Iran War

We are learning more this Monday as President Donald Trump announced that the United States is working to reinstate the blockade on the Strait of Hormuz. In his social media post, President Trump said that "Hormuz Strait is OPEN, and will remain OPEN." LiveNOW’s Austin Westfall is speaking with national security analyst Hal Kempfer as experts begin to wonder whether or not progress is being made on a peace deal between Iran and the United States. 

We are learning more this weekend as U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) says that they have completed additional strikes against Iran in response to Tehran's latest attack on a commercial vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz. “U.S. forces hit approximately 140 Iranian military targets,” CENTCOM said in a statement this weekend. LiveNOW’s Austin Westfall is speaking with professor of political science Dr. Alon Burstein as U.S. forces reportedly targeted Iranian missile and drone sites in addition to communications networks and coastal surveillance positions. 

We are learning more as US Central Command (CENTCOM) announces that American forces have carried out additional strikes against Iran in the early morning hours of Monday. In a statement on social media, CENTCOM said the strikes were intended to degrade Iran’s “ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the Strait of Hormuz.” 

At least 108 ships passed through the strait over the weekend, according to data firm Kpler.

Funeral services for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei continued Sunday as the United States presses ahead with negotiations aimed at fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz.The U.S. Navy described traffic along the vital waterway as steady but below prewar levels. The threat level, however, remained "substantial" as crews worked to clear mines and survey the strait. 

LiveNOW’s Anna Marsick is speaking with James “Jim” S. Gilmore III, a former U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) as President Donald Trump prepares to travel to Turkey for a NATO summit this week. President Trump has continued to push NATO allies to spend more on defense. However, heading into this week’s summit, the president’s top concern appears to have shifted. "We don’t need their money — we don’t need anything. I just want loyalty," Trump said during a visit last month by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. 

Peace talks between Washington and Tehran appear to be on hold while Iranians mourn Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed by U.S. forces in the opening moments of the conflict. Even as the six-day ceremony continued, Iran's top negotiator warned France and the U.K. over comments about the two nations potentially launching joint patrols in the Strait of Hormuz. 

Months after the killing of Iran's supreme leader, a days-long funeral and burial is set to begin on Saturday for the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

A warning has been issued to the United States and Israel ahead of the funeral for Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Peace negotiations between the United States and Iran continued Wednesday in Qatar, although the two sides did not meet with each other. Pakistani and Qatari mediators met with delegations from both nations.

Two U.S. envoys are in the Middle East on Wednesday to continue peace negotiations to end the Iran war.

The United States and Iran are both sending representatives to Qatar this week; however, whether they will meet with each other is still in dispute.