US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Tuesday that if Iran proceeds with its plan to impose a toll in the Strait of Hormuz, any potential agreement between Washington and Tehran would become virtually impossible. He said that introducing a new toll system in such a vital international waterway could raise concerns for both regional and global trade. Rubio also suggested that such a move would negatively affect the ongoing diplomatic atmosphere between the two nations.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical routes for energy supply, with a large number of oil and gas tankers passing through daily. Analysts believe that any new restrictions or additional costs in this area could impact international markets. However, Iran has not yet issued any detailed official comment regarding the possible toll plan.

Following Rubio’s remarks, discussions have intensified over the future of US-Iran relations, though no immediate diplomatic responses were reported.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has ordered that the country’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium must not be sent abroad under any circumstances. The directive directly contradicts a key demand from the United States, which had made the removal of enriched uranium a central condition in ongoing peace discussions. Two senior Iranian sources confirmed the order to Reuters.

According to the report, the decision could anger U.S. President Donald Trump and place the process of ending the ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel in serious doubt. Israeli officials told Reuters that Trump had previously assured Israel that Iran’s uranium stockpile would be removed and that this would be a mandatory clause in any peace agreement. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also stated that the war would not be considered over until Iran removes its enriched uranium, halts support for proxy militias, and dismantles its ballistic missile capabilities.

Iranian officials believe that sending the material abroad would leave the country more vulnerable to potential attacks from the United States and Israel. No immediate comment was available from the White House or Iran’s Foreign Ministry.

A recent US intelligence assessment indicates that Iran is rebuilding its military capabilities faster than expected after suffering damage from US and Israeli strikes. According to information shared with CNN, Iran has partially resumed drone production during a six-week ceasefire that began in April 2026. The reconstruction of missile bases, launchers, and weapons infrastructure is reportedly advancing quickly, surpassing earlier intelligence timelines.

The assessment suggests Iran could restore full drone strike capability within six months, raising concerns among US allies in the Middle East. Intelligence sources attribute Iran’s rapid recovery partly to assistance from Russia and China, though Chinese officials have denied supplying missile components. Despite significant losses, much of Iran’s ballistic missile, drone, and air defense capacity remains intact, with about half of its drone fleet still operational.

Contradicting the intelligence findings, US Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper told Congress that Operation Epic Fury destroyed 90 percent of Iran’s defense industry. However, CNN reported that intelligence sources believe Iran’s recovery could take months rather than years.

An Iranian military source has stated that Tehran possesses advanced weapons developed with domestic technology, which have not yet been deployed or tested in battle. The statement came as the United States issued new threats of attack against Iran, according to a report by Russian news agency RIA Novosti cited by Al Jazeera.

The Iranian official emphasized that the country is fully prepared for any escalation with the United States and faces no deficiencies in defense capability or military equipment. He added that Iran is not inclined to show restraint this time, signaling a tougher stance in response to potential US actions.

The remarks underscore rising tensions between Tehran and Washington, with Iran asserting its readiness to defend itself using newly developed weaponry if provoked.

Iran is reviewing the United States’ feedback on the wording of a proposed ceasefire agreement draft, according to a report by Iran’s Nour News Agency. The report stated that Washington and Tehran have exchanged several messages regarding the draft, excluding Pakistan from the direct communication. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei confirmed that the exchanges were based on Iran’s main 14-point framework and that the U.S. opinions are currently under review.

Baghaei made the remarks during a meeting with Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who was visiting Tehran. The discussions between Washington and Tehran are being facilitated by Islamabad, which is playing a mediating role in the process.

The report did not specify the content of the U.S. feedback or the timeline for Iran’s review, leaving the next steps in the ceasefire negotiations unclear.

Iran’s stock market resumed trading this week after being closed for nearly three months, with authorities implementing a controlled two-day reopening under restrictions. The Tehran Stock Exchange sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday allowed limited liquidity generation, though about 36 percent of listed companies, including major petrochemical and steel firms, remained offline to protect shareholders from the effects of the United States-Israel war. Trading hours were extended by one hour each day, and price movements were capped at three percent to prevent volatility.

Officials said the reopening aimed to stabilize investor confidence, but deep economic challenges persisted. Economist Mehdi Haghbaali noted that security concerns prevented companies from disclosing full damage assessments, while smaller brokerage firms and leveraged traders faced difficulties. Inflation exceeded 70 percent in late April, and a sharp depreciation of the rial has made export-oriented firms appear more attractive. However, trade disruptions and rising prices continue to weigh on real value creation.

Authorities face limited fiscal options amid sanctions and a naval blockade of southern ports. Haghbaali suggested that renewed import restrictions or a potential peace agreement with the United States could reshape Iran’s economic outlook.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned on Wednesday that any renewed attacks by the United States or Israel against Iran would cause the ongoing conflict to spread beyond the Middle East. The statement, published on the IRGC’s Sepah News website and reported from Tehran by AFP, declared that further aggression would trigger destructive retaliation capable of crushing the attackers.

The warning followed US President Donald Trump’s threat to strike Iran again within days if no lasting agreement is reached. Both sides have exchanged proposals to end the fighting while simultaneously escalating threats. The war began on February 28, with a ceasefire taking effect on April 8. During the roughly 40-day conflict, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior leaders were killed, prompting Tehran to launch missile and drone strikes across the region.

Trump said on Tuesday that new attacks could begin soon if talks fail, adding that Gulf Arab leaders had previously urged him to hold back from immediate action.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps announced that 26 ships safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz within the past 24 hours under its supervision. According to Iran’s Tasnim news agency, the vessels included oil tankers, container ships, and other commercial ships, all of which passed through the strait with official permission.

State broadcaster IRIB reported that at least five of the vessels were supertankers. The report added that ships from several countries, including China and South Korea, have requested permission to transit the strategic waterway.

The Strait of Hormuz is a key maritime route for global energy shipments, and Iran’s control over transit permissions highlights its continuing influence over regional maritime traffic.

Reports indicate that during the early days of the Iran war, following Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s supreme leader and senior officials, US President Donald Trump publicly suggested that someone from within Iran should take charge. It has now emerged that both the United States and Israel had considered former hardline president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for that role. According to American officials, Israeli planners even consulted Ahmadinejad about the idea, but the plan quickly collapsed.

Ahmadinejad was injured in an Israeli airstrike on his Tehran home on the war’s first day, an attack reportedly aimed at freeing him from house arrest. After surviving, he became disillusioned with the regime-change plan and has not been seen publicly since. The plan was part of a broader Israeli effort to topple Iran’s religious government through targeted strikes and internal unrest, though most of it failed to materialize.

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly declined to comment directly on the plan but said Trump’s “Operation Epic Fury” achieved its military goals, including destroying Iran’s missile and naval capabilities.

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that discussions with Iran are continuing over the May 4 attack on the South Korean-operated vessel HMM Namu in the Strait of Hormuz. According to Yonhap News Agency, ministry spokesperson Park Il stated that necessary measures will be taken once the investigation concludes. The incident caused an explosion and fire on the ship, leaving one crew member slightly injured.

A previous government investigation found that two flying objects struck the vessel, and debris from the site is being analyzed to identify the objects and those responsible. Park Il added that Seoul will maintain communication with Tehran and take appropriate steps, including providing explanations to Iran if new information emerges.

South Korean officials have accused Iran of involvement, but Tehran has denied responsibility. The ministry emphasized that ensuring the safety and free navigation of South Korean ships and crew in the region remains its top priority, with diplomatic efforts ongoing to achieve that goal.

The New York Times reported on Tuesday that the United States and Israel had planned to bring former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad back to power if Iran’s Islamic Republic leadership collapsed following the outbreak of war. The report stated that early in the conflict, then-US President Donald Trump publicly hinted that new leadership could emerge from within Iran if Israeli strikes killed the country’s top leaders.

According to the report, US and Israeli officials specifically considered Ahmadinejad, once known for his hardline stance and anti-US rhetoric, as a potential post-war leader. The plan was reportedly initiated by Israel, which had also made contact with Ahmadinejad. However, after an Israeli strike hit his home in Tehran on the first day of the war, Ahmadinejad became disillusioned with the plan.

US officials cited in the report said that the broader regime-change plan in Iran quickly collapsed and became ineffective before it could be implemented.

Iran has presented a new peace proposal to the United States, according to Iranian state media reports on Tuesday. The proposal includes halting hostilities on all fronts including Lebanon, withdrawing U.S. troops from areas surrounding Iran, and compensating for damages caused by the recent U.S.-Israel conflict. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi stated that Tehran also demands the lifting of sanctions, release of frozen Iranian funds, and an end to the U.S. naval blockade.

Iranian officials said the proposal aims to reduce regional tensions and end ongoing conflicts. Analysts noted that the conditions are not significantly different from Iran’s previous positions. Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump had rejected an earlier Iranian offer, calling it “garbage.” However, after receiving the new proposal, Trump announced that a planned strike on Iran had been temporarily suspended and expressed optimism about reaching an agreement to limit Iran’s nuclear program.

A Pakistani source indicated that Islamabad has been mediating between the two sides and helped deliver Tehran’s new proposal to Washington after hosting a round of peace talks last month.

Iran is preparing to hold a parliamentary vote on a bill proposing a bounty for the killing of U.S. President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and U.S. Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper. The proposal, introduced under the title “Countermeasures by the Islamic Republic’s Military and Security Forces,” would formalize a reward of 50 million euros for their deaths. Officials said the move responds to a February attack allegedly targeting Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, which Tehran blames on the three figures.

National Security Commission chairman Ebrahim Azizi said the bill represents a necessary retaliatory measure. Another commission member, Mahmoud Nabavian, stated that parliament would soon vote on the proposal and warned that any renewed military assault on Iran would bring a “devastating” response. Analysts cited in the report noted that turning religious or political threats into a formal legislative act could further escalate tensions among Iran, the United States, and Israel.

The report also recalled Trump’s earlier warning that any Iranian assassination attempt against him would provoke an “extremely severe” U.S. response, while a campaign called “Blood Covenant” claimed to have raised over $27 million to target Trump.

Despite continuing talks aimed at resolving the ongoing crisis, Iran and the United States remain far apart on major issues. In a recent statement to Iran’s parliamentary national security commission, Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi reaffirmed that Iran will not relinquish its right to enrich uranium. This stance has become a major obstacle, as the U.S. proposal requires Iran to halt uranium enrichment for the next two decades, a condition Tehran has rejected as excessively long.

Iran has also demanded that the U.S. guarantee an end to conflicts across all fronts, including Lebanon, before any nuclear discussions proceed. Washington has refused, saying such assurances depend on progress in the talks. The two sides remain deadlocked over the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran calling for the removal of U.S. blockades and the U.S. insisting that Iran must first ensure full freedom of navigation.

Additionally, Iran has demanded compensation for war damages, the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the Gulf region, and the lifting of all sanctions related to its nuclear program, human rights, and alleged terrorism financing. The U.S. has rejected these demands.

During nearly six weeks of continuous attacks by the United States and Israel, Israeli warplanes bombed and severely damaged about 30 universities across Iran, including Tehran’s Sharif University of Technology. Scholars have described the strikes as an assault on education and knowledge. The attacks targeted major research institutions that form the backbone of Iran’s scientific and technological progress.

The report argues that Israel deliberately targeted these universities to obstruct Iran’s advancement in modern science and technology. It also criticizes Western media, particularly The New York Times, for framing the destruction of Iranian universities through a political lens rather than as an attack on education. Iranian academics and students reportedly view the bombings as an attempt to undermine Iran’s sovereignty and technological independence.

The article further claims that Israel’s actions reflect a broader hostility toward higher education in Muslim countries and warns that similar threats have been made against universities in Turkey and Pakistan. It also draws parallels between physical bombings in the Middle East and ideological attacks on academic freedom in Western universities.