Middle East crisis live: strait of Hormuz appears to remain closed amid conflicting US and Iran briefings | Iran

The United States must choose between continued war via Israel or a ceasefire, Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, has said in a post on social media.

The Iran–U.S. Ceasefire terms are clear and explicit: the U.S. must choose – ceasefire or continued war via Israel. It cannot have both.

The world sees the massacres in Lebanon. The ball is in the U.S. court, and the world is watching whether it will act on its commitments.

Araghchi’s post also included a screenshot of this post from Shehbaz Sharif, the Pakistani prime minister, announcing the ceasefire had been reached on Tuesday, in which he had said:

I am pleased to announce that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere including Lebanon and elsewhere, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.

The White House insisted today that Lebanon was not included in the ceasefire deal and that “has been relayed to all parties”, as Israel massively ramped up an intense wave of airstrikes across the country, killing at least 254 people on Wednesday.

But that is starkly different to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) earlier warning both the US and Israel that it would respond if Israel did not cease attacks on Lebanon.

We issue a firm warning to the United States, which violates treaties, and to its Zionist ally, its executioner: if the aggression against beloved Lebanon does not cease immediately, we will fulfill our duty and deliver a response.

Asked if Donald Trump is still considering withdrawing the US from Nato, Leavitt says:

It’s something the president has discussed, and I think its something the president will be discussing in a couple of hours with secretary general [Mark] Rutte.

And perhaps you’ll hear directly from the president following that meeting later this afternoon.

Leavitt shares a message from Donald Trump about Nato, saying the alliance was “tested and they failed”.

It’s quite sad that Nato turned [its] backs on the American people over the course of the last six weeks, when It’s the American people who have been funding their defence.

She adds that Trump will have a “frank and candid conversation” with Nato secretary-general, Mark Rutte, about this later today when they meet in Washington.

Leavitt repeats that Trump’s message was a “very, very strong threat” – but “not an empty threat” – that led to results, in that Iran “caved” and asked for a ceasefire.

Asked again about how the US could possibly claim the moral high ground after Trump’s threat, she replies:

The insinuation by anyone in this room, that Iran somehow has the moral high ground over the United States of America is insulting, considering the atrocities that they have, considering the atrocities that they have committed against our people and our military over the past five decades.

Leavitt says that Donald Trump has floated the idea of the US earns revenue from ships passing through the strait of Hormuz by charging tolls.

“It’s something that will be discussed over the next two weeks,” she adds.

Trump’s immediate priority is to open the strait “without any limitations”, she says.

Reopening the strait and Iran turning over its enriched uranium are “on the top of the priority list” for Trump’s negotiating team.

Asked if Tehran has given any indication it would hand over its uranium, she says: “They have.”

Leavitt is then asked about JD Vance’s and China’s role in the ceasefire.

The US vice-president’s role is “very significant”, she says, adding that he has been involved in all discussions and reiterates that he will be going to Islamabad for negotiations.

Trump has great respect for the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, and he looks forward to visiting China in a few weeks, she adds.

Asked how Donald Trump can claim the moral high ground after threatening to destroy the Iranian “civilisation”, Leavitt says that Iran has been chanting “death to America” for decades.

The president absolutely has the moral high ground … to suggest otherwise is frankly insulting.

Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire deal and “that has been relayed to all parties”, Leavitt says.

She refers to a statement from Benjamin Netanyahu last night in which the Israeli prime minister said he supports the “efforts” related to the ceasefire and says he will continue to be a key partner in the negotiations.

Asked if Lebanon could potentially join a ceasefire deal, she says:

Again, this will continue to be discussed … but at this point in time they are not included in the ceasefire deal.

Asked whether it was appropriate for Donald Trump to threaten to destroy a whole civilisation, Leavitt says:

I understand questions about the rhetoric but what he cares about is results. And his tough style is what led to this result that you’re all witnessing today.

Asked if the world should not take Trump’s words seriously, she says:

The world should take his words very seriously. And understand the president is always most interested in results.

US vice-president JD Vance will travel to Pakistan for peace talks this weekend, beginning on Saturday morning, accompanied by Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy, and Jared Kushner, his son-in-law, Leavitt says.

Reports that Iran has closed the strait of Hormuz again are “completely unacceptable” and show that what Iran says publicly and privately is different, Leavitt says.

She claims that there has actually been an “uptick in traffic” in the strait today and that Donald Trump expects it to be “reopened immediately”.

That is his expectation, it has been relayed to him privately … These reports publicly are false.

Leavitt says Trump’s red lines, namely the end of Iranian enrichment of uranium, have not changed.

A quick note to say that Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is also giving a statement to the media now, I’ll bring you the key lines from that after the White House press briefing wraps up.