US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, stated on Tuesday that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open "one way or another" and that negotiations with Iran are ongoing, although resolving discrepancies in the initial draft will take "a few days."
"It's going to take a couple of days to reach an agreement even on disagreements about a word or a phrase. So we'll have to work on that. But it's either going to be a good deal or there won't be one," Rubio told reporters in the Indian city of Jaipur.
After weeks of stalemate and threats, Washington and Tehran had reported progress in talks to end these hostilities that have disrupted the global economy and left thousands dead.
Additionally, Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Jamenei, stated on Tuesday that the United States is losing power in the Middle East and predicted that Israel is nearing its end, in a message issued on the occasion of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.
"The United States will not only have no safe haven for its misdeeds and for establishing military bases in the region, but day by day, it is moving further away from its former position," Mojtaba stated in a message posted on social media.
Iran says it shot down a US drone and fired at an F-35 for violating its airspace
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced on Tuesday that its forces shot down a US MQ-9 drone and fired at an F-35 fighter jet and another drone after they violated Iranian airspace, following reports of attacks on positions in southern Iran by Washington.
"The air defense units of the Revolutionary Guard, in defense of our country's airspace and after precise intelligence monitoring, identified and shot down an MQ-9 drone," the elite Iranian military unit's public relations department said in a statement carried by the Tasnim news agency.
According to the document, in addition to the MQ-9 drone, an RQ-4 drone and the F-35 fighter jet violated Iranian airspace in the Persian Gulf region and fled after Guard forces fired at them.
Russia plans to build 500 cargo ships and tankers in 10 years
Russia plans to build 500 cargo ships and tankers in 10 years to replace its aging fleet, ships over 40 years old, as reported by the Kommersant newspaper on Tuesday.
The maximum age for the new ships will be set at 50 years, while the currently aging ones will be decommissioned before 2030.
Initially, the operation was planned to be financed with the budgets allocated for the 2026-2030 period at a cost of 290,000 million rubles ($4.039 billion), but it will ultimately be carried out by increasing fees for ship inspection and port tariffs per ton of cargo transported.
In the context of evading international sanctions for the import of certain products, maritime transport is key for Russia. Also for the export of crude oil, whose profit, due to the rise in prices due to the war in Iran, is easing state budgets, which the Russian Finance Ministry has warned about.
Iran's Supreme Leader says the US has lost weight in the Middle East and predicts the end of Israel
Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Jamenei, stated on Tuesday that the United States is losing power in the Middle East and predicted that Israel is nearing its end, in a message issued on the occasion of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.
"The United States will not only have no safe haven for its misdeeds and for establishing military bases in the region, but day by day, it is moving further away from its former position," Mojtaba stated in a message posted on social media.
Mojtaba Jamenei has not been seen in public or in images since he was appointed as the Supreme Leader on March 8, replacing his father Ali Jamenei, who was assassinated on the first day of the war.
The religious leader considered that after the war with Iran that began on February 28, "the clock hands will not turn back, and the nations and territories of the region will no longer serve as a shield for US bases."
China calls for respecting the ceasefire after new US attacks in Iran
China called on Tuesday for respecting ceasefire commitments and maintaining the path of dialogue after the new attacks launched by the United States against Iranian targets, amid ongoing negotiations to try to close a deal between Washington and Tehran.
At a press conference, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning urged the parties involved to "fulfill ceasefire commitments," resolve disputes through peaceful means, and continue seeking a solution through dialogue and negotiation that takes into account the "reasonable concerns" of all parties.
The spokesperson added that China will continue to promote the ceasefire, de-escalation, and peace in the Middle East, and reiterated the country's willingness to play a "constructive" role in a political and diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear issue.
Israeli attack on a village in eastern Lebanon kills 12 people
An Israeli airstrike on a village in eastern Lebanon killed 12 people, the state-run National News Agency reported on Tuesday.
The attack took place late on Monday in the Bekaa Valley area of Lebanon, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that he had authorized more intense attacks targeting the political and military group Hezbollah across the country. The Israeli military did not comment on this particular attack, but stated on Monday that it was targeting Hezbollah infrastructure in eastern Lebanon.
Rescue teams said that a dozen bodies had been recovered from the rubble after an intense wave of overnight attacks that targeted extensive areas in southern and eastern Lebanon.
Qatar denies offering Iran $12 billion to make a deal with the US
The spokesperson for Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Majed al Ansari, denied on Tuesday that the Arab country offered $12 billion to Iran to reach an agreement with the United States, while denouncing attempts to "sabotage" that potential deal and the ongoing diplomatic efforts.
"Reports suggesting that Qatar 'offered' $12 billion to Iran to secure a deal are simply not true and are being spread by parties trying to sabotage the agreement and undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts towards de-escalation and regional stability," Al Ansari said on his X account.
The spokesperson emphasized that Qatar plays a diplomatic role and coordinates with its regional partners, a role that is "well established and publicly documented," refuting reports that Doha would be trying to resolve the war initiated by the United States and Israel against Iran through other means.
Iran's president orders the restoration of global internet after nearly three months of blackout
Iranian President, Masud Pezeshkian, has ordered the restoration of access to the global internet in Iran after nearly three months of digital blackout since the start of the war with the United States and Israel on February 28.
Pezeshkian instructed the Ministry of Communications to restore internet access to its previous state, as reported by the ISNA agency on Monday night, stating that the presidential order could start to be implemented on Tuesday.
The decision comes after the Special Committee for Cyber Space Management approved, in its fourth meeting, the restoration of international internet with nine votes in favor and three against.
Quad Foreign Ministers meet in New Delhi to discuss cooperation in the Indo-Pacific
The Foreign Ministers of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, also known as the Quad, met in New Delhi on Tuesday to discuss how to strengthen their cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and their common concerns about the growing influence of China in the region.