Photo –A billboard in Tehran last week showing a photo of the late supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.Credit…Arash Khamooshi for The New York Times
President Trump dismissed an Iranian proposal to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz as “garbage.” An Iranian official raised the prospect of escalating nuclear enrichment if it were attacked again.
Here’s the latest.
A month-old cease-fire in the Middle East hung in the balance on Tuesday after President Trump dismissed Iran’s latest offer to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz as “garbage.”
Iran’s state-owned broadcaster reported earlier that Tehran’s demands included U.S. war reparations, recognition of its sovereignty over the strait and an end to American sanctions. Iran was asserting its “legitimate rights,” a top official said on Monday. Hours later, Mr. Trump said in the Oval Office that Tehran was in the grip of “lunatics.”
Iran’s ambassador to China said Beijing could help convey Tehran’s demands to major powers, as President Trump was set to depart for China on Tuesday for talks expected to focus heavily on Iran and the Strait of Hormuz. In an interview with IRNA, Iran’s state news agency, Ambassador Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said Iran wanted any deal to include a permanent end to the war and the lifting of the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports. He said long-term cooperation with China allowed Iran to show it had “real options” and “important partners” in the face of U.S. pressure.
Lebanese and Israeli envoys are set to continue U.S.-mediated talks in Washington this week. On Tuesday, Hezbollah’s leader, Naim Qassem, rejected any attempt to make the group’s disarmament part of negotiations with Israel. He said Hezbollah’s weapons were an internal Lebanese matter that could be discussed only after Israel halted its attacks and withdrew from occupied territory — conditions that appeared out of reach as Israel and Hezbollah continued to trade fire in southern Lebanon on Tuesday. Iran, Hezbollah’s main backer, has demanded an end to the fighting in Lebanon as part of its latest offer to end hostilities with the United States. President Trump has dismissed the broader Iranian proposal as “garbage.”
Ebrahim Rezaei, a spokesman for Iran’s parliamentary national security committee, warned Tuesday that Iran could consider enriching uranium to 90 percent purity, a level considered weapons-grade, if it was attacked again. Earlier, President Trump rejected Iran’s latest offer to end the war and said the month-old cease-fire was on “life support.” It was unclear how imminent such a move could be. Rezaei stopped short of saying Tehran had made a decision, saying only that Parliament could review the option. Iran possesses 970 lbs of uranium that is enriched at 60%, which is enough to make at least 15 atomic bombs if further enriched to 90% . The bombs could hurt Iran the most if it uses them in the war analysts say
Modi urges Indians to cut back because of soaring energy costs.
Commuters on an electric bus in Delhi, India, last month. Mr. Modi appealed to people to conserve energy and use electric vehicles more.Credit…Manan Vatsyayana/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked India’s 1.4 billion people to spend less on fuel, fertilizer, and travel, a call for sacrifice that landed like a thunderclap and underlined the severity of the economic crisis caused by the war in Iran.
Mr. Modi made these sweeping recommendations in a national address on Sunday after securing a big win for his party in recent state elections. With that victory in hand, he no longer has to worry that voters might punish his candidates for higher prices of fuel, food and transport, which are tightly controlled by India’s government. Instead of subsidizing the losses and running huge budget deficits, India’s leader appears emboldened to ask its people to bear the burden.
Mass Layoffs in Iran
An Iranian man walks past an anti-US and anti-Israel mural painted on a wall, in Tehran, Iran, on May 10, 2026. Businesses in Iran have resorted to mass layoffs due to the economic struggle caused by the war(ATTA KENARE / AFP)
The country was already struggling economically before 2026 brought widespread instability. A government-imposed internet shutdown has crippled an entire sector.
Caspian Sea
The overlooked body of water has taken on new significance, with Russia shipping military and commercial goods to bolster Tehran’s ability to withstand the U.S. assault.
Russia is covertly helping Iran rebuild drone arsenal and supplying arms via the Caspian Sea , NYT
More Sanctions
The United States announced a flurry of new sanctions intended to increase pressure on Iran’s economy, targeting people and companies in China and Hong Kong that have been helping the Iranian military gain access to supplies.
The New York Times
