iran’s armed forces were to strike any target, the action would be officially announced with courage through an official statement.

The clarification appears aimed at distancing Iran from responsibility for the reported drone strike amid heightened regional tensions and ongoing ceasefire conditions.

Iran has set a new condition allowing no more than 15 ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz each day. The restriction is part of a 10-point proposal Iran sent to the United States, according to Russia’s state news agency TASS. The report said Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire with the US on the condition that daily ship movements remain under this limit and that all vessel activity be subject to Iranian authorization and regulation.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) will oversee and monitor maritime traffic under the new rules. Iran has also informed other Gulf nations about the restriction. A senior Iranian official told TASS that all foreign commercial vessels must now comply with Iranian approval and a specific protocol for passage. The official added that the decision has been formally communicated to regional parties and that returning to pre-war conditions is no longer possible.

The move signals Iran’s intent to maintain strict control over maritime routes during the ceasefire period, emphasizing its strategic leverage in the region.

Iran and the United States agreed to a temporary ceasefire late Tuesday, 39 days after their conflict began, with Pakistan mediating the deal. A key goal was reopening the strategic Strait of Hormuz, but Iran has kept it closed after Israel, backed by the U.S., continued attacks in Lebanon. Tehran has instead released an alternative shipping route to avoid mines and requires vessels to coordinate with its navy. Iranian officials insist the strait’s reopening depends on U.S. restraint and regional stability.

Disagreement persists over whether Lebanon is covered by the ceasefire. Israel’s airstrikes in Lebanon have killed at least 303 people and injured over 1,165, prompting condemnation from Lebanese and Iranian leaders. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that continued Israeli attacks would render talks meaningless, while Hezbollah retaliated with rocket fire into northern Israel. U.S. and Iranian delegations are set to meet in Islamabad on Saturday to discuss the truce.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard imposed a one-dollar-per-barrel toll on oil shipments through Hormuz, payable in cryptocurrency or Chinese yuan, during the ceasefire period. The situation remains tense as both sides prepare for further negotiations.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said it would be “dumb” for the United States to let Israel jeopardize the regional ceasefire by continuing its attacks on Lebanon, which have killed hundreds since the truce began. Araghchi linked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s actions to his upcoming corruption trial, suggesting the Israeli leader has personal motives for prolonging the conflict. He warned that if Washington allows Netanyahu to “kill diplomacy,” it would harm the US economy, adding that Tehran is prepared for such an outcome.

The dispute over whether Lebanon is covered by the ceasefire has become a major threat to the truce’s survival. Iranian officials and media have hinted at possible military responses or even blocking the Strait of Hormuz if the ceasefire is not enforced in Lebanon. Meanwhile, US officials, including Vice President JD Vance, have urged restraint, and former President Donald Trump said he told Israel to scale back operations.

Despite these calls, Israeli strikes have intensified, killing more than 300 people in Lebanon, including rescuers in Borj Qalaouiye, and prompting displacement orders in Beirut’s Jnah area.

Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, declared a “final victory” in the war with Israel and the United States, as a fragile ceasefire faces renewed strain from Israeli attacks on Lebanon. In a televised statement marking 40 days since the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a US-Israeli strike, Khamenei said Iran had “astonished the world” during the conflict. He emphasized that Tehran was not seeking war but defending its legitimate rights, vowing to punish those responsible for attacks on Iran and to seek compensation for damages and casualties.

The statement came a day after the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire mediated by Pakistan, aimed at opening negotiations following weeks of hostilities that disrupted Gulf shipping and nearly closed the Strait of Hormuz. Under the deal, Iran allowed shipping to resume through the strait, reportedly with plans to impose tolls to fund reconstruction.

However, Israeli air strikes in Lebanon that killed more than 300 people have cast doubt on the truce, as the parties dispute whether Lebanon was included in the agreement. Delegations from Iran and the US are expected to meet in Pakistan on Saturday for talks on ending the war.

Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev described the Strait of Hormuz as Iran’s strategic “nuclear weapon,” according to Anadolu. In a statement on social media platform X on Wednesday, he said that while it remains unclear how the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran will be implemented, Iran holds a powerful strategic element—the Strait of Hormuz—with immense potential.

Analysts clarified that Medvedev’s remark was metaphorical, not a reference to an actual nuclear weapon. The phrase highlights Iran’s geopolitical leverage and the strait’s critical role in global energy supply. The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most vital oil transit routes, has long been a focal point of Middle Eastern tensions.

The comment came as US President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran, noting that Tehran had presented a ten-point proposal for negotiations. The United States had been pressing Iran to reopen the strait following heightened tensions and reciprocal attacks involving Iran, the US, and Israel.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh announced that an Iranian delegation will travel to Islamabad for discussions with the United States, according to Iran’s Fars news agency. He stated that the next few hours are extremely critical and outlined conditions that must be met before any agreement can be reached.

Khatibzadeh emphasized that the United States must ensure an end to Israeli attacks in Lebanon and that Lebanon must be included in any regional peace initiative. His remarks highlight Iran’s insistence on linking regional stability to developments in Lebanon and its demand for broader inclusion in peace efforts.

The statement comes amid heightened regional tensions, with Iran signaling that the outcome of the upcoming talks could depend on how these conditions are addressed.

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated that Lebanon was a key component of the two-week ceasefire agreement reached between Iran and the United States. He made the remarks in response to Israel’s destructive attacks in Lebanon, warning that any violation of the ceasefire would bring severe consequences.

In a post on social media platform X, Ghalibaf emphasized that Lebanon and the entire 'Resistance Axis' are inseparable parts of the ceasefire. He further cautioned that any breach of the agreement would be met with a strong response and come at a high cost.

The statement, reported by Al Jazeera, underscores Iran’s position linking the stability of Lebanon to the broader ceasefire framework with the United States.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday described Israel’s recent attacks in Lebanon as a clear violation of the preliminary ceasefire agreement. In a post on social media platform X, he said Iran would never abandon its Lebanese brothers and sisters, calling the Israeli actions a sign of deceit and a dangerous indication of non-compliance with potential agreements.

Pezeshkian warned that continued Israeli operations would render ongoing discussions meaningless, emphasizing that Iran’s hand remains on the trigger. His remarks followed Israeli strikes carried out on Wednesday and Thursday in Lebanon, which he said undermined the fragile ceasefire framework.

The statement reflects Iran’s firm stance on supporting Lebanon and signals heightened regional tension following the alleged breach of the ceasefire agreement.