Trump says Israel, Iran seeking 'immediate ceasefire as final peace talks proceed'

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has said that Israel and Iran are both seeking an immediate ceasefire as final negotiations over a potential peace agreement are underway.

"Both sides, Israel and Iran, are looking to do an immediate CEASEFIRE! Final negotiations on “Peace” are proceeding, subject to ignorance or stupidity getting in its way," he said in a post on Truth Social on Monday. He added that the blockade would remain in place and continue to be enforced "until a final deal is reached."

Pezeshkian says Iran still at negotiating table after attacks on Israel halted

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday said Tehran remained at the negotiating table after halting attacks on Israel following the first exchange of fire since the April truce.

"Diplomacy and defence are the two wings of national power; we have neither left the battlefield nor the negotiating table," Pezeshkian said in a post on X, adding that Tehran "will not retreat in the face of any threat".

Iran halts attacks on Israel but warns of escalation if Lebanon is targeted

Iran's military command on Monday announced it was halting its operation against Israel after the two sides exchanged fire for the first time since a truce took effect in April.

Iran had delivered a "painful response" to Israel and "accordingly, the cessation of armed forces operations is hereby announced", the Khatam al-Anbiya command said in a statement carried by state television.

"However, it is emphasised that should acts of aggression and hostility continue, including in southern Lebanon, much more severe and crushing measures than before will follow," it added.

They added that a continuation of "hostilities and wrongdoing—particularly in southern Lebanon—will be met with far harsher, more devastating actions than those previously taken."

In an earlier post on Monday, Trump had called on Israel and Iran to "stop shooting".

His post came after Israel and Iran exchanged strikes today and on Sunday, beginning when Israel bombed Beirut, capital of Lebanon.

Israel struck a petrochemical facility in Iran, while Iranian missiles triggered sirens across central and southern Israel.

'Shaky Zionist regime has few days left,' says Iranian supreme leader

Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said Monday that "the shaky Zionist regime has few days left," amid escalating tensions between Iran and Israel.

Iran launched several missile barrages toward northern Israel late Sunday following an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs.

Israel later launched strikes on western and central Iran, with explosions reported in several Iranian cities including Tehran, Isfahan, and Tabriz.

Israeli army expects ‘several days’ of fighting with Iran

The Israeli army expects the ongoing military confrontation with Iran will continue for “several days” amid an exchange of attacks between the two countries, Israeli media said on Monday.

“The assessment within the Israeli army is that the confrontation with Iran will continue for several days,” Army Radio said.

The outlet said the army started preparations for a broad call-up of reserve forces, without giving further details.

Meanwhile, Israel’s Home Front Command tightened restrictions on gatherings and movement across the country until Monday evening.

The public broadcaster KAN said new instructions allow gatherings of up to 200 people in open areas and 500 people indoors, provided people can reach a protected area within the required time.

The restrictions also include closing beaches to the public, while workplaces may continue operating if they have access to protected areas within the required time, the same source said.

Iran blames US for latest exchanges of fire with Israel

Overnight exchanges of fire between Iran and Israel will only worsen an already "chaotic diplomatic process" with the United States, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday, adding that Tehran was exchanging messages with Washington in an atmosphere of "extreme suspicion".

Baghaei said Israel's actions in Lebanon, whether carried out with U.S. knowledge and consent or not, were aimed at sabotaging diplomacy. He said Washington, as a party to the April 8 ceasefire, bore direct responsibility for any violations, including attacks attributed to Israel, and he added that the world should be concerned about a broader regional conflict.

"The United States bears direct responsibility for any action the Zionist regime (Israel) takes in relation to violating regional peace and security against Iran," Baghaei said.

He said the visit of Pakistan's interior minister to Tehran on Sunday was part of efforts to continue indirect exchanges with Washington.

Separately, Baghaei said Iran would respond to any resolution against it at this week's meeting of the UN nuclear watchdog's Board of Governors.

He accused International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi of disregarding the realities of the conflict and holding biased political views that harmed the agency's legitimacy.

Israel started 'dangerous game' by attacking civilian targets, oil industries: Iran

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Monday Israel started “a dangerous game” by carrying out attacks against civilian targets and oil industries.

In a statement carried by the state broadcaster IRIB, the IRGC said it launched a missile attack on Haifa in northern Israel a few minutes ago in retaliation for an Israeli attack on Iran's Mahshahr petrochemical firm earlier in the day.

It warned the consequences of the current wave of escalation on the global economy will be "the responsibility of the main arsonist in this field, America.”