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Last Updated:April 16, 2026, 05:19 IST
US President Donald Trump has said that he believes the war he launched with Israel in late February is nearly over.
A photo of wreckage and remains of targeted and crashed aircraft in Iran, provided by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. (Image: AFP)
US-Iran War: As the United States and Iran gear up for another round of direct negotiations, the Trump administration expressed optimism about reaching a deal to end the war with Iran, while also warning of increasing economic pressure against Tehran if it remains defiant.
Trump has said that he believes the war he launched with Israel in late February is nearly over, even as a shipping blockade he announced came into effect
On the other hand, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted that Israel and the US are fully aligned in their objective to contain Iran, and it is ready to face any scenario is the war resumes.
Here are the top updates
US Optimistic About Iran Deal
As talks about the second round of negotiations gain momentum, the Trump administration feels “good about prospects of a deal" with Iran, the White House said Wednesday, while noting that Pakistan would likely be the location of a potential second round of talks. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran remains committed to promoting peace after meeting Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir.
“We feel good about the prospects of a deal," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a press briefing, calling conversations mediated by Pakistan “productive and ongoing." She denied reports that the US had formally requested an extension of a two-week ceasefire agreed by the two sides on April 8.
US Vice President JD Vance, who led the first round of talks, has said Iran is being offered a “grand bargain" to end the six-week war with Israel and the United States and address the decades-old dispute over Tehran’s nuclear program.
US Hormuz Blockade
Iran’s military has warned that it could target shipping in the Red Sea if the US continues blocking Iranian ports. The US Central Command has said that the blockade has completely stopped Iran’s sea trade, although Iranian media reported that a few ships were still able to travel in and out of the country on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the US military said that it has successfully turned back 10 vessels that tried to sail out of Iranian ports during the first 48 hours of a naval blockade against Tehran.
“Ten vessels have now been turned around and ZERO ships have broken through since the start of the US blockade on Monday," CENTCOM said in a post on X.
White House Refuses To Extend Russian, Iranian Oil Sanctions
Further mounting a pressure on Iran, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that Washington would not renew the waiver of sanctions on Iranian oil at sea that expires this week, and let a similar waiver on sanctions on Russian oil expire over the weekend.
“We will not be renewing the general license on Russian oil, and we will not be renewing the general license on Iranian oil. That was oil that was on the water prior to March 11. So all that has been used," Bessent said as quoted by news agency Reuters.
Netanyahu Says Ready If War Resumes
Further, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Israel and the United States are on the same page when it comes to dealing with Iran, and that Israel is ready for any situation if the war starts again.
In a video message on X, he said the US is keeping Israel regularly updated on its talks with Iran, adding, “Our goals are the same. If the fighting resumes, we are prepared for any scenario."
“Our objectives with the United States are aligned. We want to see Iran’s enriched material removed, and we want to see the elimination of its enrichment capability inside Iran. And of course, we want to see the reopening of straits," he added.
Israel Calls For Hezbollah Dismantling
At the same time, Israel continued its military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Netanyahu said that he has instructed the military to continue reinforcing the security zone in southern Lebanon while negotiating a peace deal with Beirut.
He further said that the talks with Lebanon are underway — the first such negotiations in decades — aimed at pushing Hezbollah away from the border and achieving what he described as “a sustainable peace through strength."
“These negotiations have not taken place for over 40 years. They are happening now because we are very strong, and countries are coming to us – not only Lebanon," he said.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
First Published:
April 16, 2026, 05:19 IST
News world US Optimistic About Peace Deal With Iran, Israel Calls For Hezbollah Dismantling | Top Updates
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