Iran War

According to reports on Friday, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are headed to Pakistan. "The Iranians want to talk," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, adding that Vice President JD Vance was "on standby" to also travel to the region if help is needed in negotiating a deal between Iran and the United States. LiveNOW’s Austin Westfall is learning more about stability in the Middle East ahead of the peace talks with Ashley Webster from FOX Business. Webster is coming to us live from Tel Aviv. 

We are learning more after reports from Pentagon officials that say forces from the United States military boarded a previously sanctioned oil tanker this week. The Pentagon said in a social media post that U.S. forces boarded the M/T Tifani "without incident," adding that international waters are not "a refuge for sanctioned vessels." Early reporting indicates that the oil tanker was sanctioned for smuggling Iranian crude oil in Asia. LiveNOW’s Alexandra Goldberg is speaking with Dr. Ramesh Sepehrrad from the Organization of Iranian American Communities to learn more about what is happening across the Middle East. 

We are learning more after reports from Pentagon officials that say forces from the United States military boarded a previously sanctioned oil tanker this week. The Pentagon said in a social media post that U.S. forces boarded the M/T Tifani "without incident." Early reporting indicates that the oil tanker was sanctioned for smuggling Iranian crude oil in Asia. LiveNOW’s Austing Westfall is getting the latest local reactions to fluctuating gas prices with Amalia Roy who is in Arizona. LiveNOW is also speaking with national security analyst, Hal Kempfer, as Trump says Iran "had a choice," and that "they have to negotiate." 

We are now learning that Iran has rejected another round of peace talks with the United States. This comes just hours after President Donald Trump said the talks in Pakistan would be Iran's "last chance" to sign a deal. Trump made the comments to Fox News' Trey Yingst as the war against Iran continues to cause instability across the Middle East. LiveNOW's Andy Mac is speaking to Will Weissert of The Associated Press after President Trump says that the U.S. has forcibly seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship near the Strait of Hormuz after it attempted to breach the ongoing blockade. 

Retired Marine Corps intelligence officer and strategic risk assessment professional Hal Kempfer joins LiveNOW’s Austin Westfall to speak about the latest updates coming out of the Middle East. We learned this weekend that Iran has now re-closed the critical Strait of Hormuz in response to the blockade from the United States on Iranian ships and ports. This comes as, according to early reports, a 10-day ceasefire in Israel and Lebanon began at midnight Friday and appears to be holding. 

According to new reporting from Reuters, some officials in the United States have told their European counterparts that some previously contracted weapons deliveries are likely to be delayed. This comes as the Iran war reportedly draws on weapons stocks. LiveNOW’s Austin Westfall is speaking with Gram Slattery, a White House correspondent for Reuters, as President Donald Trump recently suggested a second round of direct peace talks could happen this weekend.