US-Iran War higlights: Iran says US replied to Tehran’s 14-point proposal

Trump warned that any disruption to the planned operation to assist foreign commercial vessels safely transit the Strait of Hormuz would face a strong response.

“If, in any way, this Humanitarian process is interfered with, that interference will, unfortunately, have to be dealt with forcefully,” he warned.

He said the effort is intended to ease tensions and provide relief to civilian shipping caught in the conflict zone.

Trump said multiple countries had approached Washington seeking help after their vessels became effectively stranded in the strategic waterway.

“Countries from all over the World… have asked the United States if we could help free up their Ships, which are locked up in the Strait of Hormuz,” he wrote.

He described the affected nations as “neutral and innocent bystanders” with no involvement in the Middle Eastern conflict.

US President Donald Trump has announced a new maritime initiative called “Project Freedom” to help foreign commercial vessels safely pass through the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing regional tensions.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the operation would begin Monday morning (Middle East time) and is aimed at protecting neutral shipping affected by instability in the region.

"I have told my Representatives to inform them that we will use best efforts to get their Ships and Crews safely out of the Strait. In all cases, they said they will not be returning until the area becomes safe for navigation, and everything else. This process, Project Freedom, will begin Monday morning, Middle East time," Trump wrote.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Iran may soon have to shut down some oil wells amid the US blockade on Iranian shipping.

Bessent made the remarks during an interview with Fox News.

He said futures markets indicate oil prices are expected to remain lower in the coming months.

According to Bessent, hundreds of oil tankers are currently waiting in the Gulf region.

He stressed that the United States is “only blockading Iranian ships.”

Bessent said Iran has earned less than $1.3 million in toll revenues, calling it “a pittance” compared to past oil earnings.

He claimed Iran’s oil infrastructure is “starting to creak” due to years of sanctions and lack of maintenance.

The Treasury secretary said Iranian oil storage facilities are rapidly filling up.

Bessent warned that if storage capacity is exhausted, Iran may be forced to begin shutting in oil wells within the next week.

Israel Defense Forces said it uncovered dozens of Hezbollah weapons in southern Lebanon during the extended ceasefire.

The IDF said the weapons were intended for attacks against Israeli soldiers.

According to the military, the cache included Kalashnikov rifles, machine guns, anti-tank missiles, magazines and other combat equipment.

The announcement was made in a post shared by the IDF on X.

The IDF also said two armed militants were killed south of the Forward Defense Line.

Israeli forces claimed the two individuals posed an “immediate threat” to troops operating in the area.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he accepts that Donald Trump holds different views on key issues.

Merz said differences with Trump would not affect Germany’s cooperation with the United States within NATO.

He rejected suggestions that his criticism of US war planning in Iran led to Washington’s troop reduction announcement.

The United States plans to cut 5,000 troops from Germany, home to America’s largest military base in Europe.

Merz had earlier questioned whether Trump had an exit strategy for the Middle East conflict.

He also said the US was being “embarrassed” in negotiations with Iran.

Trump later described Merz as an “ineffectual” leader.

In an interview with German broadcaster ARD, Merz stressed that the US remains an important ally for Germany.

“I remain convinced that the Americans are important partners for us,” Merz said.

Asked about a connection between the leaders’ spat and the troop drawdown, Merz replied: “There is no connection.”

Iran says the United States has responded to Tehran’s proposal.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran is reviewing Washington’s reply.

Baghaei said Iran’s “14-point proposal” does not include the nuclear issue.

“The nuclear issue is not included in the 14 point proposal,” Baghaei said on state television.

According to Baghaei, the proposal is focused solely on “ending the war.”

Iran did not provide further details about the contents of the proposal.

US Central Command wrote on X: "Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, visited USS Milius (DDG 69), May 2, as the guided-missile destroyer patrolled regional waters in support of the U.S. blockade operations against Iran. While on board, he interacted with Sailors and addressed them on the 1MC while highlighting the importance of the ongoing mission. As of today, 49 commercial vessels have been redirected to comply with blockade. U.S. forces remain fully committed to total enforcement."

Germany’s foreign minister Johann Wadephul wrote on X: "In the phone call with @araghchi, I emphasized: 🇩🇪 supports a negotiated solution. As a close US ally, we share the same goal: Iran must completely and verifiably renounce nuclear weapons and immediately release the Strait of Hormuz, as @SecRubio also demands."

A bulk carrier near the Strait of Hormuz reported being attacked by multiple small craft on Sunday.

The incident was reported by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), AP reported.

The unidentified vessel was travelling northbound near Sirik, Iran, east of the Strait of Hormuz.

UKMTO said all crew members aboard the carrier were safe following the incident.

No immediate claim of responsibility was made for the attack.

Iranian officials have previously said ships not linked to the US or Israel can pass through the Strait of Hormuz if they pay a toll.

The attack marks 12th reported maritime security incident in the area since the war began.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said energy prices that surged during the US-Israel conflict with Iran are expected to decline later this year.

Bessent said: “Oil prices on the other side of this conflict are going to be much lower.”

Bessent said Iran is not generating significant revenue from attempts to impose tolls on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s latest proposal to the US seeks resolution of all disputes within 30 days, according to state-linked media.

Tehran’s proposal aims to permanently end the war rather than simply extend the current ceasefire.

The reported 14-point plan is described as a response to an earlier US nine-point proposal.

Iran’s proposal reportedly calls for the lifting of US sanctions and an end to the naval blockade.

The plan also seeks withdrawal of US forces from the region and a halt to hostilities, including Israeli operations in Lebanon.

Reports say the proposal does not directly address Iran’s nuclear program in the initial phase.

A tanker carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for India has sailed out of the Strait of Hormuz and is now headed towards the country, news agency PTI reported.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said he on Sunday demanded that Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz and give up its nuclear weapons programme in a telephone call with Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi.

"I emphasised that Germany supports a negotiated solution," Wadephul said in a post on X about the call. "As a close US ally, we share the same goal: Iran must completely and verifiably renounce nuclear weapons and immediately open the Strait of Hormuz, as also demanded by" US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz has nearly come to a halt as Donald Trump considers Tehran’s latest proposal aimed at ending the ongoing conflict.

Hopes for a quick easing of blockades imposed by both sides have weakened after Trump said he would review the plan but questioned whether it goes far enough. He remarked that Iran has “not yet paid a big enough price” for its actions over the decades.

The situation has raised concerns over global oil supply, as the Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical routes for energy shipments. The slowdown in tanker movement signals rising uncertainty in the region.

At least five people, including four paramedics, were injured in an Israeli attack near a medical facility in the Tyre district of southern Lebanon, Al Jazeera reported.

Iran has responded to the United States' nine-point proposal via Pakistan, wherein Tehran has listed 14 points which are focussed on the issue of what is being called an "end to the war", as per Tasnim News Agency. Read more

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on Sunday said it had "eliminated" two armed Hezbollah terrorists operating south of the Forward Defence Line who posed an "imminent threat" to its troops.

The IDF said additional terrorists identified inside structures in the area who "posed a threat" were also eliminated in a subsequent strike.

Sharing the details in a post on X, the IDF said, "ELIMINATED: 2 armed Hezbollah terrorists operating south of the Forward Defence Line, posing an imminent threat to IDF troops. Additionally, terrorists who were identified inside structures in the area who posed a threat were eliminated in a subsequent strike."

Tensions have once again started to simmer between the United States and Iran after President Donald Trump on Saturday warned Tehran that he could order renewed military action if it "misbehaves."

When asked if Trump could order fresh strikes in Iran despite a nearly four-week ceasefire in place, he told reporters, "If they misbehave, if they do something bad — but right now, we'll see. It's a possibility that could happen, certainly," Axios reported.

A Hezbollah lawmaker said Sunday that the group would be able to "thwart" the objectives of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel.

Speaking at an event to honour killed Hezbollah fighters, Hassan Fadlallah said "these negotiations with all their results do not concern us, and we will not implement them".

Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war on March 2, when it fired rockets at Israel in support of its backer Iran.

Israeli attacks on Lebanon have since killed more than 2,600 people and displaced more than a million.

"We have a free people and a steadfast resistance capable of thwarting all the objectives of these negotiations, which increase the sharp division in the country between the factions of our people and within the state itself," Fadlallah said.

Lebanon and Israel's US ambassadors have held two meetings in Washington in recent weeks, the first of their kind in decades.

The first meeting led to a pause in fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, while Lebanon and Israel agreed to direct negotiations under pressure from the United States.

(AFP)