US-Iran News LIVE: Trump says he would not unfreeze Iran's assets or lift any sanctions before peace deal is reached

US President Donald Trump claimed Iran has acknowledged that it will not pursue nuclear weapons, describing the concession as a significant step forward in negotiations between the two countries.

Speaking in an interview with local media, Trump said Washington and Tehran are nearing an agreement, adding that the two sides are “very close” to reaching a deal. He expressed optimism about the talks while reiterating that preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons remains a key US objective.

When asked about the agreement with Iran, Trump replied, "We're very close. We have a couple of points; they don't even seem like big points. They've conceded the fact that they will not have nuclear weapons."

"I don't like these endless wars. This is not an endless war. We've been doing this for three months; much of it has been under a pretty good form of ceasefire," he further said.

"I had to stop a country, a very powerful, very dangerous country, from having a nuclear weapon because they'd use it. They're nuts. They're crazy people," he added.

Iran’s chief negotiator warned on Sunday that Israel’s strike on southern Beirut and the continuing US blockade of Iranian ports could provoke a retaliatory response, as per AFP.

In a post on social media, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused Washington of effectively giving Israel the “green light” to carry out attacks that struck two locations in the Lebanese capital. He argued that the developments demonstrated US support for Israel’s military actions and warned that such moves would have consequences.

Iran will respond to Israeli violations of the ceasefire, IRGC-affiliated Saberin News reported, citing an informed source, after the Israeli military said on Sunday it struck Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut's southern suburbs.

The United States is urging members of the UN nuclear watchdog’s Board of Governors to support a draft resolution calling on Iran to explain what happened at its nuclear facilities damaged in recent attacks and to account for the enriched uranium believed to have been stored there, as per Reuters.

The draft resolution, obtained by Reuters and circulated ahead of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) quarterly meeting this week, could complicate ongoing diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran. Iran has previously responded to similar IAEA resolutions by expanding its nuclear activities or reducing its cooperation with the agency.

Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesman for the Iranian parliament’s national security commission, has cautioned Iran will “deliver a decisive and painful response” to the Israeli attack on Beirut’s southern suburbs.

“These rabid dogs must be disciplined and put back in their place. Look at the sky over the occupied lands tonight,” he said on X.

Israel struck the southern Beirut suburbs on Sunday, just days after a ceasefire agreement in Washington went into effect.

A statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the strikes were in retaliation for the Hezbollah militant group firing toward northern Israel earlier, and that the attacks targeted "command centres" in the sprawling urban neighbourhoods. Hezbollah did not immediately claim responsibility for firing at Israel.

(PTI)

US President Donald Trump said in a recent interview with NBC News’ "Meet the Press" that he would not unfreeze Iranian assets or lift any sanctions before a peace deal is reached.

Trump stated he would consider those steps after a deal is done. "Comes after," he said. "Yeah. If they behave, if they do a good job, we start talking. Yeah."

(Reuters)

Eyewitnesses reported hearing at least three explosions in the area, with a multi-storey building believed to have been hit in the incident, as per Al Jazeera.

Israeli authorities said the target was military infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah, indicating that the operation was not aimed at a specific individual. However, it remains unclear whether anyone was inside the building at the time of the strike. As of now, there have been no confirmed reports of casualties.

Israel's military on Sunday stated it intercepted two projectiles carried out from Lebanon into Israeli territory, as it launched more strikes on Lebanon despite an ongoing truce.

The military later issued an evacuation warning for most of the southern Lebanese city of Tyre and its surroundings.

"Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in the areas of Yiftah and Ramot Naftali, two projectiles that crossed from Lebanon into Israeli territory were intercepted," the military said.

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday slammed the Centre over increasing prices, claiming the government would pay a "political price" as frequent hikes in essential commodities were burdening the common man, as per PTI.

People across the country were facing hardship due to inflation, the former Union minister claimed and asked the government's stand that price rise was under control.

"The hike may have started with just two rupees, but over time the increases have kept piling up, and today we can see how far the prices have risen. All of this has a direct impact on the finances and daily lives of ordinary people," Pawar stated.

The US and Iran appear to be making little progress toward an interim deal to end the war Washington and Israel began 100 days ago, as fresh attacks pile pressure on a fragile ceasefire.

The past week saw the worst flare-up in tensions since the truce started around April 8. Negotiations between Washington and Tehran are bogged down over the fate of billions of dollars of frozen Iranian assets and a parallel conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.

(Bloomberg)

Pakistan’s interior minister was in Tehran on Sunday in a fresh bid to restart negotiations between Iran and the US, as the American military said it shot down two more Iranian drones over the Strait of Hormuz that threatened international maritime traffic.

The latest action came as the US administration presses Iran to make a deal to end the war in the Middle East, which has strained the global economy and threatened a hunger crisis in some of the world’s most vulnerable countries.

(AP)

Gold prices will remain sensitive to developments in West Asia, movement in crude oil prices, and a series of key economic data releases in the coming week, analysts said.

Investors will monitor trade and inflation data from China and the US, mid-month Washington's consumer sentiment figures and India's Consumer Price Index (CPI) readings.

The European Central Bank's monetary policy decision will also be in focus as market participants assess their impact on bullion and other commodities, they added.

(PTI)

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has dismissed the likelihood of a meeting between the country's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and US President Donald Trump, minimising earlier assertions made by the American leader regarding a potential meeting.

During a media interview, Araghchi categorised any potential discussions between the two leaders as unrealistic.

"I saw a report which apparently said that he (Trump) had stated that he was ready for a meeting or that he wanted to hold a meeting. I think we should be realistic and think and live in the real world," Araghchi stated, according to Al Jazeera.

(ANI)

The United States is considering redirecting Iranian assets to Gulf countries to help finance reconstruction and repair work following damage allegedly caused by Iran, according to Reuters citing a source familiar with the matter. The move comes after Tehran reportedly launched a series of strikes on Kuwait and Bahrain and followed them up with additional drone attacks.

The source said on Saturday that US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has instructed a team to evaluate the costs of damage sustained by Gulf allies. The assessment could serve as the basis for using Iranian assets to cover repair and rebuilding expenses, including for any future destruction attributed to Iran.

The United States said it shot down a pair of Iranian drones threatening the Strait of Hormuz, the latest escalation of violence as the war crept into its 100th day on Sunday with no end in sight.

Weeks of indirect talks marked by tit-for-tat threats and sporadic exchanges of fire have failed to secure a deal to end the conflict or reopen the vital waterway, a chokepoint for Gulf oil and gas shipments.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it destroyed two Iranian drones "that threatened international maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz", hours after announcing it struck four other drones and coastal surveillance radar sites.

(AFP)

Seven of 21 OPEC members are slated to meet today to discuss increase in oil output targets since Strait of Hormuz closure. Officials from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Algeria, Kazakhstan, Russia and Oman will meet on Sunday, Reuters reported.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reportedly dismissed the likelihood of a meeting between US President Donald Trump and the country's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.

“I saw a report which apparently said that he (Trump) had stated that he was ready for a meeting or that he wanted to hold a meeting. I think we should be realistic and think and live in the real world,” Al Jazeera quoted Abbas Araghchi as saying.

The International Energy Agency (IEA), an intergovernmental organisation that tracks global energy markets, reported that 146 countries received petrol price shock due to West Asia war. This marks the largest energy shock on record. Brent crude, the global benchmark for oil prices, is currently hovering around $100 after reaching its peak of $120, the first since 2022. Before the war, brent crude traded around $70 per barrel.

On an average almost seven vessels successfully navigate through the Strait of Hormuz, world's most critical oil chokepoint, according to ship-tracking data. Around 607 ships crossed the Gulf strait between 28 February and 31 May – far below the roughly 100 daily transits before the war.