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US-Israel-Iran War Latest Live News: The distance between Washington and Tehran appears to be widening even as both sides keep the door open to diplomacy. Iran has presented the latest dispute as evidence that it resisted US pressure, while President Donald Trump has responded with demands for compensation and insisted that the US Navy controls the Strait of Hormuz.
The competing claims came as shipping through the strategic waterway dropped sharply, with only six vessels crossing on Monday, according to Kpler data cited by Reuters. That figure was well below the recent 10-day average and dramatically lower than the 130-140 vessels that crossed the strait each day before the war.
The developments have added fresh uncertainty to efforts to end the conflict, reopen Hormuz and restore normal energy and trade flows.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest Live News: Araghchi Says US Changed Its Position on Negotiations
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Washington moved from demanding Iran’s complete surrender to seeking negotiations within weeks of the war beginning.
Speaking on Iranian state television, Araghchi recalled Trump’s early message to Tehran.
“The US President wrote two words [on social media] at the beginning of the war: ‘Unconditional surrender’,” he said.
“That was what they wanted from us and, 20 days later, the same enemy was begging for negotiations,” the top diplomat added.
Araghchi used the claim to portray Iran’s military and political resistance as a factor that forced Washington to reconsider its approach.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest Live News: Iran Says It Has Proved Its Strength
Araghchi also described Iran as a country that had demonstrated its ability to withstand pressure from the US and its allies.
“I have heard this many times from foreign ministers and officials from other countries: ‘You Iranians created a miracle; you surprised the whole world.’”
“No one thought that Iran could resist America like this,” Araghchi said.
He argued that Iran had faced the United States with support from Israel, Western countries and other allies.
“Iran is a tough and invincible power,” Araghchi said, presenting the conflict as a demonstration of Tehran’s ability to resist military pressure.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest Live News: Hormuz Traffic Falls as Peace Hopes Fade
The rhetoric came as commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz weakened further.
Reuters reported that only six vessels passed through the waterway on Monday, compared with a 10-day average of around 11 vessels. Four commodity ships entered the strait, while two tankers left.
The decline becomes even more significant when compared with the pre-war level of roughly 130 to 140 vessels a day.
By comparison, 25 vessels travelled through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait on Monday, broadly matching its recent 10-day average of around 24 ships.
The latest shipping figures suggest that concerns over security and the future of the US-Iran confrontation continue to discourage commercial operators from using the crucial waterway.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest Live News: Why is the Strait of Hormuz So Important?
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the wider Arabian Sea. It serves as a major route for global energy shipments.
The sharp decline in traffic has therefore raised concerns beyond Iran and the US. Any prolonged disruption could affect oil supplies, shipping costs, insurance premiums and inflation across international markets.
Iran’s dependence on maritime trade also makes the crisis particularly important for its economy. Around 70% of Iran’s non-oil trade passes through ports that depend on access to Hormuz, according to an analysis published by Deutsche Welle earlier this year.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest Live News: Iran and Germany Discuss Reopening Hormuz
Diplomatic efforts have continued despite the increasingly hostile rhetoric.
Araghchi spoke with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul about ending the conflict and restoring navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
Araghchi argued that security in the waterway depends on stopping US military operations. He also called for the international community to hold Washington responsible for any consequences arising from a possible prolonged closure.
Wadephul, meanwhile, urged Tehran to engage constructively with regional countries and Washington. He called for the unconditional reopening of Hormuz to guarantee safe and free navigation.
The discussions show that European governments remain focused on preventing the shipping crisis from becoming a longer-term threat to global trade.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest Live News: Iran Warns of $18 Billion Trade Cost
The economic consequences could become especially severe for Iran if maritime restrictions continue.
Majidreza Hariri, head of the Iran-China Chamber of Commerce, estimated that a US maritime blockade could add around $18 billion a year to Iran’s trade costs.
Hariri said transporting a container from China to Iran costs roughly $3,000 by sea, compared with about $12,000 by land.
With approximately two million containers entering Iran’s southern ports each year, he calculated that the additional $9,000 per container could produce an annual increase of around $18 billion.
He said the amount would exceed Iran’s yearly spending of less than $15 billion on imports of essential goods and medicines.
“The worst thing that could happen today is for us to think we can circumvent the naval blockade and try to run the country despite it,: he said. “We did something similar with sanctions: instead of getting them lifted or finding a mechanism to neutralise them, we tried to circumvent them. The result was a weakened economy and widespread corruption.”
The warning underlines how difficult it could be for Tehran to replace maritime routes with more expensive land-based transportation.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest Live News: Trump Demands 50 Years of Reparations From Iran
While Iran has highlighted its resistance to US pressure, Trump has taken a tougher position.
The US president said Iran should compensate Washington for damage he attributed to Tehran over the past 50 years.
Trump also claimed that the US Navy has complete control over the Strait of Hormuz.
“The only one that has control of the Strait of Hormuz right now is the United States Navy. We have a blockade that’s been infallible. It’s a steel wall. And we let people in that we want to let in, and those people come in, and they’re going out. We do not let them go into Iran. They’re not admitted into the Strait to go to Iran. We control the Strait of Hormuz 100%.”
Trump’s comments came after Iran demanded war reparations and sanctions relief as part of conditions for reopening the waterway.
He said Tehran’s demand for compensation had prompted him to make a similar demand of his own.
“They asked for reparations, they asked for money for the damage that we’ve done. And I said, that’s a good idea. Well, we’re to ask for money for the damage they’ve done over 50 years. So if there’s damages to be paid, I think Iran should pay those damages,” he added.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest Live News: What Happens Next for US-Iran Talks?
The latest statements suggest that diplomacy remains possible, but neither side appears ready to soften its public position.
Iran wants an end to military operations and sanctions and has linked the reopening of Hormuz to those conditions. Washington, meanwhile, continues to demand concessions from Tehran while Trump has added a new demand for compensation.
European governments and regional countries are pushing for negotiations and the restoration of free navigation.
For global markets, the biggest concern remains the Strait of Hormuz. As long as commercial traffic remains far below normal levels, uncertainty will continue to hang over energy supplies, shipping costs and the wider global economy.
The latest fall to six vessels shows that, despite diplomatic contacts, the waterway remains far from normal.