White House says talks with Iran ‘productive and ongoing’.. Video

Leavitt is next asked about the Iran ceasefire, and says that reports the US has asked to formally extend it are « not true ».

Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, has landed in Iran as part of a delegation to hold high-level talks on the resumption of talks between Iran and the US.

Iran’s army has warned it will block trade through the Red Sea along with the Gulf and Sea of Oman if the US naval blockade on Iranian ports continues.

The US military says it has “completely halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea” as its blockade in the Strait of Hormuz continues for a second day.

US President Donald Trump says the war is “close to over” after hinting at a second round of face-to-face talks with Iran in Pakistan in the coming days.

« We remain very much engaged in these talks, » she says, and conversations are « productive and ongoing ».

On reports that there are in-person talks being planned, she says « those discussions are being had but nothing is official until you here it from us here at the White House ».

« We feel good about the prospects of a deal », Leavitt says, adding that it’s « in the best interests of Iran » to meet Trump’s demands – which she says he’s made « very clear ».

If talks happen, they would « very likely » be in the same place they were last time – Islamabad – she says.

Five Israeli soldiers wounded in south Lebanon

The army says on X that one soldier was “seriously wounded” and four others were lightly wounded “as a result of rocket fire in southern Lebanon”.

The army did not provide further details, but Israeli Army Radio is reporting that they were wounded in Bint Jbeil, where fighting is currently raging between Hezbollah and the Israeli army.

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