US Iran War LIVE: Qatar cautions against 'frozen conflict' in Gulf, says 'We do not want to….'

Qatar on Tuesday warned against the chance of a "frozen conflict" in the Gulf, as discussions between the US and Iran for a peace deal seemed at a stalemate, as per HT.

"We do not want to see a return to hostilities in the region anytime soon, we do not want to see a frozen conflict that ends up being thawed every time there is a political reason," Qatar's foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari mentioned at a press conference.

US Iran War LIVE: Shehbaz Sharif briefs New Zealand PM on Pakistan's peace efforts

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday spoke with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon over the phone, updating him on Pakistan's diplomatic initiatives aimed at promoting regional peace and reducing tensions, reported AP.

According to Sharif's office, Luxon appreciated Pakistan's diplomatic outreach, including its engagement with the United States and Iran.

Sharif thanked the New Zealand Prime Minister for his support and reiterated Pakistan's commitment to peace, dialogue, and maintaining regional stability.

US Iran War LIVE: 'Iran's illegal behavior in the Strait of Hormuz should be a wakeup call,' says US official

"Iran's illegal behavior in the Strait of Hormuz should be a wakeup call for all of us with regard to the need to secure our supply chains and reduce our dependencies on unreliable countries and geographies," Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker stated during a panel discussion in the southern Adriatic Sea city of Dubrovnik, reported AP.

"We all need to do more. The world is changing under our feet." Hooker said.

US Iran War LIVE: Iran war is latest blow to Somalia's malnourished children

For Somalia's malnourished children, already suffering the twin catastrophes of looming famine and radical cuts in foreign aid, the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran means more than soaring petrol pump prices; it is a matter of life and death, a Reuters report said

Shortages of lifesaving therapeutic foods exacerbated by shipping disruptions are forcing clinics to turn away severely malnourished children and ration supplies, Reuters reporting shows.

Almost half a million children under 5 suffer from "severe acute malnutrition" or "wasting", the most life-threatening form of hunger, and the delays are worsening the effect of the aid reductions.

SOMALIA'S CHILDREN RELY ON EVER-SHRINKING FOOD AID

Health workers in Baidoa and Mogadishu say they have had to stretch out meagre stocks of specialised milk and nutrient-dense peanut-based paste vital to saving these children.

"Since the needs are large and we don't have a lot of supplies, we have had to keep reducing the amount we give children," nurse Hassan Yahye Kheyre said.

The 225 cartons of peanut paste remaining at his clinic, which treats more than 1,200 children, will probably be exhausted within two weeks, according to the International Rescue Committee, which supplies the facility.

"If treatment is on-and-off, the children will become very weak, physically and mentally. And it may not be possible to reverse it," Kheyre added.

The IRC is one of three aid groups that said transport delays and rising costs linked to the war in Iran were making an already complicated situation worse.

At the clinic in the southwestern city of Baidoa, run by IRC's local partner READO, mother-of-nine Muumino Adan Aamin has been trying to get peanut paste for Ruweido, her 11-month-old daughter.

Ruweido is on a regimen of three sachets a day but Aamin has been turned away twice because the clinic had run out each time.

Aamin nearly lost her daughter Anisa to hunger when a previous drought pushed Somalia to the brink of famine in 2017. "Just bone and skin," the toddler only survived because of peanut paste, Aamin said.

Nine years on, a new drought has pushed 6.5 million people, or one in three Somalis, into acute hunger, and aid groups are desperately trying to plug gaps.

An IRC order for peanut paste that would have fed over 1,000 children got stuck two months ago in the Indian port of Mundra, now congested with diverted cargoes unable to dock in the Gulf, said Shukri Abdulkadir, IRC's Somalia coordinator.

After being told that the peanut paste, made in India, would take at least 30 more days to arrive, IRC cancelled the order.

It placed an emergency order for 400 cartons from Nairobi, and is moving supplies in Mogadishu to Baidoa while awaiting them.

But the increase in freight and manufacturing costs has pushed the price of a single carton to $200 from $55, according to CARE International, whose latest order now buys enough for only 83 children rather than 300.

LIFE-SAVING FOOD AID TAKES LONGER AND COSTS MORE

In 2024, deliveries of therapeutic milk and ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) from Europe to Somalia typically took 30-35 days, increasing to 40-45 days in 2025 as vessels diverted around Africa owing to security threats in the Red Sea.

Since the United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28 and Iran closed the entrance to the Gulf, a lack of ships has pushed that out to 55-65 days, said Mohamed Omar, head of Health and Nutrition at Action Against Hunger (ACF) in Mogadishu.

Meanwhile in Somalia, the IPC global hunger monitor says more than 2 million people are now in the "Emergency" phase, one level before famine.

Admissions of severely malnourished children in January-March to health centres supported by ACF were up 35% from last year.

Staff at Daynile General Hospital, which is treating 360 children for wasting, said on April 20 that they barely had enough supplies for the week.

"Some children's nutritional status has already worsened," said health and nutrition supervisor Xafsa Ali Hassan.

Somalia was not among 17 impoverished nations singled out to receive a share of this year's funds allocated to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) by the U.S., which has made the most drastic cuts among foreign aid donors.

OCHA says more than 200 health facilities have been closed and mobile teams disbanded.

It said in December that over 60,500 severely malnourished children had gone untreated as a result, and that the number could rise to 150,000 if funding gaps persisted.

Then, when the Iran war erupted, domestic fuel prices leapt 150%.

"Somalia is really hard hit by the Iran war because people are still reeling from the impact of the previous drought," said IRC's Abdulkadir. "It's very difficult for people to absorb these shocks."

OCHA has appealed for $852 million from global donors to stave off a full-blown famine.

This is far below the $1.42 billion it requested last year - yet it has still barely received 14% of this amount.

US Iran War LIVE: US guided-missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta intercepts Iranian tanker

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) has announced that the guided-missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta intercepted the M/T Stream on Sunday, preventing the vessel from reaching its intended destination.

The American warship stopped the tanker "after it attempted to sail to an Iranian port," according to a statement released by CENTCOM.

In a social media post featuring imagery of both vessels, officials clarified that the intervention was carried out as part of the ongoing "US blockade of Iranian ports."

The M/T Stream is identified as a crude oil tanker operating under the Iranian flag, and maritime analytics provider MarineTraffic, as reported by Al Jazeera, indicated that the vessel was last tracked in Southeast Asia's Malacca Strait approximately 13 days ago.

US Iran War LIVE: Oil prices rose 1% as US-Iran talks hit another roadblock

Oil prices rose 1% on Tuesday, extending gains from the previous session, as efforts to end the U.S.-Iran war appear stalled, with the crucial Strait of Hormuz waterway still mainly shut, keeping energy supplies from the key Middle East producing region out of the reach of global buyers.

Brent crude futures for June climbed $1.41, or 1.3%, to $109.64 a barrel as of 0400 GMT, after gaining 2.8% in the previous session to its highest close since April 7. The contract is up for a seventh day.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for June rose $1.27, or 1.3%, to $97.64 a barrel, after gaining 2.1% in the previous session.

US Iran War LIVE: Tired and worried, seafarers have been stranded in the Persian Gulf for weeks

Indian Capt. Rahul Dhar and his crew have been stranded on their tanker in the Persian Gulf for eight weeks now.

The crew's morale, he said, is holding as they carry on with their routines, but the strain is beginning to show, as they keep on watching drones and missiles explode as the Strait of Hormuz.

A shaky ceasefire between the US and Iran has brought "a careful sense of hope" for the crew, but there is still no clear end to the war. "Day to day, we try to keep things normal with open conversations and small team activities that help lift everyone's spirits."

The crew sighted drones and missile interceptions several times, both near the ship and along the horizon during their watches. "Those moments were difficult and created real tension for the crew," Dhar told The Associated Press.

"None of us expected the warlike situation," he said, noting that reliable internet has helped them stay in touch with families. "Those calls and messages really keep us grounded and give us strength."

US Iran War LIVE: 'Pleased to consult with the Kremlin,' Araghchi said

After meeting Putin, Araghchi expressed satisfaction over his engagement with the Russian leadership, noting that he was pleased to consult with the Kremlin at the "highest level" during this critical period.

US Iran War LIVE: First LNG shipment appear to exit Hormuz

The first liquefied natural gas shipment since the war in the Middle East began two months ago appears to have traversed the Strait of Hormuz to exit the Persian Gulf.

The Mubaraz - which loaded a cargo from Abu Dhabi National Oil Co.'s Das Island facility in the United Arab Emirates around early March - is now passing the southern tip of India, according to ship-tracking data. The tanker had been idling inside the Gulf, but stopped sending a signal around March 31, before re-appearing west of India on April 27, the data show.

US Iran War LIVE: Aragachi said he wlcomes Russia's support, 'Recent events had demonstrated the depth of their strategic partnership'

US Iran War LIVE: 'Businesses working with Iranian airlines risk sanctions,' Bessent said

Businesses working with Iranian airlines risk US sanctions, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday

Iranian state media reported over the weekend that Iran has resumed commercial flights from Tehran. Iran said that flights were scheduled to depart for Istanbul, Oman's capital of Muscat, the Saudi city of Medina and for Iraq and Qatar.

Meanwhile, the US Treasury Department has said Washington is imposing a "financial stranglehold" on the ​Iranian government. "Doing business with sanctioned Iranian airlines risks exposure to U.S. sanctions," Bessent said in a post on X.

US Iran War LIVE: What Iran wants?

Aragachi's proposal envisioned talks in stages, with the nuclear issue to be set aside at the start, senior Iranian officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters.

A first step would require ending the US-Israeli war on Iran and providing guarantees that the US cannot start it up again. Then negotiators would resolve the US Navy's blockade of Iran's trade by sea and the fate of the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran aims to reopen under its control.

Only then would talks look at other issues, including the longstanding dispute over Iran's nuclear program, with Iran still seeking some kind of U.S. acknowledgment of its right to enrich uranium.

US Iran War LIVE: Araghchi reaches Russia to meet Putin

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday reached Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin

Araghchi said he needed to coordinate with Russian officials after the US-Israeli military campaign against the Islamic Republic disrupted bilateral meetings, according to a statement posted on the foreign ministry's Telegram channel.

US Iran War LIVE: US officials are discussing Iran's latest proposal

The US officials are discussing Iran's latest proposal, the White House said and further added that they are maintaining red lines on any deal to end the eight-week war.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Monday that President Donald Trump had convened a meeting of national security officials earlier in the day to discuss the Iranian proposal.

"His red lines with respect to Iran have been made very, very clear," she said, adding that Trump would address the matter "very soon."

US Iran War LIVE: 73 boys, 47 girls killed in Iranian elementary school attack, Tehran shares tally

Iran on Tuesday shared the breakdown of the death toll from the deadly strike on an Iranian school

As per IRIB and local media, Seventy-three boys and 47 girls were killed in the strike on an Iranian elementary school in Minab

The attack happened on February 28 when the United States and Israel launched attacks across Iran. In retaliation, Tehran struck targets in Israel and Gulf nations.

Twenty-six teachers, seven parents, a school bus driver, and a pharmacy technician at the clinic next to the school were also killed, IRIB said in a Telegram post.

US Iran War LIVE: Iran may accept the interim deal to open Strait of Hormuz

Iran signaled it would accept an interim deal with the US where it opens the Strait of Hormuz but only if Washington lift the naval blockade on Iranian ports, according to Axios.

Iranian media said Sunday that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi would convey to the main mediator Pakistan that the war could end if the Americans lift a naval blockade of Iranian ports, agree to new legal framework for the strait and guarantee no future military action against the Islamic Republic.

Iran told Pakistan that negotiations over Iran's nuclear program - a longer-standing issue - could be dealt with later, Axios reported

US Iran War LIVE: Gold held steady as investors awaits clarity on US-Iran talks

Gold held steady on Tuesday as investors awaited more clarity on stalled peace talks between the United States and Iran, while also watching key central bank meetings this week for signals on whether the Middle East conflict could change the interest rate outlook.

Spot gold was up 0.2% at $4,693.04 per ounce, as of 0053 GMT US gold futures for June delivery rose 0.3% to $4,707.80.

US Iran War LIVE: 'We can't let them get away with it,' Rubio on Iran's latest proposal

Speaking to Fox News, Marco Rubio said that there won't be any deal if Iran excludes nuclear programme

"We can't let them get away with it."

"We have to ensure that any deal that is made, any agreement that is made, is one that definitively prevents them from sprinting towards a nuclear weapon at any point," Rubio said.

US Iran War LIVE: What does Iran's proposal say?

Iran's latest proposal said the deal between the two parties would see Tehran lifting its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz if Washington ends its naval blockade on Iranian ports, along with securing a long-term-or even permanent-ceasefire, anAP report said

Also, the proposal doesn't address the core issue Trump cited when he began bombing on Feb. 28 - finding a way to ensure that Iran cannot build an atomic weapon.

US Iran War LIVE: Oil prices rises as US-Iran talks fail

Oil prices extended their gains on Tuesday as efforts to end the Iran war hit another roadblock. For now, the Strait of Hormuz remain shut, keeping energy supplies from the key Middle East producing region out of the reach of global buyers.

Brent crude futures for June climbed 45 cents, or 0.4%, to $108.68 a barrel as of 0051 GMT, after gaining 2.8% in the previous session to its highest close since April 7. The contract is up for a seventh day.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for June rose 58 cents, or 0.6%, to $96.96, after gaining 2.1% in the previous session.

US Iran War LIVE: Trump is not haapy with Iran's latest proposals

President Donald Trump is not haapy with Iran's latest proposals, as did not address their nuclear program, an US official. "He doesn't love the proposal," the official told Reuters, referring to Trump.