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Ceasefire discussions have stopped, as Trump is trying to make a deal with Tehran. Vance says things are ‘getting better’.
BY Mahnoor | 14-05-2026
WASHINGTON/TEHRAN:
Iran has increased its control over the Strait of Hormuz. This waterway used to handle 20% of the world’s oil. Now, Iran says it will block US weapons from passing through to bases in the area.
Iranian leaders seem to view controlling the Strait as a key long-term goal. An army spokesperson claimed that managing the waterway could create revenue that is double Iran’s oil earnings, and also boost its influence in foreign affairs.
A spokesperson said, as reported by ISNA news, “There will be nowhere to retreat to after this war.”
Iran announced that US weapons can’t pass through the Strait of Hormuz to bases in the region anymore. The army stated they now control the waterway with their armed forces, according to state media.
An army spokesperson, Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia, announced at a ceremony that American weapons will no longer be allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz to reach bases in the area. He stated that any country wanting to use the waterway must do so under the watch of Iran’s military to guarantee safe passage.
Akraminia says the IRGC Navy controls the strait’s western side, while the Iranian Navy controls the eastern side.
Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref says that Iran’s right to the Strait of Hormuz is clear and no longer up for discussion, according to Al Jazeera.
Iran’s ISNA news agency says he stated that Iran’s plans were designed to deal with the sanctions and pressures from our enemies, but now we need to focus on the safety and welfare of our country and the area.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, wants Kuwait to free four Iranians. Kuwait thinks they were trying to sneak into the country.
An Iranian official, Araghchi, said on X Wednesday that Kuwait unlawfully attacked an Iranian boat and detained four Iranian citizens in the Persian Gulf, in an attempt to create conflict. He added that this illegal act happened near an island used by the U.S. to attack Iran.
“We want our people freed now and can retaliate,” the minister said, not talking about the claim of an attempted sneak-in.
On Tuesday, Kuwaiti state media said that officials arrested four people believed to be members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). They were trying to enter the country to carry out harmful activities.
Kuwaiti media said Iranians tried to enter Kuwait on a fishing boat on May 1 and fought with Kuwaiti soldiers. Iran denied this, stating in Tasnim News Agency that the four Iranians were doing regular coast guard patrols and only entered Kuwaiti waters because their navigation system failed.
If true, this would be the first time Iran has tried to send soldiers into a nearby Arab country during the war.
The person who is second-in-command in the United States government.
On Wednesday, Vice President JD Vance said that US negotiators are still making progress in peace talks with Iran, even though they have received some disappointing replies from Tehran lately.
“I talked to Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff, and some of our Arab friends on the phone today,” Vance told reporters. He was talking about the administration’s main people dealing with Iran. “I think we’re getting somewhere. The big question is: Can we make enough progress to satisfy what the president wants?”
Vance stated the administration is still very focused on making sure Iran never gets a nuclear weapon, and sees that as the most important measure for any agreement.
He stated the key requirement plainly: The president must be sure we’ve set up enough safeguards to guarantee Iran will never get a nuclear weapon.
Talk of a US-Israeli war with Iran overshadowed US President Donald Trump’s China visit on Wednesday. It looked like the potential conflict was changing alliances in the Middle East.
Trump got to Beijing on Wednesday before his talks with President Xi Jinping on Thursday. He’ll probably ask China to help fix the expensive and disliked conflict he started in February, but experts think he won’t get the help he’s looking for.
Reports on Wednesday showed that the Iran war is speeding up changes in the region’s political landscape.
Even after a fragile truce started over a month ago, the US and Iran still disagree greatly on how to end the war.
Washington wants Tehran to end its nuclear plans and open the strait, but Iran wants money for war damage, the US to end its blockade, and fighting to stop everywhere, including Lebanon, where Israel is fighting Hezbollah, who is supported by Iran. Trump thinks these demands are nonsense.
Vice President JD Vance said Wednesday that he thinks the negotiations are moving forward. Vance told reporters at the White House, “The main question is, are we making enough progress to meet the President’s requirements?” He added, “The requirement is simple. The President needs to be sure we’ve added enough safeguards to ensure Iran never gets a nuclear weapon.”
The conflict is really hurting global energy. Because of the Iran war, the world will get about 3.9 million fewer barrels of oil each day in 2026, said the International Energy Agency on Wednesday. Demand will be higher than supply, and over 1 billion barrels of oil supply from the Middle East are already gone.
The Trump administration stated on Tuesday that high-ranking US and Chinese officials agreed last month that no country should put fees on ships passing through the area. This was to show they agreed on this topic before their meeting. China, a big buyer of Iranian oil and a close friend of Iran, didn’t argue with this statement.
On Wednesday, a Chinese supertanker with 2 million barrels of Iraqi oil went through the Strait of Hormuz, according to tracking data. This is the third time a Chinese oil tanker has gone through there since the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28.
