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Trump says Iran has \u2018no cards\u2019 outside of \u2018short term extortion\u2019<\/p>\n
President Donald Trump said Friday that \u201cThe Iranians<\/a> don\u2019t seem to realize they have no cards, other than a short term extortion of the World by using International Waterways.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe only reason they are alive today is to negotiate!\u201d Trump wrote on Truth Social.\u00a0<\/p>\n Vice President JD Vance, U.S. special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are heading to Pakistan this weekend for talks with Iran on Saturday.\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 30 mins agoUAE will \u2018never accept\u2019 Iran imposing conditions on access to the Strait of Hormuz, expert says<\/p>\n Amjad Taha, a political strategist from the United Arab Emirates, said his country \u201cdoes not and will never accept the Islamic regime in Iran<\/a> imposing conditions on access\u201d to the Strait of Hormuz.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cFor the Trump administration to understand: The Strait of Hormuz is not open,\u201d Taha wrote in a post on X, adding, \u201cThe UAE is not Britain or the EU.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt does not accept any terrorist actor restricting freedom of navigation. As for Pakistan, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia negotiating to keep the regime afloat, understand this: no state has a legitimate right to decide who may pass and under what terms,\u201d he added. \u201cThat is international law, not a bargaining chip. Shame on United Kingdom, NATO, European Union, and anyone who tolerates this regime\u2019s terrorism and piracy.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n An Israeli intelligence official told Fox News on Friday that Iran is demanding fees from ships to travel through the Strait of Hormuz \u2013 a measure President Donald Trump has warned Tehran not to implement.\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 51 mins agoTrump accuses Iran of being better at \u2018handling the fake news media\u2019 than fighting<\/p>\n President Donald Trump took a swipe Friday at Iran\u2019s military,<\/a> saying the regime in Tehran is \u201cbetter at handling the Fake News Media, and \u2018Public Relations,\u2019 than they are at fighting!\u201d<\/p>\n Trump made the remark on Truth Social after the told the New York Post<\/a> in an interview that \u201cYou\u2019re dealing against people that we don\u2019t know whether or not they tell the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTo our face, they\u2019re getting rid of all nuclear weapons, everything\u2019s gone. And then they go out to the press and say, \u2018No, we\u2019d like to enrich.\u2019 So we\u2019ll find out,\u201d Trump said about this weekend\u2019s negotiations with Iran, set to take place in Pakistan on Saturday.<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 1 hour agoTrump optimistic about Iran deal ahead of Pakistan talks<\/p>\n The White House told Fox News on Friday that President Donald Trump \u201cis optimistic\u201d that a deal can be reached with Iran<\/a> during this weekend\u2019s upcoming negotiations in Pakistan.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cPresident Trump tasked Vice President Vance, Special Envoy Witkoff, and Mr. [Jared] Kushner with traveling to Islamabad to negotiate with Iran. Officials from the National Security Council, Department of State, and Department of War will also play a supportive role,\u201d White House principal deputy press secretary Anna Kelly told Fox News.<\/p>\n \u201cAs the President said from the beginning, the Vice President, Secretary of State, Special Envoy, and Mr. Kushner have always been collaborating on these discussions, and the President is optimistic that a deal can be reached that can lead to lasting peace in the Middle East,\u201d she added.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cPresident Trump has a proven track record of achieving good deals on behalf of the United States and the American people, and he will only accept one that puts America first,\u201d Kelly also said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Fox News’ Patrick Ward contributed to this report.<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 1 hour agoIranian negotiator says US talks won’t begin until Lebanon sees ceasefire, Iranian assets unfrozen<\/p>\n Iranian parliament speaker and negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Friday that talks with the U.S.<\/a> won\u2019t begin until a ceasefire is observed in Lebanon and Tehran\u2019s assets are unfrozen.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cTwo of the measures mutually agreed upon between the parties have yet to be implemented: a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of Iran\u2019s blocked assets prior to the commencement of negotiations,\u201d Ghalibaf wrote on X after Vice President JD Vance left for Pakistan, where the talks are expected to be held Saturday.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThese two matters must be fulfilled before negotiations begin,\u201d Ghalibaf added.\u00a0<\/p>\n Israel has been launching strikes at the terrorist group Hezbollah in Lebanon, despite the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran.\u00a0<\/p>\n The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that \u201cIsrael supports President Trump’s decision to suspend strikes against Iran for two weeks subject to Iran immediately opening the straits and stopping all attacks on the US, Israel and countries in the region.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe two-weeks ceasefire does not include Lebanon,\u201d it added.\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 1 hour ago’Best weapons ever made’ ready if Iran doesn’t agree to deal, Trump says<\/p>\n President Donald Trump<\/a> told the New York Post on Friday ahead of U.S.-Iran talks in Pakistan that American ships are being loaded up with the \u201cbest weapons ever made\u201d and \u201cwe will be using them very effectively\u201d if no deal is reached.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a reset going. We\u2019re loading up the ships with the best ammunition, the best weapons ever made \u2014 even better than what we did previously and we blew them apart,\u201d he said to the newspaper.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cBut we\u2019re loading up the ships. We\u2019re loading up the ships with the best weapons ever made, even at a higher level than we use to do a complete decimation,\u201d Trump added.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAnd if we don\u2019t have a deal, we will be using them, and we will be using them very effectively,\u201d he declared.\u00a0<\/p>\n Regarding the talks, Trump said to the New York Post that Iran is saying \u201cTo our face, they\u2019re getting rid of all nuclear weapons, everything\u2019s gone. And then they go out to the press and say, \u2018No, we\u2019d like to enrich.\u2019 So we\u2019ll find out.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 2 hours agoIsrael accuses Hezbollah of launching rockets from school in southern Lebanon<\/p>\n The Israel Defense Forces<\/a> released a video Friday showing what it described as Hezbollah terrorists launching rockets towards Israel from a school compound in southern Lebanon.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cHezbollah terrorists launched rockets from a school compound in the Tir Zibneh area in southern Lebanon and concealed a launcher within it. Hezbollah has once again demonstrated its use of civilian infrastructure for military purposes, in violation of international law,\u201d the IDF said on X.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIn accordance with international law, the premises was struck by the IDF to remove the threat it posed to Israel,\u201d it added.\u00a0<\/p>\n Israeli forces said they launched the largest coordinated strike across Lebanon this week since Operation Roaring Lion began. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran does not apply to Lebanon, meaning Israeli forces would continue to strike Hezbollah terrorists there.\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 3 hours agoCENTCOM photo shows US jet launching from USS Tripoli after Trump vows forces stay ‘hangin’ around’<\/p>\n U.S. Central Command released a photo Friday showing a U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II jet taking off from the deck of the USS Tripoli, one of the American ships that has been operating in the Middle East in support of Operation Epic Fury.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n The photo\u2019s release comes days after President Donald Trump said \u201cThe United States of America will be helping with the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz\u201d and \u201cWe\u2019ll be loading up with supplies of all kinds, and just \u2018hangin\u2019 around\u2019 in order to make sure that everything goes well.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe F-35B can take off from shorter runways and land vertically, allowing it to operate from Tripoli\u2019s flight deck, which is less than 850 feet in length,\u201d CENTCOM said. \u201cTripoli is currently sailing in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 3 hours agoIranian regime is trying to \u2018buy time\u2019 with negotiations as Vance heads to Pakistan, expert says<\/p>\n Alireza Jafarzadeh, the deputy director of the U.S. office of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, told \u201cFox & Friends First\u201d on Friday that the Iranian regime,<\/a> which is \u201cbuilt on terrorism,\u201d will likely be trying to \u201cbuy time\u201d in upcoming negotiations with the U.S. this weekend.\u00a0<\/p>\n Vice President JD Vance is heading to Pakistan for the talks.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cKeep in mind, despite the smoke and screens, this regime is much weaker now than they have ever been. Not just simply because they received a significant military and political blow during the war, but also their main concern is their own population inside Iran,\u201d Jafarzadeh said, adding, \u201cThat is why the regime started executing political prisoners just since 10 days ago.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cNothing has changed when it comes to the nature of this regime. This is a regime that is built on terrorism, is built on developing nuclear weapons and missile programs and running all of these proxies and those policies haven\u2019t changed. Therefore, the goal of the Iranian regime from coming to the negotiating table is not to accept peace, but rather they want to buy time, they want to get off the hook and see what they can get out of it,\u201d he added.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe main focus should be on how to help empower the people in Iran,\u201d Jafarzadeh said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 3 hours agoUK Prime Minister Starmer describes US-Iran ceasefire as \u2018fragile\u2019<\/p>\n British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Friday that reopening the Strait of Hormuz is key to strengthening a \u201cfragile\u201d ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n Speaking Friday as he left Qatar after a three-day visit to the Gulf, Starmer said leaders in the region were adamant that \u201cthere can\u2019t be tolling or restrictions\u201d on commercial shipping through the waterway, according to The Associated Press.\u00a0<\/p>\n An Israeli intelligence official told Fox News on Friday that Iran is demanding fees from ships to travel through the Strait of Hormuz.\u00a0<\/p>\n Starmer also said he told President Donald Trump in a call on Thursday that ending the conflict \u201chas to involve\u201d Iran\u2019s Gulf neighbors, who \u201chave very strong views on the Strait of Hormuz.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n The Associated Press contributed to this report.\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 4 hours agoDeparting for Pakistan, Vance says Trump set ‘clear guidelines’ for talks, Iran shouldn’t ‘play us’<\/p>\n Vice President JD Vance said Friday as he departed for Pakistan that President Donald Trump has given him \u201cclear guidelines\u201d for this weekend\u2019s negotiations with Iran.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe’re looking forward to the negotiation. I think it’s going to be positive. We’ll foresee, as the President of the United States said, if the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we’re certainly willing to extend the open hand,\u201d Vance told reporters Friday at Joint Base Andrews.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIf they’re going to try to play us, then they’re going to find the negotiating team is not that receptive,\u201d the vice president also warned. \u201cSo we’re going to try to have a positive negotiation. The President gave us some pretty clear guidelines, and we’re going to see.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 5 hours agoIDF eliminates Gaza terrorists who were planning ‘imminent’ attacks on Israeli troops<\/p>\n The Israel Defense Forces<\/a> said it \u201cstruck and eliminated\u201d two terrorists who were planning \u201cimminent\u201d attacks against troops operating in the Gaza Strip.<\/p>\n The strikes were carried out Thursday.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the southern Gaza Strip, the IDF eliminated Mahmoud Barim, a terrorist in the Kata\u2019ib al-Mujahideen organization, who monitored IDF troop activity and possessed a large quantity of weapons,\u201d the IDF said.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the northern Gaza Strip, the IDF eliminated Ahmed Mohammed Saleh, a Hamas Nukhba terrorist, who had carried out and advanced numerous terror attacks against IDF troops. During the strike, additional Hamas terrorists were struck,\u201d the IDF added.<\/p>\n The IDF said the terrorists “posed an immediate threat to IDF troops and were eliminated in precise strikes.”<\/p>\n “Prior to the strikes, steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and aerial surveillance,” the IDF said.<\/p>\n The IDF said Israeli troops in the Southern Command “remain deployed in accordance with the ceasefire agreement and will continue to operate to remove any immediate threat.”<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 5 hours agoIran is demanding fees from ships to travel through Strait of Hormuz, Israeli official says<\/p>\n An Israeli intelligence official told Fox News on Friday that Iran<\/a> is demanding fees from ships to travel through the Strait of Hormuz.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe Strait is effectively under full Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps control,\u201d the official told Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst. \u201cThey decide who gets to go through, but more importantly, who doesn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n The official also said new information is being shared in the intelligence community indicating that the Iran\u2019s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is using the ceasefire window to carry out operations that tighten its grip on the strait.\u00a0<\/p>\n The development runs in defiance of a warning that President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Thursday night.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThere are reports that Iran is charging fees to tankers going through the Hormuz Strait \u2014 They better not be and, if they are, they better stop now!\u201d Trump said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 6 hours agoIsrael destroys over 200 missile launchers, strikes hundreds of Hezbollah artillery operatives: IDF<\/p>\n The Israel Defense Forces<\/a> released a video Friday showing the destruction of Hezbollah missile launching infrastructure as part of its campaign to weaken the Iran-backed terrorist group in Lebanon.<\/p>\n \u201cAs part of efforts to degrade and undermine the firing capabilities of Hezbollah, the IDF has struck and dismantled more than 200 rocket launchers, including approximately 1,300 launch tubes,\u201d the IDF said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIn addition, more than 250 Hezbollah artillery operatives have been struck and eliminated, including 15 commanders responsible for artillery systems in various sectors,\u201d it also said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Israel\u2019s military vowed it will \u201ccontinue operating with determination against the Hezbollah terrorist organization and will not allow harm to the citizens of the State of Israel, particularly residents of the north.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 7 hours agoHormuz choke point persists as Iran halts oil traffic despite Trump ceasefire<\/p>\n Oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively halted<\/a> despite a U.S.-backed ceasefire that hinged on reopening the critical waterway, raising fresh questions about whether Iran is following through on a central condition of the truce.<\/p>\n A backlog of roughly 3,200 vessels \u2014 among them 800 tankers and cargo ships \u2014 has built up west of the strait, with ships idling as operators wait for clarity on whether it is safe to pass.<\/p>\n No oil tankers have risked the journey in recent days, according to Matt Smith, an analyst at Kpler, a data and intelligence company.\u00a0<\/p>\n “We’re not seeing any, any, any oil products passing through there,” Smith said. “So, for all intents and purposes, the strait remains closed. And this is the leverage that Iran has.”<\/p>\n Three vessels passed through the Strait on Thursday, according to Smith, two of them Iranian-flagged and one a dry bulk carrier.<\/p>\n Posted by Morgan Phillips<\/p>\n 7 hours agoIranian hacker group says it will pause cyberattacks on US after ceasefire, but not Israel<\/p>\n