TOP STORIES
Iran Offers U.S. Deal to Reopen Strait but Postpone Nuclear Talks | Axios
“Iran gave the U.S. a new proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the war, with nuclear negotiations postponed for a later stage, according to a U.S. official and two sources with knowledge. . . . The diplomacy is in a stalemate, and the Iranian leadership is divided about what nuclear concessions should be on the table. . . . But lifting the blockade and ending the war would remove President Trump’s leverage in any future talks to remove Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium and convince Tehran to suspend enrichment—two primary war objectives for Trump.”
Iran’s Leadership Divisions Frustrate Efforts to Make Progress in Talks | Wall Street Journal
“Tensions between Iranian leaders over talks with the U.S. spilled into the open this week, highlighting how difficult it will be for President Trump to secure the diplomatic win he wants to end the war. The disagreements were apparent in the first round of talks earlier in April. Mediators said Iran became vague when pressed by the U.S. for specifics on issues it had said it was willing to discuss, people familiar with the matter said. It’s now becoming clearer that there are deep divisions within the country’s leadership over how far to go to strike a deal with the Americans . . .”
Trump Cancels Envoys’ Trip to Pakistan for Iran Talks | Axios
“President Trump canceled the trip by his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Islamabad due to the Iranian position in peace negotiations . . . ‘I see no point of sending them on an 18-hour flight in the current situation [of the negotiations]. It’s too long. We can do it just as well by telephone. The Iranians can call us if they want. We are not gonna travel just to sit there,’ the president told Axios on Saturday. Asked whether it means he is going to resume the war, Trump said: ‘No. It doesn't mean that. We haven’t thought about it yet. . . . We have all the cards. We are not going to go there to sit around talking about nothing.’ . . . He also said a counteroffer Araghchi gave the Pakistanis on Saturday wasn’t good enough.”
UANI IN THE NEWS
The Lawless Floating Gas Station Where Iranian Oil Changes Hands | CNN
“At least 679 ship-to-ship transfers took place in the EOPL [Eastern Outer Port Limits] in 2025, up from 471 in 2024 and 280 in 2023, according to satellite data compiled by nonprofit United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI). . . . UANI tracked at least 250 ship-to-ship transfers in the EOPL anchorage between January and April 21 of this year. Iran’s use of this area has allowed it to maintain a steady flow of exports throughout the war, bankrolling the regime even as the world contends with a severe oil shortage. ‘It’s essential to Iran’s business model,’ said Charlie Brown, senior adviser to UANI, focusing on Iran’s shadow fleet.”
US Sanctions China-Based Oil Refinery and 40 Shippers over Iran Oil | Associated Press
“The advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran said in February 2025 that Hengli is one of dozens of Chinese buyers of Iranian oil.”
So You Want to Negotiate with Iran . . . | Nahal Toosi in Politico
“The details [of negotiations with Iran] are incredibly important,” said [UANI Senior Advisor] Michael Singh, a former George W. Bush administration official who dealt with the Middle East. “Each new administration has to learn those details the hard way. The Iranians on other hand are often the same or similar teams who have negotiated these terms with multiple American administrations. You may receive what you think is a concession by the Iranians, but when you delve into it, it’s a concession from you to Iran.”
US Seizes Oil Tankers in Central Hub for World Smuggling | Realtid (Translated from Swedish)
“Satellite images show hundreds of ships occasionally anchoring in the area. According to data from the organization United Against Nuclear Iran, at least 679 ship-to-ship transfers were conducted in the EOPL in 2025, compared to 280 the year before.”
US Sanctions Chinese Refinery, 40 Other Shippers for Transporting Iranian Oil | India TV
“Hengli has been processing Iranian oil since 2023, which has helped it generate millions of dollars in revenue. The firm also remains one of the dozens of Chinese purchasers of Iranian oil, the advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran had said in February last year.”
Middle East Shipping ‘Paralyzed’ by Dueling U.S., Iranian Blockades, Analysts Say | USNI News
“Unlike MV Touska, which the U.S. disabled and seized on Sunday as it attempted to run the blockade, Tifani appeared to leave the Persian Gulf ahead of the blockade, Charlie Brown, senior advisor at United Against Nuclear Iran, told USNI News. Tifani, which has gone by other names including Anahi, is sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury for its ties to Ensa Ship Management Private Ltd. The ship is a well-known sanctioned vessel that ferries oil between Iran and China, Brown said. ‘Now the U.S. is physically stopping them,’ Brown said. ‘And that’s significant.’”
MILITARY MATTERS
Iran Caused More Extensive Damage to U.S. Military Bases than Publicly Known | NBC News
“American military bases and other equipment in the Persian Gulf region suffered extensive damage from Iranian strikes that is far worse than publicly acknowledged and is expected to cost billions of dollars to repair, according to three U.S. officials, two congressional aides and another person familiar with the damage.”
Israel Sent “Iron Dome” System and Troops to UAE During Iran War | Axios
“Israel sent the United Arab Emirates an Iron Dome air defense system with troops to operate it early in the war with Iran, two Israeli officials and one U.S. official tell Axios.”
Ghalibaf Says Iran Holds Key ‘Cards’ in Another Cryptic Message | Iran International
“Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf suggested Tehran still holds significant leverage in its standoff with the United States, saying the country retains key ‘energy and shipping cards’ in a cryptic social media post. Ghalibaf wrote on X that Iran’s ‘supply cards’ match Washington’s ‘demand cards,’ listing the Strait of Hormuz, Bab el-Mandeb and pipelines as potential sources of pressure, against what he described as US strategic reserve releases, demand destruction and further price adjustments.”
DIPLOMACY
Top Iranian Official in Russia for Talks With Putin on Middle East War | New York Times
“Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, arrived in Russia on Monday for talks with President Vladimir V. Putin on Iran’s war with the United States, as negotiations between Tehran and Washington to end the conflict appear to have stalled.”
TERRORISM & INTEL
“Counter terrorism cops have warned against people getting drawn into recruitment attempts following a spate of arson attacks on Jewish premises, saying: ‘You’re going to prison if you do that.’ The Prime Minister on Thursday said he was ‘increasingly concerned’ about countries using proxies for criminal activity in the UK as he visited a London synagogue which had been targeted. Just hours into our investigation, our LBC reporter was se[n]t a task to complete on the streets of London, seen by experts to have been the first in a ‘potentially dangerous relationship’ being sought. While speaking to a user on Telegram, who claimed to be linked to Iran’s Intelligence Service, the account told us to ‘print out a photo of Trump and Netanyahu, set it on fire in one of London’s famous streets, and send a video of it.’ They added in a separate message: ‘This is the first step in building trust, and I will pay for it.’ When asked what would happen afterwards, the user said: ‘After you send me the video, I will make the payment and title the second job.’”
UK Releases Man Jailed for Spying on Iran International in 2023 Terror Plot | Iran International
“A man jailed in the UK for conducting surveillance on Iran International has been released early and deported to Austria, despite being sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for gathering intelligence that could have aided a terrorist attack. Magomed-Husejn Dovtaev, a 33-year-old Austrian national of Chechen origin, was freed last week after serving around 28 months of his sentence and returned to Austria, where authorities have indicated they will take no further action.”
PROTESTS & HUMAN RIGHTS
Iran Executes Another Protester | Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty
“Erfan Kiani, who was reportedly arrested during the nationwide anti-government protests in January in the central city of Isfahan, was executed on April 25, according to Mizan, the news agency affiliated with Iran's judiciary. Mizan reported that the protester, whose age was not reported, was executed after the Supreme Court upheld the verdict. Authorities accused Kiani of leading a group that attempted to destroy public property at the city's Piroozi intersection on the evening of January 8.”
Iran Rights Group Says 3 Teenage Protesters Could Face Execution | Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty
“The Committee to Follow Up on the Status of Detainees, an advocacy group that monitors arrests in Iran, says the Supreme Court has upheld the death sentences of three young protesters: Ehsan Hosseinipour Hesarloo, Matin Mohammadi, and Erfan Amiri. According to the group, the sentences have been confirmed, raising fears they could face imminent execution. The three were reportedly 17 and 18 years old at the time of their arrests during the nationwide protests in January. . . . The detainee-monitoring committee said Hesarloo was arrested on January 8 and later told them he had been subjected to severe pressure and torture in detention. The group also cited informed sources claiming that confessions used in the case were obtained under threats and coercion, and that the defendants were denied a meaningful chance to defend themselves.”
Iran Internet Blackout Hits 8 Weeks, Netblocks Says | Iran International
“Iran’s nationwide internet blackout has reached eight weeks since it was imposed on Feb. 28, entering its 57th day, internet monitor NetBlocks said.”
SANCTIONS, BUSINESS RISKS & OTHER ECONOMIC NEWS
U.S. Unveils More Sanctions Targeting Iran’s Shadow Fleet | New York Times
“The United States rolled out a blitz of sanctions on Friday, targeting 40 shipping firms and vessels that it identified as being part of Iran’s so-called shadow fleet of oil tankers, as the Trump administration broadened its efforts to cripple the Iranian economy. The Trump administration also imposed sanctions on an independent Chinese refinery, Hengli Petrochemical Refinery, which is one of Iran’s largest customers for crude oil and other petroleum products.”
US Freezes $344 Million in Cryptocurrency Said to Be Linked to Iran | CNN
“The Trump administration has frozen $344 million in cryptocurrency it says was linked to Iran as the United States ratchets up pressure on Tehran.”
IRANIAN INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS
Iran Negotiating Team Head Ghalibaf Quits | Iran International
“Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, head of Iran’s negotiating team with the United States, has stepped down amid internal disagreements, sources familiar with the matter told Iran International. Ghalibaf was reprimanded for attempting to include the nuclear issue in talks with Washington and was forced to resign, according to the sources. A possible shake-up has been floated, with hardline politician Saeed Jalili potentially replacing Ghalibaf as head of the negotiating team. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is also seeking to take over the negotiations, sources said.”
CONGRESS & IRAN
Senate Armed Services Chair: Trump Should Resume Strikes on Iran | Politico
“The head of the Senate Armed Services Committee on Friday insisted President Donald Trump end the ceasefire against Iran and resume bombing the country, potentially inflaming a tense situation while the administration works towards a peace deal. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), frustrated with the negotiations between Tehran and Washington, said the president should not trust Iran’s leaders to honor any agreement.”
EUROPE & IRAN
We Will Move to Ban IRGC Next Session of Parliament, Says Starmer | Jewish Chronicle
“[UK] Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said legislation to proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) would be brought forward and introduced in the next session of parliament, which begins in a few weeks. Starmer was speaking during a solidarity trip to Kenton United Synagogue on Thursday following the firebombing of the shul last Saturday night, widely suspected to have been carried out by a group linked to the Iranian military outfit.”
MISCELLANEOUS
Iranian National Charged in US over Migrant Smuggling Scheme | Iran International
“US federal indictment has charged an Iranian national with coordinating a large-scale migrant smuggling operation into the United States, the Justice Department said on Friday. Jafar Tafakori, 57, was arrested in Colombia at the request of US authorities and is accused of arranging the movement of mainly Iranian nationals through South and Central America and Mexico to the US border.”