US points ultimate warning to Iran as Pakistan stories main ceasefire breakthrough; Khamenei reportedly wounded
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday reportedly warned Tehran that American forces had been “locked and loaded” to renew strikes if Iran rejected a negotiated settlement, at the same time as Pakistani mediators reported a breakthrough on key sticking factors in marathon ceasefire talks.
Talking at a Pentagon press briefing alongside Joint Chiefs Chairman Common Dan Caine, Hegseth mentioned the US would keep its naval blockade of Iran “for so long as it takes” and maintain open the choice of renewed airstrikes on Iranian infrastructure, energy and power installations.
“I pray you select a deal which is inside your grasp for the betterment of your individuals and for the betterment of the world,” Hegseth advised reporters. “Within the meantime, the struggle division is locked and loaded.”
‘The great method or the laborious method’
Hegseth framed Washington’s place in stark phrases, saying america would “favor to do it the good method, by means of a deal led by our nice vp and negotiating crew, or we are able to do it the laborious method.”
“If Iran chooses poorly, then they are going to have a blockade and bombs dropping on infrastructure, energy and power,” he mentioned, urging what he termed the “new regime” in Tehran to “select properly.”
The defence secretary additionally claimed that Iran’s Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was believed to have been woundedwithout elaborating on the premise of the evaluation. He mentioned US intelligence was monitoring Iranian navy actions, telling Tehran, “We’re watching you.”
BREAKING: Sec. Hegseth offers scathing message to Iran’s navy management:
“We’re watching you. Our capabilities are usually not the identical, our navy and yours. Keep in mind, this isn’t a good combat and we all know what navy belongings you might be transferring and the place you might be transferring them to.”… pic.twitter.com/VvXQwYKXRj
— Fox Information (@FoxNews) April 16, 2026
Pakistan mediation raises ceasefire hopes
Optimism grew on Thursday that the greater than six-week-old battle could also be nearing an finish, with a supply aware of the negotiations telling Reuters that Pakistan’s military chief Subject Marshal Asim Munir had made a breakthrough on “sticky points” throughout his go to to Tehran on Wednesday.
Munir’s journey adopted marathon talks in Islamabad final weekend that ended with out a deal. A senior Iranian official advised Reuters the mediation had raised hopes of a second spherical of negotiations and an extension of the two-week ceasefire, although “elementary variations stay” over Tehran’s nuclear program.
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Pakistan’s international ministry confirmed on Thursday that either side had been keen to renew talks, however no date has been set.
5 QUESTIONS · 3 OPTIONS EACH · ONE ATTEMPT PER QUESTION
Query 1 of 5
Who did Pakistan dispatch to Tehran on Wednesday to attempt to stop a renewal of the Iran–US battle?
Pakistan despatched Military Chief Subject Marshal Asim Munir to Tehran for talks with Iranian leaders. PM Shehbaz Sharif concurrently briefed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Pakistan’s mediation efforts, with the Kingdom praising Munir’s “constructive position” within the peace course of.
Query 2 of 5
The place does the White Home say the subsequent spherical of US–Iran talks would “very doubtless” happen?
White Home Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt mentioned the attainable subsequent spherical of talks would “very doubtless” be in Islamabad — as was the earlier spherical Pakistan hosted — although she careworn “nothing is official till you hear it from us right here on the White Home.”
Query 3 of 5
How lengthy did the US negotiating crew, led by VP JD Vance, demand Iran halt uranium enrichment as a part of a deal to finish the struggle?
The US proposed a 20-year uranium enrichment moratorium throughout the Islamabad talks. Iran rejected it and counter-offered 5 years — a proposal the White Home in flip rejected. The destiny of Iran’s extremely enriched uranium and the period of nuclear restrictions stay the core unresolved points.
Query 4 of 5
How did Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent describe the secondary sanctions the US is getting ready towards international locations doing enterprise with Iran?
Bessent mentioned the sanctions could be “the monetary equal of what we noticed within the kinetic actions,” days after Treasury despatched letters to banks in China, Hong Kong, the UAE and Oman threatening secondary sanctions for dealing with Iranian cash or oil.
Query 5 of 5
Israeli Science Minister Gila Gamliel mentioned two leaders would communicate immediately on Thursday for the primary time in additional than 30 years. Who?
Netanyahu was set to talk with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Thursday — the primary direct leader-level name between Israel and Lebanon in over three many years. The decision follows Tuesday’s first direct Israeli–Lebanese diplomatic talks in Washington, hosted by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Specific InfoGenIE · The Indian Specific
Nuclear programme stays key sticking level
The destiny of Iran’s nuclear programme remained unresolved. In response to individuals aware of the proposals cited by Reuters, Washington has provided a 20-year suspension of all Iranian nuclear exercise, an obvious climbdown from earlier calls for for a everlasting ban, whereas Tehran has countered with a halt of three to 5 years.
The US can also be urgent for extremely enriched uranium to be faraway from Iran, whereas Tehran has made the lifting of worldwide sanctions a core demand.
Blockade widened to incorporate ‘contraband’
On Thursday, the US expanded its naval blockade of Iran to cowl what it termed “contraband,” together with weapons, weapons techniques, ammunition, nuclear supplies, crude and refined oil merchandise, in addition to iron, metal and aluminium.
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Any vessel suspected of heading to Iranian territory would now be topic to “go to, board, search and seizure,” the US Navy mentioned in an advisory.
Common Caine mentioned the US navy had not boarded any ships as of Thursday morning, with 13 vessels having rotated.
Hegseth claimed the US Navy was successfully controlling visitors by means of the Strait of Hormuzasserting that “Iran doesn’t have a navy any extra.” He added that Washington would “welcome different international locations coming in to assist” with securing the strategic waterway, and mentioned China had assured america it might not switch weapons to Iran throughout the ceasefire.
Lebanon updates: Trump pronounces Netanyahu-Aoun name
The Lebanon theatre, the place Israel has been waging a parallel marketing campaign towards Iran-backed Hezbollah, would kind an integral part of any peace settlement, Pakistan mentioned.
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Israel’s cupboard met on Wednesday to debate a attainable ceasefire in Lebanon, a senior Israeli official mentioned. US President Donald Trump introduced on social media late Wednesday night time, Washington time, that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun would speakdescribing it as the primary such name in 34 years.
“It has been a very long time because the two leaders have spoken, like 34 years. It’ll occur tomorrow. Good!” Trump wrote.
Nonetheless, three Lebanese officers advised Reuters no Netanyahu-Aoun name was deliberate within the close to future, with two saying the US administration had been knowledgeable.
Preventing in southern Lebanon continued on Thursday. A senior Lebanese safety official mentioned an Israeli strike had severed the final bridge connecting southern Lebanon to the remainder of the nation. One individual was killed in an Israeli strike on a automobile travelling the highway to Syria, in response to Lebanon’s state information company. The Israeli navy didn’t instantly touch upon both incident.
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The struggle, which started with US-Israeli assaults on Iran on February 28 and triggered Iranian retaliation towards Gulf neighbours in addition to a renewed Israel-Hezbollah entrance, has killed 1000’s of individuals, largely in Iran and Lebanon.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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