U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran is facing a financial collapse. In a post on his social media platform X, Trump stated that Iran is 'crying for cash' and losing about 500 million dollars every day. He further alleged that Iran’s military and police are complaining about not receiving their salaries.

Trump also said that the United States has completely blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime route. According to him, Iran wants to reopen the strait to earn 500 million dollars daily, but has kept it closed to 'save face.' The statements were reported by Al Jazeera and published by the Bangladeshi outlet Amar Desh.

The remarks come amid heightened tensions between the United States and Iran, with recent reports of ship seizures and escalating regional conflict in the Middle East.

An adviser to Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf dismissed US President Donald Trump’s decision to extend the ceasefire with Iran as meaningless. The adviser said Washington cannot impose any conditions on Tehran, asserting that the United States has been defeated in the conflict. He added that a defeated side cannot dictate terms during ongoing tensions.

The remarks came amid continued disputes over the US naval blockade and stalled negotiations. Iranian officials have warned that sustained pressure could further escalate the situation. The comments reflect Tehran’s firm stance against US actions in the region.

Earlier, Trump announced the extension of the ceasefire with Iran in a statement posted on his social media platform, Truth Social. He also ordered the US military to maintain the naval blockade against Iran, citing requests from Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to delay attacks until Tehran presents a unified proposal.

Iran has warned that oil production in Gulf countries could be targeted if their territories are used for attacks against Iran. The commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Aerospace Force issued the threat, according to a report by the state-backed Fars News Agency. The warning comes as several Persian Gulf nations have previously allowed Iran’s adversaries to operate from their soil.

The report added that Iran’s list of potential targets has expanded beyond military installations to include major oil fields and refineries across the Middle East. The commander specifically mentioned locations in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain. Many of these countries are U.S. allies and host American military bases.

The statement underscores rising regional tensions and signals that Iran may consider economic infrastructure a strategic target if hostilities escalate further.

U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the United States has completely blocked the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran wants to reopen it to earn about 500 million dollars daily. According to Trump, Iran has kept the vital waterway closed only to save face, as reported by Al Jazeera. He made the remarks in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social.

Trump added that Iran’s real intention is to reopen the strait because keeping it closed causes financial losses. He claimed that Iran maintains the closure only because the United States has already imposed a full blockade. Trump further mentioned that four days earlier, people informed him that Iran wanted to reopen the strait immediately, but doing so could prevent any future agreement with Iran unless its leadership were destroyed.

The report highlights continuing tensions between the United States and Iran over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route, with both sides asserting conflicting positions on its status.

Iran’s Education Minister Alireza Khazemi announced that around 1,300 schools across the country were damaged in recent US-Israeli attacks, with repair work on 775 of them already completed. The information was reported by Iran’s state news agency IRNA on April 22, 2026.

According to the minister, the attacks, which began on February 28, left at least 20 schools completely destroyed. The most severe damage occurred in the provinces of Tehran, Kermanshah, Isfahan, and Hormozgan. Khazemi expressed optimism that reconstruction of the remaining damaged schools would be finished by October.

The report highlights the scale of infrastructure damage to Iran’s education sector following the attacks and outlines the government’s ongoing efforts to restore normal schooling conditions across affected regions.

Iran’s drone development, first noticed in Hezbollah operations near the Israel-Lebanon border, gained global attention when Iranian-made drones appeared in the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022. Despite decades of sanctions since 1979, Iran built a domestic drone industry that evolved from simple reconnaissance devices to long-range strike systems capable of reaching Israel by 2026.

The program began during the Iran-Iraq war when sanctions and the departure of U.S. engineers left Iran’s air force crippled. Facing technological isolation, Iranian engineers and students at Isfahan University developed early drones for surveillance, later adapted for combat under the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. By the late 1980s, Iran became one of the first nations to deploy armed unmanned aerial vehicles in warfare.

Iran’s strategy emphasized low-cost mass deployment over precision, allowing swarms of inexpensive drones to overwhelm expensive missile defenses. This cost asymmetry was demonstrated in the 2019 Aramco oil facility attack, which caused billions in damage at minimal expense. The evolution of Iran’s drone program has altered modern warfare economics and challenged traditional military power hierarchies.

Mahdi Mohammadi, adviser to the Speaker of Iran’s Parliament, has criticized former U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to extend a ceasefire, calling it a meaningless move intended to buy time for a sudden attack. His remarks were made in a social media post late Tuesday night, where he accused Trump of using the ceasefire extension as a deceptive strategy.

Mohammadi stated that a defeated side cannot impose conditions and argued that maintaining blockades is no different from bombings, which must be met with a military response. He further claimed that Iran should now take countermeasures, suggesting that the ceasefire extension signals preparation for an imminent strike.

The comments come amid heightened tensions between Iran and the United States, with reports of ship seizures in the Strait of Hormuz and growing regional instability. The statement underscores Iran’s suspicion of U.S. intentions and signals potential escalation if diplomatic efforts fail.

Iran has declined to participate in talks scheduled in Pakistan regarding a ceasefire and agreement with the United States, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency. The agency cited one of its representatives, saying the decision was made because Washington had not withdrawn what Tehran described as its 'unreasonable demands.' Tasnim reported that Iran announced it would not attend the meeting, calling participation a waste of time under current conditions.

The report added that Iran has formally informed Pakistan of its decision and notified mediators that it will not be present at the discussions planned for the following day. The talks were expected to focus on potential steps toward easing tensions between the two countries. However, the authenticity of the report could not be independently verified, according to Al Jazeera.

The development underscores ongoing friction between Iran and the United States, with Pakistan positioned as a potential facilitator in the dialogue process.

Iran’s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup has become uncertain after its sports and youth minister, Ahmad Donyamali, stated that the team will only compete if full security for Iranian players is guaranteed. He said the final decision will be made by the Iranian government and the Supreme National Security Council. The minister made the remarks to Tasnim News Agency, emphasizing that the safety of the national team in the United States is the key condition for participation.

The 2026 World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with all of Iran’s group-stage matches scheduled to take place in the US. Following the outbreak of war between Iran and the United States on February 28, concerns over the safety of Iranian players have intensified. Iran had earlier requested FIFA to move its matches from the US to Mexico, but the request was rejected due to logistical reasons.

With tensions between the two countries still high, the global football community is now waiting for Tehran’s final decision on whether Team Melli will take part in the tournament.

Iran has declared that it will not surrender to U.S. pressure following recent warnings from President Donald Trump. Senior Iranian officials said the country has made 'astonishing' military preparations to face any potential attack. Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera’s correspondent Ali Hashem noted that Iran had already clarified its stance against capitulation under American pressure.

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated that Iran would not yield or join any talks under blockade conditions, warning that the nation is ready with many 'surprises' if war resumes. The Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters, Iran’s top military command, announced full readiness to repel any assault. Multiple government officials, including from the judiciary, have expressed concern over the possibility of a major attack on Iran.

Officials have conveyed to the public that rejecting negotiations or surrender under siege could heighten the risk of war, emphasizing Tehran’s preference for military preparedness over accepting U.S. terms.

US President Donald Trump has claimed that American forces have completely destroyed Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium. He made the statement in a post on Truth Social, asserting that the US military crushed Tehran’s uranium reserves so thoroughly that Iran can no longer access or recover them. His message suggested that the operation aimed to eliminate Iran’s nuclear capability entirely.

In the same post, Trump sharply criticized mainstream US media, calling them corrupt and fake for their coverage of the government’s role in the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict. His remarks came as preparations were reportedly underway for talks between the two countries in Islamabad, adding new tension to an already volatile situation.

The claim, reported by Al Jazeera, has drawn attention amid heightened regional instability and follows recent incidents in the Strait of Hormuz involving Iranian actions against foreign vessels.

Iran has executed a man named Amirali Mirjafari after convicting him of alleged links with Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad and involvement in setting fire to a mosque during protests in January. The execution was carried out early on April 21, 2026, following the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold his death sentence, according to the judiciary’s media outlet Mizan.

Mizan reported that Mirjafari was accused of arson at Tehran’s Kolhak Mosque and of conducting activities described as anti-state. The case emerged amid widespread unrest across Iran earlier in the year, when demonstrations over various issues led to heightened tensions in the capital and other cities. Several individuals were arrested at that time on security-related charges.

The report did not include further details about the trial proceedings or possible international reactions to the execution.

Iran has strongly condemned the United States for seizing its commercial vessel 'Tuska' in the Gulf of Oman, calling the action illegal and terroristic. In a statement issued by the Iranian Foreign Ministry on April 21, 2026, Tehran demanded the immediate release of the ship and its crew, claiming that both the sailors and their families were being detained. Iran described the seizure as a violation of international law and a recent ceasefire agreement.

The US military stated that the Iranian crew had ignored multiple warnings over six hours before the destroyer USS Spruance ordered the engine room to be evacuated and fired several rounds to disable the ship’s engines. Iran warned that the move could have extremely dangerous consequences and urged the United Nations and other international bodies to condemn the US action. Senior Iranian officials had previously issued similar statements following the seizure.

Former US President Donald Trump said the United States would not lift its naval blockade on Iranian ports until an agreement with Iran is reached.

Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported that Iranian drones attacked a US Navy vessel in the Gulf of Oman after American forces seized an Iranian-flagged container ship named Towska. According to US Central Command, the USS Spruance disabled the ship’s propulsion after repeated warnings went unanswered, and US sailors later boarded it from the USS Tripoli by helicopter. The ship had departed Malaysia’s Port Klang on April 12 and was located about 40 nautical miles from Iran’s Chabahar port. US President Donald Trump said the action followed Iran’s attempt to violate a US naval blockade on Iranian ports.

Trump stated that Iranian sailors ignored warnings, prompting US forces to pierce the ship’s engine room and halt it mid-sea. The 290-meter vessel is now under full US Navy control and was already under US Treasury sanctions for previous illegal activities. The incident has reignited global discussion over the use of naval blockades as a strategic tool, a practice historically aimed at weakening adversaries by disrupting trade and supply routes.

Historical examples cited include British blockades during World War I, Allied actions against Japan in World War II, and more recent blockades in Gaza and Yemen, illustrating both their tactical effectiveness and humanitarian consequences.

Iran has announced preparations to demonstrate a new battlefield strategy as the two-week ceasefire with the United States nears its end. The Iranian parliament speaker stated on social media that the country has been readying to show 'new cards' in the conflict and emphasized that negotiations under threat are unacceptable. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said he is under no pressure to reach an agreement and that the chances of extending the ceasefire are very low.

Tensions in the Persian Gulf have intensified after US forces seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship on April 18 and maintained a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. Both sides have accused each other of violating the ceasefire. In parallel, US Vice President JD Vance is scheduled to visit Pakistan on Tuesday for a key meeting, while Israel and Lebanon are expected to hold a second round of talks on Thursday.

The overall situation suggests that despite the ceasefire period coming to an end, there are no clear signs of de-escalation in the region.