Issued on: 28/04/2026 - 07:02Modified: 29/04/2026 - 04:07
US President Donald Trump is unhappy with the latest Iranian proposal on resolving the two-month war, a US official told Reuters, dampening hopes for a resolution of the conflict that has disrupted energy supplies, fueled inflation and killed thousands of people. The news came after the UAE said it intends to quit the oil cartel OPEC in favor of “accelerated investment in domestic energy production”. Follow our liveblog to see how the day's events unfolded.
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Trump directs aides to prepare extended blockade of Iran
US President Donald Trump has instructed aides to prepare for an extended blockade of Iran, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing U.S. officials.
In recent meetings, Trump opted to continue squeezing Iran's economy and oil exports by preventing shipping to and from its ports, the report said, adding that he believed that his other options, including resuming bombing or walking away from the conflict, carried more risk than maintaining the blockade.
Trump, with King Charles, says US has 'militarily defeated' Iran
US President Donald Trump told Britain's King Charles III and other guests at a state dinner Tuesday that Iran has been "militarily defeated," in his first public comments on the sensitive topic during the ongoing royal visit.
"We have militarily defeated that particular opponent," Trump said at the White House dinner, adding: "Charles agrees with me even more than I do – we're never going to let that opponent have a nuclear weapon."
Trump says King Charles agrees Iran must not get nuclear bomb
Iran federation absent from FIFA meeting amid visa concerns ahead of World Cup
Iran's soccer federation was absent from a meeting of soccer leaders in Vancouver on Tuesday, leaving the country's participation in the upcoming World Cup still in question.
That topic wasn't covered at the convening of Asia's top soccer leaders today with FIFA president Gianni Infantino presiding, and Iran's sports minister last week announced Iran's plans to be "proud" participants in this summer's World Cup hosted by the United States in North American venues. Yet the Iranian team and its officials still face visa complications, a fact underscored by their absence at Tuesday's meeting.
A report by The Athletic confirmed that Iran's Tuesday absence was due to visa issues, a problem that could prevent their presence at the overall FIFA Congress gathering this Thursday.
Ukraine accuses Israel of receiving grain allegedly stolen by Russia
Ukraine accused Israel on Tuesday of allowing the import of grain it says Russia stole from occupied areas, prompting a sharp exchange between officials.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a vessel carrying grain had arrived at an Israeli port and was preparing to unload, calling the trade illegal and warning of sanctions against those involved.
Israel claimed that the vessel had not entered the port and had not yet submitted its documents. The MarineTraffic.com marine tracking website showed the ship had been in Haifa for several days.
“In any normal country, purchasing stolen goods is an act that entails legal liability,” Zelenskyy wrote on X, adding that Ukraine’s intelligence services were preparing sanctions targeting companies and individuals profiting from the shipments.
“We will also coordinate with European partners to ensure that the relevant individuals are included in European sanctions regimes,” he said.
Reeves says UK must take targeted steps to shield economy from Israel–Iran conflict fallout
British finance minister Rachel Reeves said on Tuesday the government needs to make targeted interventions to shield the economy from the impact of the US-Israel war on Iran without a lasting effect on interest rates.
"The Chancellor was clear that the government needs to be responsive and responsible – learning the lessons of the previous government's response to the 2022 energy crisis," Downing Street said in a statement after a meeting of the Middle East Response Committee.
Can King Charles's state visit reinforce UK-US ties?
FRANCE 24's The Debate programme asks a panel of commentators and experts whether King Charles III and Queen Camilla's state visit to the US can strengthen transatlantic ties between the UK and the US.
Targeting civil defence personnel in southern Lebanon is a 'new war crime', Lebanon PM says
More to come ...
King Charles tells Congress that US-UK alliance 'cannot rest on past achievements'
Britain's King Charles told the US Congress on Tuesday that despite an age of uncertainty and conflict in Europe and the Middle East, the UK and the US will always be staunch allies.
"Whatever our differences, whatever disagreements we may have, we stand united in our commitment to uphold democracy, to protect all our people from harm, and to salute the courage of those who daily risk their lives in the service of our countries," Charles told US lawmakers in Washington.
King Charles refers to 'times of great uncertainty' in speech to US Congress
King Charles III acknowledged “times of great uncertainty” as he expressed gratitude to the American people and marked the 250th anniversary of independence from Britain in a speech to the US Congress that highlighted the bonds between the two countries at a time of political turmoil.
“For all that time,” Charles said, “our destinies have been interlinked". Charles is only the second British monarch to address a joint session of Congress. His mother, Queen Elizabeth II, delivered a similar speech in 1991 highlighting the historic ties between both countries and the importance of their democratic values.
Britain's King Charles III speaks to a joint meeting of Congress in the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in Washington, as Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson of La., listen. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Lebanon civil defence says Israeli strike kills three rescuers
Lebanon's civil defence said an Israeli strike on Tuesday killed three of its members taking part in a rescue operation in the south of the country.
It said the rescuers were killed in the town of Majdal Zoun after getting "trapped under rubble" following a strike on a building. Lebanon's health ministry added that two other people also died.
Trump's popularity tumbles as cost of living, US-Iran war bites
President Trump's approval rating fell to the lowest level of his current term, as Americans increasingly soured on his handling of the cost of living and an unpopular war with Iran, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.
The four-day poll completed on Monday showed 34% of Americans approve of Trump's performance in the White House, down from 36% in a prior Reuters/Ipsos survey, which was conducted from April 15 to 20.
Trump's standing with the US public has trended lower since taking office in January 2025, when 47% of Americans gave him a thumbs-up.
Only 22% of poll respondents approved of Trump's performance on the cost of living, down from 25% in the prior Reuters/Ipsos poll.
Israeli strike on Lebanese troops, rescuers wounds two soldiers, Lebanon says
An Israeli strike on Lebanese troops and rescuers during a rescue operation in the village of Majdal Zoun in southern Lebanon wounded two Lebanese soldiers, the Lebanese army said on Tuesday.
US Marines board commercial vessel in Arabian Sea, military says
US Marines boarded a commercial vessel in the Arabian Sea on Tuesday, US Central Command said in a post on X, adding that it later released the vessel known as M/V Blue Star III after confirming it would not stop at an Iranian port.
Israeli army says finds 2 km Hezbollah tunnel in south Lebanon
The Israeli military said on Tuesday it had discovered a large Hezbollah tunnel network used by elite fighters in south Lebanon, near Israel's northern border.
Troops found "two Hezbollah terror tunnels, constructed over approximately a decade" that stretched two kilometres (more than one mile) with shafts "connecting to positions with launchers directed toward Israeli territory", an army statement said.
Italy's Meloni says priority to control rising prices amid Iran war
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Tuesday said her current priority was to restrain inflationary pressures on prices, especially energy, given the impact from the US-Israeli war against Iran.
"In the current context of international crisis we're facing, the issue of keeping prices and energy under control, of preventing an inflationary impact that clearly crushes GDP growth, has to be considered a step forward," Meloni said during a press conference.
Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (L) arrives for a family photo after a working session of the European Council and regional partners as part of an informal meeting in Nicosia on April 24, 2026. (AFP/ NICOLAS TUCAT)
Soaring jet fuel prices force budget airlines to cut flights
Transavia, the low-cost airline of the Air France-KLM group, will cancel some of its flights in May and June as a result of rising jet fuel prices. Here's FRANCE 24's report.
'Iranians believe they have the upper hand', Ali Vaez tells FRANCE 24
FRANCE 24 spoke to Ali Vaez, Director of Iran Project & Senior Advisor at the International Crisis Group, about the evolving strategic landscape between Iran and the US in the aftermath of the military and economic war.
UK summons Iranian ambassador over embassy's 'unacceptable' remarks on social media
Britain said on Tuesday the Iranian ambassador to the UK had been summoned in response to what the government described as the Iranian embassy's "unacceptable and inflammatory" comments on social media.
Britain's minister for the Middle East, Hamish Falconer, made clear that the embassy "must cease any form of communications that could be interpreted as encouraging violence in the UK or internationally", the foreign office statement said.
Yesterday's key developments:
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)
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