Map shows potential blast zones should chemical tank explode in Garden Grove

Orange County officials revealed more details on the potential areas that could be affected if the leaking chemical tank in Garden Grove explodes. The toxic leak was reported at the GKN Aerospace facility at 12122 Western Ave. around 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 21 and has resulted in the evacuation of around 40,000-50,000 people. Orange County Fire Authority crews responded to the facility and found that the tank was leaking methyl methacrylate, a volatile and flammable liquid used to make acrylic plastics. As crews worked to cool the overheating tank, they initially thought they had a handle on the situation, but later confirmed on Friday that they were not able to fully stabilize the tank and that it was only a matter of time before the tank would rupture or explode.

...“We’ve indicated some daily wind shifts that can and will occur throughout the incident and are constantly monitoring the wind and weather as we expect it to change from day to night,” Freeman added. Officials said the highly toxic methyl methacrylate chemical poses severe health risks to people and animals in the immediate area. “Respiratory is our primary concern, so it’s a respiratory irritant,” Freeman said. “It can start off very mild but it can progress to a point where you would probably require hospitalization, if not more.”

...“We’ve indicated some daily wind shifts that can and will occur throughout the incident and are

constantly monitoring the wind and weather as we expect it to change from day to night,” Freeman added Officials said the highly toxic methyl methacrylate chemical poses severe health risks to people and animals in the immediate area. “Respiratory is our primary concern, so it’s a respiratory irritant,” Freeman said. “It can start off very mild but it can progress to a point where you would probably require hospitalization, if not more.”

...As of Saturday, May 23, around 50,000 residents were evacuated from all areas north of Trask Avenue, south of Ball Road, east of Valley View Street and west of Dale Street. Cooling efforts are ongoing and the tank’s temperature is being monitored by a drone. “They discovered the primary tank that’s in crisis, we were unable to access the valves,” said OCFA Division Chief Craig Covey. “The valves are broken, they’re gummed up with the agent and we’re unable to offload the material through the systems that it has.” “This is not precautionary. This thing is going to fail, and we don’t know when,” Covey said. “We’re doing our best to figure out when or how we can prevent it. There are literally two options left remaining. One, the tank fails and spills a total of about 6,000 to 7,000 gallons of very bad chemicals into the parking lot in that area. Or two, the tank goes into a thermal runaway and blows up.” (Read More)

Tehran says in final stages of drafting framework for deal with US, ‘final agreement’ to be reached in ’30 to 60 days’

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei says that Tehran is in the final stages of drafting a framework for a deal to end the war with the United States.

“Within a reasonable period of 30 to 60 days, the details of these points will be discussed and a final agreement will ultimately be concluded. We are currently in the process of finalizing these memoranda of understanding,” he tells state broadcaster IRIB.

“Our intention was first to draft a memorandum of understanding, a kind of framework agreement composed of 14 clauses,” he says. He notes what he calls “a trend toward rapprochement” with Washington but says “it does not necessarily mean that we and the United States will reach an agreement on the important issues.” Meanwhile, the Pakistani army says negotiations over the previous 24 hours have resulted in “encouraging” progress toward a final understanding. (Ed note: Notice how Iran plays the US at every turn for more time?)   (Source)

Iran denies agreeing to hand over uranium as 'Islamabad Declaration' nears final negotiations

Iran has denied agreeing to give up any enriched uranium in a US ceasefire deal, stating it had not yet accepted any action on the nuclear issue, a source told Reuters on Sunday morning. The source added that the nuclear issue is not part of the preliminary agreement. The statement came after The New York Times published that Iran expressed a willingness to give up a certain amount of its stockpile.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) - labeled the 'Islamabad Declaration' according to Al Arabiya - that both parties would sign would start a 60-day ceasefire extension, and would include the possibility of further talks and an extension during the two-month period. If the MOU is approved by Iran's supreme national council, it will be sent to Mojtaba Khamenei for final approval.

According to Al Arabiya, final negotiations regarding a peace deal will come only after both parties sign the MOU and agree to the 60-day ceasefire. One important element of the deal is the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. According to Axios, the current draft of the MOU specifies that the Strait would be open without tolls, and Iran would clear the mines it had deployed there.

In exchange, the US would lift its blockade on Iranian ports and waive some sanctions it had imposed, allowing the country to sell oil freely. Issues relating to Iran's nuclear capabilities and enriched uranium stockpile would still be largely under negotiation, although the MOU would call for Iran to cease any pursuit of nuclear weapons. One US official told Axios that the deal might not last the full 60 days if the US believes that Iran is not serious about the nuclear negotiations. (Read More)

Iran Rejects Trump's Hormuz Deal Claims Outright

Iranian media pushed back on US President Donald Trump’s claim that an emerging agreement to end the Iran war would include reopening the Strait of Hormuz, saying the waterway would remain under Iranian control. Iranian media pushed back on US President Donald Trump’s claim that an emerging agreement to end the Iran war would include reopening the Strait of Hormuz, saying the waterway would remain under Iranian control.

Trump wrote on Truth Social that an agreement with Iran had been “largely negotiated” and that final details were being discussed. He said the deal would include reopening the strait, the key route for global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments that Iran has largely restricted since the war began in late February. “Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed and will be announced shortly,” Trump wrote. He said he had taken part in a call with leaders and officials from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain, and had also spoken separately with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump said the call with Netanyahu went “very well.” 

But Fars, a semi-state Iranian outlet close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, dismissed Trump’s description as “incomplete and inconsistent with reality.” The outlet said the strait would remain under Tehran’s management under the latest draft text exchanged between the sides. Ebrahim Zolfaghari, a spokesman for Iran’s military command, also rejected Trump’s claim.

“Hormuz will stay fully under Iranian control. We decide who passes, when, and how,” he wrote on X. The dispute points to one of the central tensions in the talks. Iran has effectively restricted the Strait of Hormuz since the war began, rattling global energy markets and increasing pressure on Gulf states and Washington to secure a deal. (Read More)

IDF says it attacked Hezbollah sites, as at least 5 reported killed in south Lebanon (TYRE)

The Israel Defense Forces on Saturday said it hit Hezbollah sites in the terror group’s strongholds in south and east Lebanon overnight following evacuation warnings. The military issued further warnings Saturday afternoon for 10 southern Lebanese villages on both banks of the Litani River, pending more strikes on Hezbollah. Meanwhile, Lebanese media reported at least five people were killed in separate Israeli strikes in the southern region of Tyre later Saturday. Several Syrian workers were also wounded in another strike on an agricultural area in south Lebanon on Saturday, state media said. The IDF did not immediately comment on the daytime strikes.

Separately, Lebanon’s Hamas-aligned terror group Jamaa Islamiya (Islamic Group) and its armed wing, al-Fajr Forces, said in a statement Saturday that one of its members was killed in an IDF strike in east Lebanon. According to the military, the overnight strikes targeted an underground Hezbollah weapons production site in Lebanon’s northeaster Beqaa region, as well as other infrastructure of the Iran-backed terror group near Tyre.

To mitigate harm to civilians, evacuation warnings were issued in advance and precise munitions and surveillance were used in the strikes, the IDF said. Earlier Saturday, after a lull of some 14 hours, sirens warning of a suspected drone attack from Lebanon sounded in northern Israel’s Kiryat Shmona Saturday morning. The IDF said shortly afterward that a suspect “aerial target” fell in Israel, close to the Lebanese border.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said one overnight Israeli strike that targeted a site near Tyre’s Hiram Hospital caused “severe damage” to the medical center, which was included within the evacuation area advised by the IDF. (Ed note: Remember, both Hezbollah and Hamas like to hide in schools, hospitals, mosques and other civilian environments. The photo above this article is from part of the city of Tyre.)  (Read More)

IDF issues evacuation warnings for 10 towns in Lebanon ahead of strikes targeting Hezbollah

The IDF issues evacuation warnings for ten villages and towns in Lebanon ahead of airstrikes targeting the Hezbollah terror group.

Residents of Mashghara, Deir al-Zahrani, al-Sharqiyah, Doueir, Qlaileh, Sohmor, Zibdin, Nabatiyeh at-Tahta, Arabsalim and Kfar Jouz are instructed to evacuate at least a kilometer away.

“In light of the Hezbollah terror organization’s violations of the ceasefire agreement, the IDF is forced to act against it with force and does not intend to harm you,” warns army spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee. (Source)

Hezbollah to be included in US-Iran deal?

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi promises to include Hezbollah terror group in any ceasefire agreement, despite terror group's repeated violations.

The Hezbollah terror group on Saturday said that it had received promises from Tehran that the impending US-Iran agreement would include them as well, Arab News reported. In a statement, Hezbollah said that its Secretary General Naim Qassem had received a message from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi promising that Iran "will not give up its support for movements demanding justice and freedom, foremost among them Hezbollah."

According to the statement, in Iran's latest proposal, which sought "a permanent and stable end to the war, the demand to include Lebanon in the ceasefire was emphasized." Hezbollah, for its part, has not kept the so-called ceasefire with Israel, which took effect last month: On Saturday, an IDF soldier was killed and two others injured by a Hezbollah UAV which penetrated Israeli territory; throughout Friday and Saturday numerous sirens sounded warning of Hezbollah UAVs infiltrating Israeli skies. Since the start of the ceasefire with Hezbollah, nine IDF soldiers have been killed by Hezbollah, and additional soldiers have been wounded.

Meanwhile, reports said that US President Donald Trump is under pressure from Arab leaders to take the proposed Iranian offer, even if it does not meet the US' demands. Senator Roger Wicker, in a tweet blasting the deal, claimed that the window for negotiations would last 60 days, not the reported 30: "The rumored 60-day ceasefire - with the belief that Iran will ever engage in good faith - would be a disaster. Everything accomplished by Operation Epic Fury would be for naught!" (Source)

UAE accelerates oil pipeline bypassing Strait of Hormuz

The United Arab Emirates has completed about half of a new crude oil pipeline designed to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, with the project being accelerated toward a planned 2027 launch, according to Reuters. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, CEO of state-owned oil company ADNOC (Abu Dhabi National Oil Company), told a May 20 Atlantic Council event that construction of the West-East Pipeline, fast-tracked by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed Al Nahyan to double export capacity through Fujairah, is “almost 50% complete.”

Al Jaber said global oil flows may take at least four months after the end of the Iran war to recover to 80% of pre-conflict levels and are unlikely to fully normalize before the first half of 2027. After the late-February U.S.-Israeli strikes, Tehran largely closed the Strait of Hormuz to foreign shipping, allowing passage mainly to Iran-approved vessels, while attacking or threatening ships to enforce control over the waterway. Washington later imposed a blockade on Iranian ports.

Al Jaber said the existing Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline, which carries up to 1.8 million barrels per day, has proved crucial as the UAE seeks to maximize exports from the Gulf of Oman coast outside the Strait. “Once you accept that a single country can hold the world’s most important waterway hostage, freedom of navigation as we know it is just finished,” he said. “If we don’t defend this principle today, we will spend the next decade defending against the consequences.” (Source)

Netanyahu 'sidelined' by Trump, has little control over Iran decisions - report

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanayhu is being "sidelined" by US President Donald Trump regarding Iran, The New York Times reported on Saturday. Citing two unnamed Israeli defense officials, the NYTsaid that Israel is "almost entirely out of the loop" in talks between the United States and Iran. According to the officials, Israel has been forced to use other roundabout avenues to seek information on the peace talks, including other diplomatic connections and intelligence sources within Iran.

The report comes after an Axios report on Wednesday cited a US source as saying Netanyahu's "hair was on fire" after a phone call with Trump on the subject of the Iran talks. According to Axios, Trump called Netanyahu on Tuesday to discuss a "letter of intent" being drafted by mediators to end the war and launch a month-long negotiation period. The negotiations would cover matters such as Iran's nuclear program and opening the Strait of Hormuz, Axios reported. Axios cited two Israeli sources as saying that there was clear disagreement between Trump and Netanyahu on how to deal with Iran moving forward.

Trump told reporters on Wednesday that Netanyahu will "do whatever I want him to do," adding that the Israeli prime minister is "a very good man." Trump further told reporters that US-Iran negotiations are "right on the borderline" between war and peace. "If we don't get the right answer, it could happen very quickly," said Trump. "We have not got the right answer. It will have to be 100% good answers.” Trump added that he would give Iran "a few days” for talks. (Source)

Israel Was Shut out of Secret US-Iran Negotiations Entirely

President Donald Trump declared Thursday that the United States and Iran are "getting very close" to a historic agreement, telling CBS News that a final decision could come as soon as Friday. According to AP, a draft deal brokered in secret by Pakistan could be signed within 48 hours, potentially extending the ceasefire by 60 days and establishing a framework for broader nuclear talks.

But behind the diplomatic momentum lies a deeply uncomfortable reality for Jerusalem. According to a New York Times report, the Trump administration kept Israel completely in the dark throughout the intensive negotiations that preceded the April 8 ceasefire. With no official information from Washington, Israeli intelligence agencies were forced to piece together what was happening through back-channel diplomatic contacts and deep penetration of Iranian regime institutions, effectively spying on their own closest ally's negotiations.

According to the Financial Times, mediators believe a ceasefire extension agreement is closer than ever. The framework would include a gradual reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, eased sanctions, and the phased unfreezing of Iranian overseas assets. Critically, the nuclear question — Iran's enriched uranium stockpile and its ballistic missile program, has reportedly been sidelined from the current round, with an Iranian official telling Al Jazeera the issue is "too complicated" and will only be addressed 30 days after any signing. For Israel, which views both as existential threats, this is the core of its alarm.

The US also appears to have dropped its earlier demand that dismantlement of Iran's ballistic missile program be included in the deal, a concession Jerusalem was not consulted on. Tehran is speaking from both sides of its mouth. A senior Iranian official told Al Jazeera that Iran has reached full understanding on the Pakistani draft and is awaiting an American response. But Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told the Tasnim news agency that the two sides remain both "very far and very close," with deep and significant differences remaining. (Read More)

Iran could launch surprise attack against Gulf States, Israel, say officials

Iran could potentially be planning a surprise attack involving missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles against Gulf States and Israel, intelligence officials warned on Thursday. The possibility of a preemptive Iranian attack was raised following a situational assessment with top military leaders and Defense Minister Israel Katz. The warnings come as the US and Iran continue ceasefire negotiations, with US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly disagreeing about how to move forward with Iran.

Security officials noted that Tehran might attempt to act before the US and Israel decide that the diplomatic path is no longer viable and launch a surprise attack similar to the one at the start of Operation Epic Fury and Operation Roaring Lion. The Air Force and IDF’s Operations Directorate, under the direction of Maj. Gen. Hidai Zilberman and other senior officials, conducted a series of discussions with American counterparts to improve readiness, including the transfer of intelligence on unusual Iranian activity.

Additionally, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir conducted security briefings with military commanders as part of an overall situational assessment, both defensive and offensive. Zamir has also maintained conversations with American counterparts to coordinate a response in the event of an attack from Tehran. A military source told Walla that a thorough review was conducted following US-Israeli operations regarding the detection, identification, and interception of a range of threats from Iran.

The assessment helped to strengthen joint IDF-US military operations, including missile interceptions, state-military cooperation, integration of technologies and software improvements, and reinforcement of troops. Over the past month, the volume of US military equipment being transferred to Israel has increased sharply. (Source)

Trump reportedly moving toward ordering strikes on Iran but no final decision made

The Trump administration is readying to launch a wave of fresh US strikes against Iran, CBS News reports, amid ongoing diplomatic mediations for a deal between the United States and Islamic Republic. The report stresses no decision has been made, but notes US President Donald Trump is skipping his son’s wedding to stay at the White House and quotes sources with direct knowledge of the planning as saying that some American military personnel and members of the intelligence community have cancelled their plans for Memorial Day weekend.

A separate report by the Axios news site says Trump met Friday with top members of his national security team to discuss Iran, with sources saying he is seriously weighing new strikes unless there is an eleventh hour breakthrough in the talks. Citing unnamed sources, the report says Trump has “grown increasingly frustrated about the negotiations with Iran over the past several days,” with his position through the week shifting from favoring diplomacy toward ordering a strike.

Like CBS, Axios reports Trump has yet to make a decision on whether to resume the conflict. A White House spokesperson, Anna Kelly, tells CBS in response that “the president has been clear about the consequences if Iran fails to make a deal.” (Source)

Iran moves to broaden its control over Hormuz, infuriating its Gulf neighbors and the US

Iran has asserted expanded control over the Strait of Hormuz, publishing a map showing its claims extending into the coastal waters of the United Arab Emirates and Oman, and holding talks with Oman about sharing fees from ships traversing the waterway. The move was denounced on Friday as unacceptable by US Secretary of State Mario Rubio, who urged all countries to oppose it, and prompted a letter of protest from five Gulf states. US President Donald Trump on Thursday stressed, “We want [the Strait of Hormuz] open, we want it free. We don’t want tolls. It’s an international waterway.” Iran’s newly created Persian Gulf Strait Authority announced the new arrangements on Wednesday, declaring there would henceforth be a “controlled maritime zone” at the strait.

The authority set the zone as the “line connecting Kuh-e Mobarak in Iran and southern Fujairah in the UAE at the eastern side of the strait, to the line connecting the end of Qeshm Island in Iran and Umm Al Quwain in the UAE at the western side of the strait,” and published a map of the designated area in both English and Persian. “Transit in this zone for passage through the Strait of Hormuz requires coordination with the Persian Gulf Strait Authority and permission from this entity,” it declared. On Friday, The New York Times reported that Iran has been holding talks with Oman on charging fees from ships that traverse the strait, with the US-allied Gulf state potentially sharing in the profits, despite Washington’s insistence that freedom of navigation be restored to the blockaded waterway.

Two people familiar with the talks cited by the Times said that the discussions are ostensibly about fees, which are charged for services rendered to transiting vessels, rather than about tolls, which are charged for the transit itself and are illegal under international law. “Still, if the fee system is just a toll by another name, it will not be considered legal,” the report quoted experts saying. Oman, a US ally, originally dismissed the idea of partnering with Iran in the strait, but has more recently realized the scheme could benefit Muscat and expressed willingness to push the plan with Gulf neighbors and with the US, the Times said, citing two Iranian officials.

...It further reported that five other Gulf states — Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — have written to the global shipping watchdog, the International Maritime Authority, denouncing the move and urging that it be prevented. (Read More)

Iran’s top negotiator warns of ‘crushing, bitter’ consequences if US ‘foolishly’ restarts war

Iran’s top negotiator and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf told Pakistani army chief during a meeting in Tehran that Iran would not compromise on the rights of its nation and country, state TV reports.

He said that Iran’s armed forces had rebuilt their capabilities during the ceasefire and that if the US “foolishly restarts the war,” the consequences would be “more crushing and bitter.” (Source)

No deal in sight if US insists on discussing nuclear issue, Iranian FM spokesperson says - report

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei claimed that US demands aimed at tempering Iran’s nuclear ambitions were “unreasonable” and “excessive."

No conclusion will be reached in US-Iran peace negotiations if the US insists on discussing Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told state media outlet Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) on Friday. “The negotiations are focused on ending the war, and the issues related to the nuclear issue are not going to be discussed in detail at this stage,” Baghaei stated. “Therefore, if we try to go into the details of this issue at this stage, we will not reach a conclusion.” Baghaei claimed that US demands aimed at tempering Iran’s nuclear ambitions were “unreasonable” and “excessive,” blaming the American efforts for causing previous peace negotiations to collapse.

Baghaei noted to IRNA that senior Pakistani officials had arrived in Tehran to further mediation efforts aimed at resolving Iran’s war with the US and Israel.“We cannot say that we have reached a point where an agreement is close,” Baghaei asserted, describing the peace process as ongoing but “neither unnatural nor natural.” “I have said before that the differences of opinion between Iran and the United States are so deep and numerous,” Baghaei continued, adding that he can not give a definitive estimate for when an agreement may be reached.

Baghaei emphasized that Tehran’s main focus for negotiations is “the issue of ending the war on all fronts, including Lebanon.” He noted that ending the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is also a priority. “For now, our focus is on ending the war,” Baghaei told IRNA, stating that Iran may be willing to discuss the nuclear issue once a deal that meets Iran’s interests and concerns is reached. (Source)

Saudi Arabia Prepares to Welcome 1.5 Million for Hajj amid Ebola, Iran Fears

The government of Saudi Arabia reassured visitors on Friday that it is prepared to screen for and otherwise address any public health threats during the upcoming Hajj season, responding to growing international concern about the spread of Ebola and hantavirus. The hajj is the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, the holiest city in the religion, which Muslims are mandated to make, if possible, once in their lifetimes. Saudi Arabia typically welcomes upwards of one million Muslims to the city for the hajj on an annual basis, most coming from all over the world, including countries hostile to Saudi Arabia such as Iran. This year, the hajj is formally expected to begin on May 25, though the mass influx of foreign visitors has already begun. The Saudi government is expecting about 1.5 million people to participate in hajj activities.

The World Health Organization (W.H.O.) has identified two significant public health threats ongoing in the past month: an outbreak of the rat-transmitted disease hantavirus on board a cruise ship crossing the Atlantic, and a growing outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Operations are currently ongoing in Argentina to find the source of the hantavirus outbreak and contain it, while in DRC, health workers are facing major security challenges as mobs denying the existence of Ebola attack informal treatment centers and seek to retrieve the bodies of their loved ones.

The W.H.O. announced this week that it considers the potential of a global Ebola emergency to be low, but its officials have also conceded they are behind in studying the situation as it took about a month for authorities in the epicenter of the Congolese outbreak to identify the spread of the disease. World governments and observers alike have nonetheless expressed concern that the outbreak could spiral out of control and spread beyond Africa if not contained. The state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Friday that the country’s health authorities issued a statement affirming they are prepared to screen visitors and implement proper public health protocols in light of these concerns. (Read More)

Iraq races to restore ancient Ziggurat of Ur amid threat of climate erosion - report

Iraq has begun restoring the ancient Ziggurat of Ur using locally made bricks and traditional building methods, Iraqi outlet Shafaq News reported two weeks ago. According to Shafaq, the current initiative is expected to include restoring the first level of the 4,000-year-old temple and its three main staircases, repairing cracks on the second level, and reconstruction work on the third level based on available archaeological evidence.

This marks the “seventh major restoration campaign at the ziggurat since its construction under the Third Dynasty of Ur around 2112 BCE,” Shafaq noted, adding that the work is expected to be completed by July 2026. The ziggurat was originally constructed in honor of the Mesopotamian moon god Nanna, the patron deity of Ur. It later crumbled during the Neo-Babylonian period, until it was eventually restored by the last Neo-Babylonian king, Nabonidus, who ruled from 556 BCE until the fall of the empire.

In 1862, Henry Rawlinson identified Ur Kaśdim - the birthplace of Abraham in Jewish tradition - with Tell el-Muqayyar, a site located near the ziggurat. Today, it remains one of the best preserved examples of ancient Mesopotamian architecture. In a video published in early May, Reuters revealed that the Iraqi government had announced an initial budget of $382,000 to restore and save the ziggurat from climate change. (Ed note: Be sure to check out the very short video in this article.) (Read More)

Trump gives Iran another chance after heated White House clash with Vance

A fierce debate ensues at the White House with the president approving continued talks with Iran despite opposition from senior officials. Vice President Vance and the envoys pushed for an initial deal, while the defense and foreign secretaries demanded pressure and a strike. At the same time, Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Emirati leadership backed a hard line, while Saudi Arabia and Qatar prefer to avoid escalation. The decision to give the talks with Iran another chance was made at the White House after a particularly fierce debate Wednesday between Vice President JD Vance and US President Donald Trump, in which the war secretary and the secretary of state also took part. 

  

According to sources familiar with the matter, the two secretaries assessed that at this stage, concessions could not be extracted from Iran without significant pressure, including the possibility of an attack and tougher economic sanctions. Vance, by contrast, argued that Iran's latest proposal, published by Israel Hayom, showed flexibility that made it possible to move toward an agreement, even an initial one, that would lead to an end to the fighting. Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner also joined the discussion and backed Vance's position. According to information obtained by Israel Hayom, the three held talks in the hours before the meeting with leaders of Gulf states, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which oppose a resumption of the fighting.

The confrontation escalated when Trump criticized Vance and the envoys, accusing them of taking an approach that enabled Iran to play for time and damage the image of the US and the presidency. Vance responded forcefully that the administration should seek to end the campaign, bring the soldiers home, lower oil prices and focus on domestic problems in the US, a response that surprised those present. During the discussion, the sides also returned to the issue of the response to Pakistan, which had conveyed messages between Iran and the US. In response, Vice President Vance's office said that "this entire anecdote is stone-cold fake news, and we would have said as much if this outlet had bothered to even reach out for comment." (Ed note: So now we know that the Doves include JD Vance, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner. The Hawks are the two secretaries which should be Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth.)    (Read More)

Tehran Defies Washington: Supreme Leader Demands Weapons Grade Uranium Material Remain on Iranian Soil

Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has issued a definitive decree banning the removal of highly enriched uranium from the country, directly jeopardizing ongoing peace talks with the United States.

The Supreme Leader of Iran, Mojtaba Khamenei, has officially ordered that the country’s entire stockpile of highly enriched uranium must remain within domestic borders. This definitive decree represents a severe hardening of the position held by Tehran regarding one of the central security demands presented by the United States during active peace negotiations. The political development arrives at a critical juncture, directly defying recent warnings from Washington that failure to comply would result in an immediate resumption of intense aerial bombardments.

Senior diplomatic sources speaking from Tehran confirmed that the instruction issued by Mojtaba Khamenei reflects a absolute consensus among the core components of the Iranian political and military establishment. The Supreme Leader, who has maintained an incredibly low profile since succeeding his father Ali Khamenei at the absolute beginning of the recent war, possesses ultimate authority over national nuclear policy. This public hardening of terms is expected to create profound strategic complications for United States President Donald Trump, who recently promised regional allies that any successful peace treaty would mandate the complete removal of all weapons-grade atomic materials.

Israeli political leadership has mirrored this firm posture, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeatedly stating that the current war will not officially conclude until several non-negotiable benchmarks are achieved. These core Israeli security demands dictate that the highly enriched uranium must be completely transported out of Iranian territory, all regional funding for proxy terrorist networks must permanently cease, and the ballistic missile production infrastructure of the Islamic Republic must be entirely dismantled. Despite these demands, Iranian officials firmly believe that surrendering the nuclear material would strip the nation of its primary deterrent, exposing their industrial centers to sudden preemptive strikes.

International atomic monitors from the International Atomic Energy Agency previously estimated that Iran possessed over four hundred kilograms of uranium enriched to the critical sixty percent threshold prior to the joint strikes launched last June. While significant portions of the manufacturing infrastructure sustained heavy damage during those initial operations, international inspectors believe a substantial amount of the material survived intact. Recent inspections indicate that the remaining stockpiles are currently secured deep within an extensive underground network of defensive tunnels located at the Isfahan nuclear complex, with additional caches tracked at the primary enrichment facility in Natanz.  (Read More)

Pakistan mediates US-Iran talks as uranium and Hormuz remain major obstacles

Iran's foreign minister met Pakistan's interior minister on Friday to discuss proposals to end the US-Israeli war, Iranian media reported, with Tehran and Washington still at odds over Tehran's uranium stockpile and controls on the Strait of Hormuz. Two days after presenting the Iranians with the latest US message in the negotiations, Syed Mohsin Naqvi held another round of talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in Tehran, the semi-official Tasnim and ISNA news agencies reported.

Naqvi was facilitating communication to try and achieve a framework for ending the war and resolving differences, ISNA reported. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Thursday that there had been "some good signs" in the talks, but there could be no solution if Tehran enforced a tolling system in the Strait of Hormuz, which it effectively closed to most shipping after the war began on February 28."There's some good signs," Rubio said. "I don't want to be overly optimistic... So, let's see what happens over the next few days."

A senior Iranian source told Reuters on Thursday that gaps had been narrowed, although uranium enrichment and the Strait of Hormuz remained among the sticking points. The war has wreaked havoc on the global economy, with the surge in oil prices stoking fears of rampant inflation. About a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas shipments traveled through the Strait of Hormuz before the war.

The US dollar was near its highest level in six weeks on Friday amid the uncertainty over the peace talks, while oil prices climbed as investors doubted the prospects of a breakthrough. "We're coming to the end of week 12, we're six weeks in the ceasefire, and I'm just not really that convinced we're any closer to a resolution between the US and Iran," Tony Sycamore, a market analyst at IG, said of the Middle East war. (Read More)

‘We take into account that our enemies want to invade the State of Israel’

During a visit with Defense Minister Israel Katz to the IDF’s 96th Division along Israel’s eastern border on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Israel’s enemies are seeking to infiltrate the country. “We take into account that our enemies want to invade the State of Israel, and therefore we rely on you,” Netanyahu told commanders and soldiers stationed in the area. Netanyahu and Katz toured one of the upgraded “water-line outposts” along the Jordan frontier and received briefings from IDF officers on efforts to strengthen defenses in the sector, including the construction of a security barrier and the deployment of advanced surveillance and defense systems.

II was very impressed by the new tools and means, but above all, I am impressed by you,” the premier told the troops. “I want to strengthen you and tell you that the entire nation of Israel relies on you. I salute you.” The visit came days after the Israel Defense Forces conducted a surprise General Staff-level exercise along the Jordan border to test readiness for a large-scale terrorist infiltration and drone attacks in the sectors of the 96th “Gilead” and 80th “Edom” reserve divisions. Many reservists were called up in the middle of the night as part of the drill, which simulated enemy infiltrations into Israeli communities, drone threats and complex incidents near the Dead Sea. The exercise included fighter jets and combat helicopters carrying out dozens of strikes within short time frames, while Israeli Air Force special forces simulated a terrorist infiltration at a hotel in the area.

Following the exercise, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said one of the central lessons of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led massacre was the need for “a high and constant level of readiness for a surprise attack on our borders, from the platoon level to the General Staff.” “Our test comes precisely during a period in which we have already been at war for more than two-and-a-half years,” Zamir said. “Therefore, the test of mission, values, norms and discipline is expressed specifically during wartime.” Also participating in Wednesday’s visit were IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Tamir Yadai, Netanyahu’s military secretary Maj. Gen. Roman Gofman, tapped to be the new head of the Mossad, 96th Division commander Brig. Gen. Oren Simcha and other senior officers. (Ed note: Along with Jordan, which was named on Israel's border, the state of Syria also borders on the east of Israel.) (Source)

Trump, Rubio hint at possible US military action in Cuba amid doubts over diplomacy

WASHINGTON (AP) — US President Donald Trump and America’s top diplomat on Thursday again raised the specter of military intervention in Cuba, a renewed threat that takes on greater weight a day after the administration announced criminal charges against the island’s former leader, Raúl Castro. Trump said previous US presidents have considered intervening in Cuba for decades, but that “it looks like I’ll be the one that does it.” “Other presidents have looked at this for 50, 60 years, doing something,” Trump told reporters when asked about Cuba during an environmental event in the Oval Office. “And, it looks like I’ll be the one that does it. So, I would be happy to do it.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters separately that Cuba has been a national security threat for years because of its ties to US adversaries and that Trump is intent on addressing it. Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants who has long taken a hard line against Cuba’s socialist leadership, said the Trump administration wants to resolve differences with Cuba peacefully but is doubtful the US can reach a diplomatic resolution with the island’s current government.

Trump’s “preference is always a negotiated agreement that’s peaceful. That’s always our preference. That remains our preference with Cuba,” Rubio said in Miami before boarding a plane to attend a NATO meeting in Sweden and then visit India. “I’m just being honest with you, you know, the likelihood of that happening, given who we’re dealing with right now, is not high,” he said. Top Trump aides — including Rubio, CIA chief John Ratcliffe, and other senior national security officials — have met with Cuban officials in recent months to explore possible improvements in relations. But the US side has come away unimpressed from those talks, leading to even more sanctions imposed on the Cuban government in the past week. (Ed note: Did you know that the American author, Ernest Hemingway in 1952, while living outside of Havana, in Finca Vigia, wrote his book, "The Old Man and the Sea.?) (Read More)

The FUTURE WAR Prophecies

 -p

In the last days, mankind will dwell in a war-torn world! Conventional battles, nuclear exchanges and supernatural demonic invasions are coming. The FUTURE WAR Prophecies book and DVD locates the battlefields, identifies the participants, explains the motives, provides the details and explores the outcomes of these coming world changing conflicts which include:   

• Israel vs. Iran and its proxies,
• The destruction of Damascus in Isaiah 17,
• The final Arab-Israeli war of Psalm 83,
• The Russian coalition’s invasion of Israel in Ezekiel 38,
• The two Christian-killing crusades of the Tribulation Period,
• The demonic invasion that torments unsaved people for 5 months,
• The 200-million demonic army that kills one-third of humankind,
• The war in heaven between Michael the archangel vs. Satan,
• The battle of Armageddon between Jesus Christ vs. Antichrist,
* The final Gog of Magog War at the end of the Millennium.    

These wars and more are covered in this revealing book. Don’t be caught in the crossfire! Discover what wars are coming so that you can keep yourself and your loved ones out of harm’s way.    (CLICK HERE)

Iraq Investigates Drone Attack on UAE Nuclear Plant

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday called on the government of Iraq to investigate the drone attack launched against the Barakah nuclear power plant from Iraqi soil and to take all necessary steps to prevent Iranian proxies from using Iraq as the launch pad for further terrorist attacks. Barakah is the only operational nuclear power plant in the Arab world. Constructed with assistance from South Korea at a cost of $20 billion, the first of its four power units came online in 2020. Four units are now operational, supplying about a quarter of the electrical power for the Emirates. On Sunday, three drones attacked the Barakah nuclear plant. Two of them were intercepted, but one penetrated the inner perimeter of the facility and damaged an electrical generator. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries and no release of radiation from the explosion.

The reckless assault on a nuclear power plant was condemned around the world, including at an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi told UNSC that the attack was a threat to “nuclear safety in the UAE” and a matter of “grave concern.” He pointed out that a strike on the lines supplying electrical power to the plant “could increase the likelihood of its reactors’ cores melting, which could result in a high release of radioactivity.”

“As I have stated several times, including to this Council, attacks on nuclear facilities devoted to peaceful purposes are unacceptable,” Grossi said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but the UAE Defense Ministry said on Tuesday that the drones came from Iraq and were most likely launched by Iran-backed Shiite militia groups, which have participated in Iran’s wanton attacks on neighboring states. The Iraqi government did not immediately respond to the claims by the UAE Defense Ministry, but it issued a generalized condemnation of the “recent drone attacks targeting the UAE.” (Ed note: The question being, if the terrorists are attacking the UAE Nuclear Energy Plant from Iraq now, how long before they turn on the state of Israel?) (Read More)

ISIS escalates rhetoric, seeks ‘new phase of fighting’ in Syria - analysis

DAMASCUS Syria witnessed a notable escalation in the rhetoric of the Islamic State group (ISIS) over the past week after the organization released a new propaganda message urging its members and foreign fighters inside Syria to “continue fighting” against the Syrian state and refrain from surrendering or leaving the country.

The appeal, circulated through platforms linked to the group, comes at a sensitive moment for Syria as the government continues efforts to consolidate security control in eastern regions and the Syrian desert, where ISIS sleeper cells remain intermittently active. Analysts say the latest message reflects an attempt by the organization to exploit ongoing security tensions and reintroduce itself as a force still capable of confrontation after years of military collapse and territorial losses.

According to the statement attributed to ISIS, the group focused particularly on inciting foreign fighters, claiming that Syrian authorities “will gradually eliminate them” and calling on them to join what it described as a “new phase of fighting.” The message also urged attacks against the Syrian army and security forces, especially in Deir ez-Zur, Raqqa, and the Syrian desert, areas that have continued to figure in sporadic ISIS operations in recent months.

Analysts following Syrian affairs believe such rhetoric represents an effort by ISIS to reaffirm both its media and military presence as it seeks to reactivate dormant cells and regroup what remains of its fighters after years of heavy losses. ISIS first emerged openly in Syria in 2013 after expanding from Iraq amid the chaos of the Syrian conflict and deteriorating security conditions. Initially operating under the name “Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham,” the group later split from al-Qaida and became involved in violent confrontations with Syrian opposition factions. (Ed note: The terrorist group known as ISIS is always inherently dangerous. Always keep one eye on the state of Syria.) (Read More)

Series of problems halts SpaceX Starship test flight

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida — SpaceX got within a half-minute of launching its newest and biggest Starship on a test flight this evening before a cascade of problems halted the countdown. The 407-foot (124-meter) rocket was poised to begin a space-skimming journey from Texas extending halfway around the world. But issues cropped up with the brand-new pad at Starbase near the Mexican border, and the company ran out of time.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk later says the hydraulic pin holding the launch tower’s arm in place did not retract. If the problem can be fixed quickly, another launch attempt will be made today, he notes. Yesterday’s launch attempt came one day after Musk announced that his rocket company would be going public.

Starship holds 20 mock Starlink satellites to be released before the spacecraft’s controlled entry into the Indian Ocean at the end of the hour-long flight. It will be the 12th test flight for a Starship and the first since last fall. NASA is relying on this latest version of Starship to land astronauts on the moon in a few years. (Ed note: 407-foot long? That rocket is more than a football field long!) (Source)

Analysis-Asia's currencies are flashing oil shock alarm

SINGAPORE, May 21 (Reuters) - Asia's policymakers are taking increasingly urgent and unusual steps to shore up their economies on the front line of the global energy supply shock, with currencies falling to record lows and pressure already forcing up interest rates. Asia buys about 80% of oil shipped through the shuttered ‌Strait of Hormuz and stress in foreign exchange markets is one of the clearest signs that rising fuel prices are starting to hurt growth. Governments are in an unenviable position. The ‌path to preserving growth is precarious because falling currencies can shake confidence and stoke inflation, but supporting them with higher rates means a hit for consumers and the economy's growth engine on top of the fuel shock.

India has appealed to citizens ​to drop overseas trips and avoid gold purchases to protect a rupee that is among the world's biggest losers since war in the Middle East reduced crude supplies. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shrunk his own motorcade to save fuel, a government source told Reuters, while bankers think the central bank is spending $1 billion a day to prop up the ailing currency, which is trading at record lows. The government source and the four banking sources requested anonymity as they were not authorised to speak publicly.

Indonesia on Wednesday announced a surprise 50-basis-point rate hike to shore up the rupiah - which also trades at record lows against the dollar - ‌and seized control of commodity exports to ensure proceeds stay onshore ⁠and in the local currency. The Philippines' central bank has already raised rates, and there is talk that surging inflation could prompt an out-of-cycle hike before the next meeting due in a month's time. "How many hikes does it really take to incentivise capital to come in? The answer could be quite a lot," said ⁠Navin Saigal, head of global fixed income for Asia Pacific at BlackRock. "On the flip side, what do those hikes end up doing to the domestic economy? And the answer is, it could be quite a lot."

India, Indonesia and the Philippines are particularly vulnerable because they are oil importers that are also being hit by capital outflows as investors take their cash elsewhere. A sudden shift in U.S. interest rate expectations - with a hike seen as ​a ​risk this year - has piled on more pressure, pushing the rupiah to 17,700 per dollar, the rupee to ​the verge of 97 per dollar and the peso to nearly 62 to ‌the dollar. (Ed note: Google: "A severe global oil crisis has severely weakened Asian currencies, as soaring fuel import costs and a strong U.S. dollar drain regional foreign exchange reserves. Because global oil is priced in American dollars, Asian nations face a compounding double-hit of higher volume costs and unfavorable exchange rates.")  (Read More)

'Bibi's hair was on fire:' Inside the call between Trump, Netanyahu on Iran ceasefire talks - Axios

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump had a difficult conversation on Tuesday about ceasefire talks, Axios reported on Wednesday. Trump reportedly called Netanyahu on Tuesday to inform him that mediators were working on a "letter of intent" to end the war and launch a month-long period of negotiations, which would include matters such as Iran's nuclear program and opening the Strait of Hormuz. Two Israeli sources stated that the two leaders were in clear disagreement about how to deal with Iran moving forward. One US source briefed on the call told Axios that "Bibi's hair was on fire after the call."

It is worth noting that Netanyahu has reportedly been worried during previous phases of negotiations. "Bibi is always concerned," one source told Axios. The Axios report came as the US sent a new proposal to Iran through Pakistani mediators. Sources close to Iran's negotiating team told the Iranian semi-official news agency Tasnim that Tehran's mediators were reviewing the document, but nothing had been finalized yet.

Also on Wednesday, Trump told reporters that Iran and the US are "right on the borderline," between restarting the war and making a deal."If we don't get the right answer, it could happen very quickly. We have not got the right answer. It will have to be 100% good answers”, Trump said, adding that he would give a “few days” for talks. The report also mentioned that Qatar and Pakistan had drafted a revised peace memo to bridge the gaps between the US and Iran. Tehran said on Wednesday that talks were ongoing and that Pakistan's interior minister is in Tehran for his second visit in a week to help bridge the gaps.

According to an Arab official who spoke to Axios, the goal of the letter of intent is to try to get Iran to provide more tangible benchmarks from Iran regarding its nuclear program and clearer information from the US on how frozen Iranian funds will be released. "As stated previously, Qatar has been and continues to support the Pakistan led mediation efforts, we have been consistently advocating for de-escalation for the sake of the region and its people," a Qatari diplomat told Axios. (Read More)

Trump says Netanyahu will ‘do whatever I want’ on Iran after pair said to hold tense call

Revolutionary Guard says its ‘devastating blows will crush’ its ‘American-Zionist enemy’ if Trump resumes strikes, as Pakistani interior minister back in Iran for talks.

US President Donald Trump asserted Wednesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will do “whatever I want” when it comes to a potential military strike on Iran, in remarks made a day after the pair reportedly held a tense call on the subject. Trump was asked by reporters about his Tuesday phone call with the Israeli premier. “He’s a very good man, he’ll do whatever I want him to do. And he’s a great guy… Don’t forget he was a wartime prime minister,” Trump responded. Netanyahu has touted his close relationship with Trump, crediting it for a long list of pro-Israel decisions made by the US president. But it has also exposed Netanyahu to criticism that he is unable to push back on Trump as he has become so indebted to him.

Asked by The Times of Israel in March whether he alone would decide when the war with Iran ends or if Netanyahu would also have a say, Trump claimed that it would be a “mutual” decision,” but when a ceasefire was announced several weeks later, Jerusalem was reportedly caught off guard. Trump has still been careful not to criticize Netanyahu and has even lobbied for him to be pardoned by President Isaac Herzog in the ongoing corruption trial that the premier is facing.

Netanyahu is seen as supportive of resuming the war against Iran, as he has argued that war aims pertaining to Tehran’s nuclear and missile programs, along with its support for proxies, are still unmet. The premier has said he would accept those issues being address diplomatically but has expressed skepticism over whether Tehran is willing to negotiate in good faith. Axios reported that during their Tuesday phone call, Trump updated Netanyahu on new mediation efforts by several Arab and Muslim states to reach a deal between the US and Iran. (Read More)

Supreme Leader says enriched uranium must stay in Iran, Iranian sources say

Iran's Supreme Leader has issued a directive that the country's near-weapons-grade uranium should not be sent abroad, two senior Iranian sources said, hardening Tehran's stance on one of the main US demands at peace talks. Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei's order could further frustrate US President Donald Trump and complicate talks on ending the US-Israeli war on Iran. Israeli officials have told Reuters that Trump has assured Israel that Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium, needed to make an atomic weapon, will be sent out of Iran and that any peace deal must include a clause on this.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he will not consider the war over until enriched uranium is removed from Iran, Tehran ends its support for proxy militias, and its ballistic missile capabilities are eliminated. "The Supreme Leader’s directive, and the consensus within the establishment, is that the stockpile of enriched uranium should not leave the country,” said one of the two Iranian sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

Iran's top officials, the sources said, believe that sending the material abroad would leave the country more vulnerable to future attacks by the United States and Israel. Khamenei has the last say on the most important state matters. The White House and Iran's foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment. A shaky ceasefire is in place in the war that began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, after which Iran fired at Gulf states hosting US military bases and fighting broke out between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. (Ed note: Remember, with Iran, the matter of the uranium and the annihilation of the Jewish nation is not a political matter, it's a religious matter.) (Read More)

Iran said recovering military abilities faster than expected, producing drones again

Iran is rebuilding its military capabilities faster than expected, including by restarting its production of drones, CNN reported Thursday, as Tehran said it was “reviewing” the latest US proposal to end the war. One US official was cited by CNN as saying that Iran could fully restore its pre-war capabilities in as little as six months, saying Tehran has “exceeded all timelines the IC [intelligence community] had for reconstitution.” The shortened timeline is due in part to assistance that Iran has received from Russia and China, the sources told CNN, alleging that Beijing has been supplying the Islamic Republic with missile components since war broke out on February 28.

China’s foreign ministry denied this, claiming the CNN report is “not based on facts.” The accelerated pace at which Iran is moving to restore its arsenal and capabilities suggests that it would still be a formidable foe, able to wreak havoc on the region should the US make good on repeated threats to begin its military campaign anew, the sources said. US Central Command declined to comment on the report, and a Pentagon spokesman insisted that the US military “has everything it needs to execute at the time and place of the president’s choosing.”

Meanwhile, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the Islamic Republic was examining Washington’s latest offer for a deal to end the war, while repeating Tehran’s demands for the release of its assets frozen abroad and an end to a US naval blockade, imposed amid the ceasefire in response to Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The army chief of mediator Pakistan was due in Iran on Thursday for “talks and consultations” with Iranian authorities, according to Iranian media. (Read More)