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17:27
Rubio Says Sanctions On Iran Won't Be Lifted To Open Hormuz
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that no sanctions on Iran will be lifted in exchange for Iran agreeing to open the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking at a Senate committee hearing on June 2, Rubio said, "That's not been discussed. That's not been offered."
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio testifies before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on June 2.
His comments directly contradict accounts in Iranian state media of the draft agreement being negotiated by Tehran and Washington via Pakistani mediators. These reports have said the deal being discussed includes sanctions relief and the return of Iranian funds that have been frozen abroad.
Rubio told senators that the first phase of any deal would be Iran opening the Strait of Hormuz, and that this would be followed by a second phase dealing with Iran's nuclear program lasting 30-90 days.
He added that talks were being complicated by delays caused by the structure of power within Iran. Iran's negotiators, he said, had to then negotiate with their own leadership council in Tehran -- causing delays of several days each time new messages were passed.
Rubio was also asked if could use his influence within the Trump administration to persuade it to provide lawmakers with the legal rationale for US military strikes on Iran, which it began with Israel on February 28.
"Let me take that back and ask the Office of Legal Counsel. But certainly, they provided the legal rationale for the strike," he said.
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17:04
Iran's Judiciary Rejects Appeal Of Imprisoned British Couple
The family of a British couple imprisoned in Iran announced on June 3 that Craig and Lindsay Foreman's appeal to overturn their 10-year prison sentence has been rejected.
According to Reuters, the family explained that the Islamic republic's judicial authorities did not allow the couple to attend the court hearing and have provided them with very little information about the proceedings.
A court in Tehran sentenced the Foremans to 10 years in prison last year on charges of "espionage."
Both have denied the spying charges.
A handout photograph released in August 2025 by the family of Craig and Lindsay Foreman shows the couple at Naqsh-e Jahan Square, or Shah Square, with the Shah Mosque in the background, in Isfahan, Iran, at an undated time.
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15:43
Iran Plans 3-Day Funeral Ceremony For Ali Khamenei
Iranians shout slogans as they march in Tehran the day after the assassination of Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a joint US-Israeli strike the day before.
Tehran is reportedly planning a "farewell ceremony" and funeral for former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to take place in several Iranian cities.
Khamenei, who was killed in a joint US-Israeli strike on February 28, has not yet been buried.
The cities of Qom and Mashhad, as well as the capital, will host the event, according to a Tehran official.
According to Iranian media reports, Mohammad Amin Tavakolizadeh, deputy social affairs director for the Tehran region, said on June 2 that officials are expecting up to 20 million people to attend in the capital alone.
He did not specify the exact date of the ceremony but said it would likely be held in late June or early July.
Tavakolizadeh said the "farewell ceremony" will last three days in Qom and Mashhad and 24 hours in Tehran.
He added that Khamenei would be buried at the shrine of the eighth Shi'ite Imam in Mashhad, "according to his will and the wishes of his relatives."
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15:31
Middle East Flight Disruptions Continue As Some Airlines Resume Flights
An Emirates aircraft takes off from Dubai International Airport on March 8.
While some airlines have begun resuming flights to the Middle East, disruptions caused by the Iran war continue to overshadow regional air routes and Europe-Asia flights.
Regional airlines have increased their flight capacity after severe war-related disruptions, but many airlines outside Middle East are still rerouting flights from Europe to Asia to avoid the region's airspace.
A number of European and Asian carriers have suspended flights to Tel Aviv, Dubai, Doha, Riyadh, Beirut, Erbil, Baghdad, and Tehran until dates in the summer or fall. Air France has suspended flights to Tel Aviv until June 14 and flights between Beirut and Dubai until June 17, while KLM has suspended flights to Dubai until August 2 and routes between Riyadh and Dammam until July 12.
British Airways has also delayed the resumption of flights to Dubai, Doha, and Tel Aviv until August 1 and plans to reduce the number of flights to the Middle East once it returns. The airline has also permanently removed Jeddah from its list of destinations.
Among US carriers, Delta has extended the suspension of its Atlanta-Tel Aviv route until December 18, but plans to resume its New York-Tel Aviv flight on September 6. Air Canada has also canceled its flights to Tel Aviv and Dubai until September 7.
In contrast, some airlines are resuming limited flight schedules. Malaysia Airlines has announced that it will resume limited flights to Doha from July 2. Australia's Qantas has also increased flights to Rome and Paris to meet increased demand on European routes.
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13:25
IAEA Head: Transferring Iranian Uranium Abroad 'Difficult But Not Impossible'
Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), says that while it is "difficult," transferring Iran's enriched uranium abroad is "not impossible."
Grossi's remarks come as the fate of Iran's highly enriched uranium reserves has become a central issue in ongoing talks between Tehran and Washington. Iranian officials have called the US demand that Tehran give up its enriched uranium "excessive" and said they will not give in to it.
Iran is estimated to have about 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to about 60 percent. Grossi previously said that Iran's uranium stockpile had largely remained intact and in the same place after US and Israeli air strikes on the country's nuclear facilities in 2025.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Grossi said that transferring Iran's highly enriched uranium abroad was "not easy, because this is in gas form, and this is highly contaminant, and it is not an easy operation."
Grossi also added that several other options are being considered, including "downblending" the uranium to a lower level of enrichment. Kazakhstan has also been mentioned as a possible storage location.
US President Donald Trump has called Iran's stockpiles of enriched uranium, which are buried in nuclear facilities, "nuclear dust" and has repeatedly said that the United States must acquire these stocks.
However, in Trump's latest comments on the matter, made during a recent trip to China, Trump said that he did not think the United States removing enriched uranium from Iran was necessary and that it was more of a "public relations" move.
"We were thinking about doing it early on, but it would take time, it would take about a week and a half. And thats a long time to be in enemy territory," Trump said in an interview with Fox News on May 14.
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07:32
Trump: Iran Deal Expected 'Over the Next Week'
President Donald Trumptold ABC Newsthat he expects to reach an agreement with Iran to extend the cease-fire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz within the next week.
Speaking to ABC News' chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl in a telephone conversation on June 1, Trump said a peace deal could be "even better than a military victory."
A draft agreement, mediated by Pakistan, has been going forth and back between the two sides in recent weeks -- with huge uncertainty hanging over the on-again, off-again negotiations. A limited cease-fire has been in effect since April, though it has been tested by sporadic strikes.
There was, the president said, "tremendous hostility" from Iran.
"It's not an easy thing for them. It's actually not easy from our standpoint either. But we're getting what we need to get," Trump said.
Regarding a time frame for a possible deal, Trump said: "I think you're talking about over the next week." He said that an agreement hadn't been made yet because "I still have to get a few more points."
In recent days, Iran and the US have traded military strikes, with US forces announcing self-defense attacks on Iranian targets and Iran indicating it had attacked a US base in Kuwait.
The push for a deal comes as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has significantly disrupted global oil supplies and driven up energy prices.
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00:00
We are now closing the live blog for the day. We'll be back at 7:30 a.m. Central European time to cover the latest events across the Middle East.
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20:17
1.6.2026
Trump Denies Report Iran Talks Have Stopped
Following on from his remarks in TV interviews, US President Donald Trump has taken to Truth Social to insist that diplomatic efforts to reach an agreement with Iran are ongoing.
Talks are continuing, at a rapid pace, with the Islamic Republic of Iran, Trump wrote, without elaborating.
The social media post came amid uncertainty over talks on June 1.
Iranian news agency Tasnim reported earlier that Iran would stop taking part in exchanges of texts through intermediaries, a move that appeared connected to increased Israeli attacks in Lebanon on Iranian proxy Hezbollah.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning what it said were cease-fire violations by Israel and adding that Washington was responsible for the consequences and impacts of this situation.
Then, in a separateTruth Socialpost, Trump said he had spoken with both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and, through intermediaries, with Hezbollah.
Israel will not attack them, and they will not attack Israel, he wrote.
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19:29
1.6.2026
Trump Says I Dont Care If Iran Talks Are Over
U.S. President Donald Trump at a cabinet meeting at the White House on May 27
Faltering diplomatic moves to bring about an agreement between Tehran and Washington have been plunged into further uncertainty after a report by Iranian news agency Tasnim, affiliated to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), suggesting talks were being suspended.
Asked about the report, US President Donald Trump told NBC News there had been no official communication from Iran about the matter.
The Iranian negotiating team will suspend talks and the exchange of texts through mediators, Tasnim reported, owing to Israel stepping up military action in Lebanon, where it is fighting Iranian proxy force Hezbollah.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning what it said were cease-fire violations by Israel and adding that Washington was responsible for the consequences and impacts of this situation.
Trump was quoted by NBC as saying he was not aware of this decision but that it was not a concern.
I think its fine if theyre done talking. he said in a brief phone call. But they havent informed us of that.
In a separate interview with CNBC, Trump added: I really dont care. I couldnt care less.
A draft agreement, mediated by Pakistan, has been going forth and back between the two sides in recent weeks.
On May 29, Trump said he was entering the Situation Room in the White House to make a final determination about the text but there was no subsequent announcement of an agreement.
Over the weekend, the two sides traded further military strikes, with US forces announcing self-defense attacks on Iranian targets and Iran indicating it had attacked a US base in Kuwait.
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15:26
1.6.2026
Kallas Urges 'Deeper Talks' About Iran's Missiles, Nuclear Stockpiles
Any temporary peace agreement between the United States and Iran must be followed by deeper talks about Tehrans nuclear stockpiles, missiles, and other critical issues, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said.
Speaking at a news conference in Islamabad on June 1, Kallas, the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, said she sees a "tenuous diplomatic opening" to extend the current temporary cease-fire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz despite an exchange of attacks overnight by both Iran and the United States.
"Any temporary understanding between the US and Iran must be followed by deeper talks about Tehran's nuclear stockpile and other critical issues," the bloc's top diplomat told a joint news conference with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
Kallas praised Pakistan's role as a mediator in the Gulf crisis and expressed the EUs readiness to contribute to the peaceful resolution of the US-Iran dispute mentioning the groups economic leverage, hard-won nuclear expertise, longstanding relationships with partners across the Gulf, and direct engagement with Iran itself.
I see a concrete role for the EU in helping to make any eventual agreement durable -- whether through maritime operations or economic incentives that support long-term stability, she said suggesting strict conditions for a calibrated path towards sanctions relief for Iran.
To read the full story, clickhere.
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