"There's a very good chance we're going to make a deal" with Tehran, US President Donald Trump told reporters on Thursday amid hopes for a second round of talks between the United States and Iran this weekend aimed at ending the Middle East conflict.
Skip next section Iran says it will close Strait of Hormuz unless US lifts blockade Published April 18, 2026 last updated April 18, 2026 Iran says it will close Strait of Hormuz unless US lifts blockade Iran will close the Hormuz Strait again if the United States maintains a blockade of Iranian ports, parliament speaker
Mariam Allawiya, 60 (left), and Kafa Wehbe, 67, sit together in a vacant apartment building in central Beirut after they were displaced from southern Lebanon by Israel's current invasion. They both grew up in southern Lebanon, and Allawiya's son married Wehbe's daughter.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to members of the press aboard Air Force One on April 17, 2026 just prior to landing at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.
A Pakistani Ranger walks past a billboard for the U.S.-Iran peace talks in Islamabad on April 12, 2026. The talks, led by Vice President JD Vance, produced no concrete movement toward a peace deal.
Efforts to broker a stable ceasefire in the Gaza Strip between Hamas and Israel have been underway for many months, with very little progress. Last Sunday, a Hamas delegation set off for Cairo to discuss the next steps in the ceasefire process with Egyptian mediators.
Skip next section Israel's offensive in Lebanon 'still not complete' — Defense Minister Katz April 17, 2026 Israel's offensive in Lebanon 'still not complete' — Defense Minister Katz Israel's defense minister said the country would resume its offensive in Lebanon if its goals are not met diplomatically [FILE: January 20, 2026]Image: Thanassis Stavrakis/AP Photo/dpa/picture alliance
Skip next section Trump says pope must understand Iran threat April 17, 2026 Trump says pope must understand Iran threat US President Donald Trump continued to rail against Pope Leo XIV, telling reporters that Leo could say what he likes about world issues, but that the Pontiff needs to understand the realities of a "nasty world."
The peace talks between the United States and Iran in Islamabad failed to deliver an agreement, with one key issue proving to be the main sticking point: Iran's nuclear program. This week, US Vice President JD Vance said Washington's core demand is that Tehran commits "to not having a nuclear weapon."
The effective halt of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, initially by Iran and the subsequent US naval blockade of Iranian ports, is hitting multiple sectors in India's economy, exposing the country's dependence on the critical trade and energy corridor.
Skip next section Pakistan's PM in Qatar in bid for second round of US-Iran talks April 16, 2026 Pakistan's PM in Qatar in bid for second round of US-Iran talks Pakistan's Sharif (left) is on a tour covering Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and TurkeyImage: Pakistan's Prime Minister's Office/Handout/REUTERS Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Qatar on
Iran's nuclear program has been at the heart of tensions between the US and the Islamic Republic for more than two decades. Washington has said Tehran is working toward developing nuclear weapons, something it wants to prevent at all costs. Iran has denied seeking the bomb, but insists on its right to a civilian nuclear program.