Speaking at a Turning Point USA event, Vance said distrust between Washington and Tehran remains a fundamental obstacle to any durable agreement. “There is a lot of, of course, mistrust between Iran and the United States of America.

You are not going to solve that problem overnight,” he said, while adding that Iranian negotiators appeared willing to reach a deal.Vance, who participated in recent negotiations held in Pakistan, said he was cautiously optimistic about the trajectory of talks.

“I feel very good about where we are,” he said, signaling confidence in ongoing diplomatic efforts despite recent setbacks.Donald Trump said on Tuesday that discussions aimed at ending the Iran war could resume in Pakistan within days, following the collapse of negotiations over the weekend.

The breakdown prompted Washington to impose a blockade on Iranian ports, escalating economic and military pressure on Tehran.A two-week ceasefire between US and Iranian forces remains in effect, with one week remaining, offering a limited window for diplomatic engagement.

The pause in hostilities follows weeks of intensified conflict that began on February 28, when US and Israeli forces launched strikes on Iran.Tehran retaliated with attacks targeting Israel and Gulf states hosting US military bases, expanding the geographic scope of the conflict.

Subsequent US-Israeli operations inside Iran, along with Israeli strikes in Lebanon, have resulted in significant casualties and widespread displacement, according to official accounts.

The evolving situation underscores the complexity of negotiations, with diplomatic momentum constrained by entrenched mistrust and ongoing military developments.

The announcement came a day after talks in Pakistan ended without agreement, underscoring persistent divisions over terms to end a conflict launched on Feb. 28 by the United States and Israel. The blockade is aimed at pressuring Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and accept a broader settlement addressing its nuclear and missile programs, as well as its regional activities.

Trump indicated that diplomatic channels remain open, saying Iran had reached out to explore a possible resolution. “We’ve been called by the right people … and they want to work a deal,” he told reporters outside the White House.Iran signaled conditional openness to negotiations.

Judiciary chief Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei said discussions must proceed on the basis of “principles and logic,” while other officials warned that Tehran would respond if the situation escalates.The blockade drew sharp reactions from Iran, which threatened countermeasures targeting ports across the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, raising the risk that the two-week ceasefire declared earlier could collapse before its April 22 expiry.

At the core of the dispute remain differences over Iran’s nuclear program and control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy corridor through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply typically passes. Its closure has already disrupted markets and driven up oil prices.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who led the American delegation in the recent talks, said Iran had not provided assurances it would refrain from pursuing nuclear weapons capability. Tehran has long denied such intentions while defending its right to civilian nuclear development, including uranium enrichment.

Iran’s negotiating position, articulated by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, emphasized sovereignty over the strait, an end to hostilities, and compensation for wartime damage.

Iranian officials also dismissed the blockade as exaggerated, with parliamentary spokesperson Ebrahim Rezaei describing it as “more bluffing than reality.”Pakistan has indicated it may facilitate further dialogue, with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar expressing willingness to host another round of talks, though no timeline has been confirmed.

Both sides have maintained firm public positions, with Trump warning that any Iranian attempt to challenge the blockade would be met with force, while Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said the measure risked further destabilizing the global economy.

The Interior Ministry said the arrests were carried out by the State Security Agency, which “apprehended 24 citizens, one of whom had his citizenship revoked,” and seized funds linked to illicit activities. It described the case as an organized effort to collect money under religious pretexts for transfer abroad.

Officials said the operation had “thwarted a plot targeting the undermining of the homeland’s security and the financing of terrorist entities and organizations,” without naming specific groups or countries involved.

The Kuwait Interior Ministry said the funds were gathered in coordination with external actors, indicating cross-border links in the alleged network.In a subsequent move, the Kuwait Foreign Ministry placed the suspects on the country’s domestic counterterrorism designation list, freezing their assets and imposing travel restrictions.

A security source confirmed that five former members of Kuwait’s parliament were among those detained, though their identities were not disclosed in the official statement.The arrests come amid increased security vigilance in the Gulf following escalating conflict in the region.

Authorities have stepped up actions against individuals suspected of supporting groups aligned with Hezbollah or other Iran-linked entities.

In March, Kuwait detained six people accused of ties to Hezbollah and of planning assassinations, according to officials.

The King Fahd Causeway Authority said movements across the 25-kilometer bridge, the only road link between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, were halted in response to security alerts issued through the kingdom’s early warning systems.

Saudi Arabia’s defense ministry said it had intercepted ballistic missiles aimed at the Eastern Province, without providing further details on the origin or scale of the attack.

The causeway is a critical transport and economic corridor linking Bahrain host to the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet to the Arabian Peninsula, and its closure underscores rising regional risks tied to the ongoing conflict involving Iran.

The development comes as Donald Trump has set a deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and agree to a ceasefire, warning of potential strikes on Iranian infrastructure, including bridges and power facilities, if demands are not met.

Regional tensions have intensified in recent days, with missile interceptions reported across Gulf states and increased security measures implemented to protect critical infrastructure and civilian areas.

The Dubai Media Office said the incident involved fragments falling on an Oracle building following defensive action against an aerial threat.

“Authorities confirm that they responded to a minor incident caused by debris from an aerial interception.

No injuries were reported,” it said in a statement on X.Officials also reported a similar incident in Dubai Marina, where debris fell on a building facade without causing injuries or fire.

Oracle had previously been listed among 18 U.S. firms that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned could be targeted in retaliation for attacks on the country.

Elsewhere in the United Arab Emirates, authorities said an Egyptian national was killed and four others sustained minor injuries after debris from an intercepted strike fell on gas facilities in Habshan, in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, on Friday.

A further 12 people were injured in a separate debris incident in Ajban, officials said.In Bahrain, the interior ministry reported that four citizens sustained minor injuries after shrapnel from intercepted drones struck residential areas in Sitra, damaging several homes. Emergency and civil defense teams were deployed to the site.

The incidents highlight the spillover risks of ongoing hostilities in the region, as air defense interceptions increasingly result in debris falling across civilian areas in Gulf states.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Iranian negotiators were “begging for a deal,” dismissing Tehran’s public stance as inaccurate. Araghchi, speaking on state television, said there had been no direct dialogue with Washington, adding that exchanges via intermediaries did not constitute negotiations.

He said Iran was conveying its positions and warnings through friendly countries.The divergence in messaging comes as military operations continue. U.S. and Israeli forces have conducted extensive strikes on Iranian targets since late February, while Iran has launched retaliatory attacks on Israel, U.S. bases, and Gulf states.

A U.S. Central Command briefing said more than 10,000 targets had been struck, with significant degradation of Iran’s naval, missile, and drone capabilities.

The conflict has disrupted global energy flows, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz, a key transit route for oil and liquefied natural gas. Its effective closure has triggered what officials describe as a severe energy shock, driving up fuel prices and straining supply chains across industries from aviation to agriculture.

Sultan Al Jaber, chief executive of ADNOC, described restrictions on Hormuz as “economic terrorism,” warning of global consequences. Governments are considering intervention measures similar to those deployed during the COVID-19 pandemic, as businesses face rising costs and weakening demand.

The World Food Programme has warned that prolonged disruption could push tens of millions into acute hunger, with farmers and fisheries already facing fuel shortages.

A 15-point U.S. proposal, conveyed to Iran through Pakistan, includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz, curbing Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, and halting support for regional allies, according to Israeli sources familiar with the plan.

The White House has not publicly detailed the proposal.Israeli officials expressed skepticism that Tehran would accept the terms and voiced concern that U.S. negotiators could offer concessions.

Iran, according to regional sources, has insisted that Lebanon be included in any ceasefire framework involving Washington and Israel.

Financial markets reflected fading optimism over a near-term resolution. Global equities weakened on Thursday while oil prices resumed their upward trajectory. Analysts cited diminishing expectations of a ceasefire as a key driver of volatility.

The Pentagon is preparing to deploy additional airborne troops to the Gulf, supplementing Marine units already en route, according to sources. The buildup is intended to expand military options as the conflict risks widening.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the situation could escalate further, urging a shift from military confrontation to diplomacy.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation said in a statement that emergency teams were deployed to contain the blaze after the attack targeted airport fuel infrastructure. Firefighting units were working at the site, and no injuries had been reported.

The incident comes amid heightened regional instability linked to the ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States, which has raised concerns over the security of critical infrastructure across the Gulf.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, and Kuwaiti authorities did not provide further details on the origin of the drones or the extent of the damage.

An interceptor missile likely fired from a U.S.-operated Patriot air defence battery caused or contributed to a pre-dawn explosion that injured dozens of civilians in Bahrain on March 9, according to an analysis by researchers at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies .

The blast, which struck the Mahazza neighbourhood on Sitra island, injured 32 people including children, Bahraini authorities said at the time. Both Bahrain and the United States initially attributed the incident to an Iranian drone attack, with U.S. Central Command stating on social media that a drone had hit a residential area.

In response to Reuters queries, Bahrain said on Saturday for the first time that a Patriot missile was involved in the incident. A government spokesperson said the interceptor successfully engaged an Iranian drone mid-air, adding that the resulting damage and injuries were not caused by a direct ground impact from either the missile or the drone.

Neither Bahrain nor Washington has presented evidence confirming the presence of a drone over the Mahazza neighbourhood. The Pentagon referred questions to U.S. Central Command, which did not immediately respond.

A senior U.S. official said Washington was continuing efforts to counter Iranian drone and missile capabilities and reiterated that U.S. forces do not target civilians, without addressing specific questions about the incident.

The Middlebury analysis, conducted by researchers Sam Lair, Michael Duitsman and Jeffrey Lewis, concluded with moderate-to-high confidence that the missile was launched from a Patriot battery located roughly 7 km southwest of the impact area.

Their findings were based on open-source video, commercial satellite imagery and geolocation techniques independently .Footage reviewed by the researchers showed a missile travelling at low altitude before descending and detonating seconds later. The team traced its trajectory back to a site in Riffa identified as a long-standing Patriot battery location.

Satellite imagery indicated the presence of multiple launchers at the site days before the incident, and the researchers assessed the installation to be consistent with U.S.-operated systems rather than those recently deployed by Bahrain.

External experts consulted by Reuters said they found no reason to dispute the conclusions. Wes Bryant, a former Pentagon targeting advisor, described the findings as “pretty undeniable.”

The researchers said the available evidence suggested the missile detonated mid-air, dispersing fragments over several streets in Mahazza. Analysis of blast patterns and debris distribution indicated damage consistent with an aerial explosion of a Patriot interceptor, including its warhead and remaining propellant.

They said it was possible the missile was targeting a low-flying drone and that a combined detonation occurred, aligning with the Bahraini government’s account. However, they assessed it as less likely that a direct interception took place, citing the direction of damage and the absence of corroborating evidence of a drone.

Audio and visual analysis of verified footage supported the estimated location of the explosion, with specialists noting the delay between visible flash and sound consistent with a detonation several kilometres away. No clear audio evidence of drones or additional missiles was identified, though analysts said such sounds could be faint at that distance.

The incident occurred amid heightened regional tensions and coincided with reported Iranian strikes on infrastructure in Bahrain, including an attack on an oil refinery on Sitra the same night, according to the national oil company. Bahrain hosts the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet and is a key security partner in the Gulf, where both countries operate Patriot systems.

Researchers noted that the use of high-cost interceptors against relatively inexpensive drones has been a defining feature of the ongoing conflict, highlighting operational challenges and risks to civilian areas when engagements occur near populated areas.

Bahrain’s government said suggestions of a malfunction or misfire were “factually incorrect.” The Middlebury team said it could not determine definitively why the missile detonated but noted that deviations in trajectory could indicate either a targeting decision or a technical issue.

The Strait of Hormuz, near Bahrain, remains a critical global energy route, carrying about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, and has faced significant disruption during the conflict.

In a social media post, Trump said the United States would “hit and obliterate” Iranian power infrastructure if the strait was not “fully open, without threat” within the deadline, broadening the potential scope of U.S. military action to include civilian-linked facilities.

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical maritime corridor through which roughly a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows. Ongoing threats and disruptions have deterred shipping traffic, with the near-blockade triggering a surge in European gas prices of up to 35% last week.Energy markets have remained volatile as the risk to Gulf infrastructure intensifies.

The situation worsened after Iran responded to an Israeli strike on one of its major gas fields by targeting Ras Laffan Industrial City in Qatar, a key hub processing a significant share of the world’s liquefied natural gas. Damage from the strike is expected to take years to repair, according to reports.

Iran warns of broader retaliationIran’s Khatam al-Anbiya military headquarters said on Sunday that any U.S. attack on its fuel and energy infrastructure would prompt retaliatory strikes on American energy, information technology and desalination assets across the region.

The exchange of threats underscores a widening confrontation that increasingly targets economic and civilian-linked infrastructure, raising the stakes for regional stability and global supply chains.Israeli officials said Iran had fired long-range missiles for the first time since hostilities intensified on February 28, expanding the potential reach of the conflict.

According to Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir, Iran launched two ballistic missiles with a range of about 4,000 km at the Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean.Zamir said the missiles’ range extended beyond the Middle East, placing European capitals within potential reach.

A source at Britain’s defense ministry said the attack occurred before London granted specific authorization on Friday for the United States to use British bases for strikes on Iranian missile sites.

The developments mark a significant expansion in both the geographic scope and strategic targets of the conflict, with direct implications for international energy flows and military alignments.

In a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency, the ministry said the targeting of Saudi sovereignty, civilian infrastructure, diplomatic missions and economic interests constituted a breach of international norms. It added that the actions violated the Beijing Agreement and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817 (2026), as well as principles governing state sovereignty and good neighborly relations.

Saudi authorities notified the Iranian embassy that its military attaché, assistant military attaché and three additional staff members had been declared persona non grata and must leave the Kingdom within 24 hours, according to the statement.

The ministry reiterated a previous warning issued on March 9 that continued attacks would represent further escalation and have a “profound impact” on bilateral relations. It also restated the Kingdom’s “categorical condemnation” of Iranian actions against Saudi Arabia, Gulf Cooperation Council states and other Arab and Islamic countries.

Saudi Arabia said it would take all necessary measures to safeguard its security and sovereignty, invoking its right to self-defense under Article 51 of the U.N. Charter. The statement framed the expulsions as part of a broader response to what it described as repeated violations affecting civilian and strategic targets.

The ministry did not provide additional operational details on the alleged attacks but linked them to a pattern of actions undermining regional stability and diplomatic commitments.

The move comes amid heightened tensions in the Gulf, with Saudi Arabia warning that continued escalation could have serious consequences for regional relations. The reference to the Beijing Agreement underscores the strain on recent diplomatic efforts aimed at stabilizing ties between the two countries.

Saudi Arabia’s statement did not indicate any immediate diplomatic follow-up beyond the expulsions but emphasized that further actions would depend on developments on the ground.