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War in the Middle East: latest developments Paris, France, April 19 (AFP) Apr 19, 2026 The latest developments in the Middle East war: - US seizes Iranian ship -
The incident comes as the US and Iran vie for control of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital conduit for the world's oil and liquefied natural gas, which was virtually closed for weeks under pressure from the Islamic republic. Tehran briefly reopened the strait Friday in recognition of the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire in Lebanon, but closed it again Saturday in response to the ongoing US blockade on ships traveling to and from Iranian ports.
"There are currently no plans to participate in the next round of Iran-US talks," state broadcaster IRIB said, citing Iranian sources. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Sunday he had spoken by phone with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian -- which he described as "a warm and constructive conversation" -- and reaffirmed his government's readiness to mediate the conflict.
In a statement, Syrian officials said they foiled a "sabotage plot" with hidden rocket launching equipment in a civilian vehicle, which was linked to Hezbollah and "aimed to destabilise the region". The area borders the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Trump did not say who would lead the delegation, but a White House official said it was Vice President JD Vance, who led the last set of talks that failed to reach an accord. Trump said in a social media post he was offering Iran "a reasonable deal" but if Tehran refuses, "the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran. NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!"
Lebanon's military said meanwhile it has reopened a road and bridge between the city of Nabatieh and Khardali that was damaged by Israeli strikes in the south.
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