Iran peace talks in question as Trump pressures Israel for ceasefire

Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., said Tuesday that lawmakers should continue efforts to end U.S. involvement in the conflict with Iran despite the current ceasefire.

Appearing on Fox News’ “The Story,” Crow argued that ongoing violence and the continued deployment of American forces in the region mean the conflict remains active.

“We have semantic discussions here in the capital. The bottom line is we have 50-plus thousand service members deployed, we’re spending tens of billions of dollars, our service members have been killed, hundreds have been wounded, and conflict continues to pop up daily in the region,” Crow said.

Crow, a combat veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, compared the current debate to arguments over whether the wars in those countries should be considered active conflicts while U.S. troops remained under attack.

“It’s a conflict to me, and I’m going to do my job under the Constitution and try to wrap it up,” he said.

Explosions were reported Tuesday on Iran’s Qeshm Island, according to Iran’s Mehr News Agency, which cited local sources and residents.

The Times of Israel also reported the explosions, citing Iranian media reports. No official explanation for the blasts was immediately available.

Qeshm Island is located in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important shipping lanes and a focal point of recent tensions involving Iran.

The reports come as the United States continues enforcing a blockade of maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports and as negotiations between Washington and Tehran remain ongoing.

Iranian authorities had not publicly commented on the reported explosions, and it was not immediately clear whether the blasts were linked to military activity or another incident.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that the United States will closely scrutinize Iran’s World Cup delegation to ensure individuals with ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps are not included.

Speaking during a House hearing, Rubio said the Trump administration has no issue with Iran’s national soccer team or its support staff entering the country for the tournament.

“What we’re not going to allow is for them to embed in their delegation a bunch of people that we know have nothing to do with athletics and have ties to the IRGC or things of that nature, so we were going to watch that very closely,” Rubio said.

Iran will play matches in the United States during the World Cup but will be based in Mexico for the tournament.

Rubio’s comments came despite ongoing tensions between Washington and Tehran following the conflict that began earlier this year.

Iran Football Federation President Mehdi Taj dismissed concerns about the national team’s training camp in Tijuana, Mexico, arguing the facility is superior to the squad’s previous base in Tucson, Arizona.

“Much better, in fact,” Taj said when asked to compare the camp to the team’s former training site. “The Tucson camp has been given to Turkey.”

Taj also pushed back on concerns about crime in the Mexican border city after being told some people consider Tijuana one of the world’s most dangerous cities.

“Not at all, that is simply not true,” Taj said. “We spoke with the ambassador. Those are just statistics. Today, everywhere has crime. Everywhere has criminals. But everywhere also has good people.”

Taj added that local officials had assured the team that conditions in the city were safe.

“The governor told us the city is excellent,” he said.

The U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday announced sanctions against Nobitex, Iran’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, as part of the Trump administration’s “Economic Fury” campaign targeting Tehran.

According to a Treasury Department press release, officials accuse Nobitex of helping the Iranian regime evade sanctions, facilitate transactions linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and move money through the global financial system.

Treasury said Nobitex processed more than half of all Iranian cryptocurrency inflows in 2025 and played a role in helping Iranian entities access international digital asset markets.

Treasury also sanctioned Nobitex Chairman and co-founder Amir Hossein Rad, along with several other company officials. Three additional Iranian cryptocurrency exchanges — Wallex, Bitpin and Ramzinex — were also designated.

“While Iran’s economy is in free fall, the regime has chosen to co-opt digital asset technologies for its own corrupt agenda, including evading sanctions and transferring wealth out of the country,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in the press release.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday pushed back during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing after Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., accused the Trump administration of seeking to return to an agreement with Iran after withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal.

“We are the strongest nation on the planet Earth and we’re in a stalemate with Iran. And now we’re begging to get back into a deal that you all trashed in the first place,” Booker said during the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing.

Rubio rejected the characterization, arguing that Iran is negotiating from a position of weakness due to economic and military setbacks.

“There’s no begging,” Rubio responded.

“The Iranians were begging because their economy is losing hundreds of millions of dollars a day. They have hyperinflation, their currency is completely devalued, and they’re struggling to make payroll for their government workers. Iran is in a very serious situation.”

Rubio also argued that Iran’s military capabilities have been significantly degraded.

“I don’t know where you’re getting this perception that Iran is stronger. Iran has no navy left. They’ve lost a substantial percentage of their defense industrial base and a substantial percentage of their missile launchers, and their economy is far worse today than it was six to nine months ago.”

UNITED NATIONS: Romania’s foreign minister told Fox News Digital that Bucharest answered the Trump administration’s call for allied support in the Middle East by allowing the use of Romanian military bases for “defensive activities” related to tensions with Iran and efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

“We have allowed for access to defensive activities, such as air refueling, for example, because we do believe allies need to rely on each other,” Romania’s interim Foreign Affairs Minister Oana-Silvia Ţoiu said in an exclusive interview at the United Nations.

“We’re not part of the war, nor do we intend to become part of war, but we are part of an effort to ensure common defense, and we are a part of a diplomatic effort to ensure the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz,” she said.

Ţoiu’s comments come as President Donald Trump has repeatedly pressed European allies to increase defense spending and take a larger role in global security efforts, including maritime security in the Middle East.

Ţoiu acknowledged growing tensions between Washington and some European allies over support related to the conflict with Iran, but said both sides recognize the need for closer coordination.

“I’m pretty sure that both on the U.S. side and the European side, we do understand that we need to enhance our dialog in order to prevent moments when we create tension in the transatlantic partnership,” she told Fox News Digital. “And I do believe a better dialog ahead of time on all sides leads to better results, specifically on the request of help in terms of the conflict in the Middle East.”

This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News Digital’s Efrat Lachter.

U.S. Central Command said Tuesday that American forces have redirected 122 commercial vessels as part of the ongoing blockade against Iran.

CENTCOM disclosed the figure in a post on X Tuesday alongside images showing the USS Abraham Lincoln transiting the Arabian Sea. The command said the aircraft carrier continues to support U.S. operations in the region.

The update provides one of the clearest indicators yet of the scope of the maritime campaign, which has become a central component of the Trump administration’s pressure strategy against Tehran following the recent conflict.

Administration officials have repeatedly pointed to the blockade and restrictions on maritime traffic as key leverage in ongoing negotiations with Iran. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers Tuesday that Iran must take concrete steps to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and commit to negotiations over its nuclear program before broader sanctions relief can be considered.

President Donald Trump has also insisted that diplomatic talks with Iran remain active despite reports that Tehran was considering suspending negotiations. Trump said Tuesday that discussions between the two countries have continued in recent days and urged Iran to reach a deal.

The USS Abraham Lincoln remains one of the most visible symbols of the U.S. military presence in the region as Washington seeks to balance military pressure with a diplomatic push aimed at securing a long-term agreement with Tehran.

President Donald Trump denied reports that the U.S. and Iran are no longer engaged in peace talks on Tuesday.

Trump, writing on his Truth Social account, saying conversations with Iran continued through the weekend and into this week.

“Fake News Reports that the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the U.S.A., stopped speaking a few days ago are false and erroneous. The conversations between us have been going on continuously, including four days ago, three days ago, two days ago, one day ago, and today,” Trump wrote.

“Where they lead, one never knows, but as I told Iran, ‘It’s time, one way or another, for you to make a Deal. You’ve been doing this for 47 years, and it cannot be allowed to go on any longer!'” he added.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that the U.S. has not made an attempt to arm Iranian civilians in hopes to overthrow their government amid conflict in the Middle East.

Rubio made the statement during an exchange with Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearings.

Cruz asked Rubio directly about whether arming civilians had been considered.

“I’m not aware of any program to arm civilians in Iran to overthrow their government. I mean there may be other countries doing it or other elements, but certainly not the U.S. government,” Rubio responded.

Ret. Gen. Charles Wald joined Fox News on Tuesday to discuss Hezbollah’s role as an Iranian proxy amid peace talks.

Wald emphasized that Israel must defend itself and argued the U.S. should support its efforts. Iran has demanded that Israel halt its attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon as part of its ceasefire with the U.S.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered new details on the peace negotiations with Iran during his appearance before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday.

Rubio says that Iran would have to offer major concessions regarding its nuclear program in order to expect any sanctions relief from the U.S., including the physical removal of existing highly-enriched uranium.

“Everything that’s been discussed with them is that any sanctions relief, now, remember…There’s international sanctions, there’s congressional sanctions, there’s executive sanctions. So some we can release and some we cannot. But any sanctions relief is condition based, which means it has to be in return for the reason why those sanctions were put in place in the first place, which is their nuclear program,” Rubio said.

“So yeah, look, Iran is being sanctioned because they enrich uranium. Iran is being sanctioned because they have highly enriched uranium. Iran is being sanctioned because of their nuclear activities. If they agree to give up those things, there will be sanctions relief associated with their commitment and compliance,” he added.

Chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst provided new details on President Donald Trump’s efforts to de-escalate Middle East tensions and keep negotiations with Iran on track Tuesday.

Yingst says Trump had a heated phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, resulting in a drawdown of Israeli attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio says division and dysfunction within the Iranian regime are the reason behind the stop-and-go nature of the ongoing peace talks.

Rubio, speaking before the Senate Foreign Relations committee, told lawmakers that it often takes up to five days just to hear a response from the Iranian regime.

He said this is due in part to logistical reasons and communications difficulty within Iran, but also due to internal divisions.

The officials sent to represent Iran at the talks, such as Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, have to defer to authorities in Tehran before agreeing to any aspect of a deal.

“You ultimately are negotiating with people who then have to negotiate within their own system to see what they’re allowed to give and what they’re allowed to agree to,” Rubio said.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio laid out President Donald Trump’s strategy amid peace negotiations with Iran, saying the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is only a “prerequisite” for talks.

Rubio made the remarks during an appearance before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday, telling lawmakers that Iran must end its belligerence in the region.

“They have to announce, very clearly, the straits are now open, we’re not charging a toll, we’ll help remove the mines that they put in there, and they will not fire on ships,” Rubio said.

“In addition to the straits, that’s the predicate that opens the door to phase two. Phase two is they have to commit to very specific negotiations on highly enriched–the disposition of highly enriched uranium that still is buried deep in a mountain somewhere,” he continued, adding that Iran would have to agree to long-term limitations on its nuclear program.

Foundation for Defense of Democracies CEO Mark Dubowitz joined Fox News on Tuesday and analyzed President Donald Trump’s demands amid the Iran conflict and the current geopolitical climate.

Dubowitz said Trump holds an advantage in the talks thanks to Iran’s devastated economy, adding that Iran’s “economic extortion” in the Strait of Hormuz can’t continue.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., called on President Donald Trump to enforce consequences on Iran for supporting terrorist organizations on Tuesday.

Graham wrote in a post on X that any deal Trump makes with Tehran should include measures imposing heavy sanctions if the country “provides future support to terrorist organizations.”

Iran has long supported terrorist proxy groups throughout the Middle East, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Hamas in Gaza.

“In Trump 1, it was a clearly stated policy that Iran should not be allowed to continue to support terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah without consequences,” Graham wrote on X.

“I would urge Trump 2 to continue that policy. Any deal that does not punish Iran in the future for supporting groups like Hezbollah — whose stated goal is to destroy Israel and control Lebanon through force of arms — would be a tremendous missed opportunity. Iran is the weakest they’ve ever been since 1979, but they can still project power through Hezbollah and other proxies. Iran’s ability to generate future October 7-style attacks are not connected to their nuclear program, but rather their unending desire to disrupt the region and eventually destroy Israel through their proxies,” the senator continued.

“ANY DEAL WITH IRAN MUST CLEARLY STATE THAT IF IRAN PROVIDES FUTURE SUPPORT TO TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS LIKE HEZBOLLAH, IT WILL RESULT IN CRIPPLING SANCTIONS AND OTHER PUNITIVE MEASURES,” he added.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio launched his opening statement as he sat down before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday.

Rubio is expected to face stiff questioning from Democrats regarding all aspects of President Donald Trump’s foreign policy, from his bickering with NATO to his launching of a war in Iran.

Ranking committee member Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., criticized the State Department for ignoring various letters and questions from Senate Democrats in her opening statement. She also highlighted that Trump launched the war in Iran without congressional approval.

Former CENTCOM deputy commander Ret. Vice Admiral Robert Harward joined Fox News on Tuesday and assessed the likelihood of the U.S. and Iran reaching a peace deal.

Harward warned that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps is likely to spoil any effort to negotiate an acceptable agreement.

Bahrain’s government announced a ban on its citizens from traveling to Iraq and Iran on Tuesday.

The nation’s Interior Ministry warned that legal action would be pursued against any citizens who violate the directive.

Ministry officials cited the “ongoing tension in the current security situation” as backing for the order.

US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker joined Fox News on Tuesday to discuss the ongoing peace talks with Iran, stating that time and leverage favor the United States.

Whitaker emphasized that President Donald Trump’s goal is to arrive at a sustainable deal that will prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

While talks have been slow to show progress, Whitaker argued Iran has no choice but to make a deal given the severe damage the country has suffered in recent weeks.

President Donald Trump reportedly “steamrolled” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a heated call Monday over Israel’s military operations in Lebanon.

According to Axios, citing officials, Trump expressed frustration over Israel’s actions against Hezbollah, saying the increased pressure could complicate negotiations with Iran.

Summarizing Trump’s remarks to Netanyahu, a U.S. official reportedly said the president said: “You’re f—ing crazy. You’d be in prison if it weren’t for me. I’m saving your a–. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this.”

A second source said Trump was “pissed” and at one point yelled at Netanyahu: “What the f— are you doing?” Another source told the outlet Trump had “steamrolled” Netanyahu during the call.

The call between the two leaders came after Iran threatened to end negotiations with the U.S. over Israel’s actions in Lebanon.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.

Fox News senior strategic analyst Ret. Gen. Jack Keane joined Fox News’ “Hannity” to discuss Iran’s strategy to delay nuclear deal negotiations.

Keane argued that the regime in Tehran is dragging their feet to reach the U.S. midterm elections, which may force President Donald Trump’s administration to accept a less favorable deal.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will appear before Congress on Tuesday for the first time since the Iran war began.

The former Republican senator will sit before House and Senate committees on both Tuesday and Wednesday to make the State Department’s annual budget request. Democrats are expected to grill Rubio on the war, particularly President Donald Trump’s lack of congressional approval for the conflict.

Rubio will appear before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and House Appropriations subcommittee on Tuesday. He will be back at the Capitol on Wednesday to appear before the House Foreign Affairs Committee and equivalent Senate Appropriations subcommittee.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump said Monday that he persuaded Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to call off striking Beirut, saying the Israeli leader “turned his troops around” after their conversation.

“I had a conversation with Bibi Netanyahu today, asking him not to conduct a major raid on Beirut, Lebanon,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

“He turned his troops around. Thank you, Bibi!” he added.

“I also had a conversation with representatives of the leaders of Hezbollah, and they agreed to stop shooting at Israel and its soldiers,” Trump added before stating that “Israel agreed to stop shooting at them. Let’s see how long that lasts. Hopefully, it will be for eternity!” he said.

Trump’s remarks came after Netanyahu said Israel would hit “terror targets” in Beirut if Hezbollah did not stop attacking Israel.

He also shared a post on X stating that the Israeli military would continue operations in southern Lebanon.