NEW: Türkiye, Egypt, and Pakistan have been relaying messages between the U.S. and Iran over the past two days to help de-escalate tensions.

Senior officials from the three countries held separate talks with Steve Witkoff and Abbas Araghchi.

The mediation is ongoing and reportedly making progress, focusing on ending the conflict and resolving outstanding issues.

Source: Axios

Pope Leo XIV condemned aerial warfare, saying bombings are indiscriminate and should be banned.

He warned, “No one should have to fear that threats of death and destruction might come from the sky.”

Referencing history, he added, “After the tragic experiences of the 20th century, aerial bombings should have been banned forever… this is not progress; it is regression.”

Source: Reuters

Trump:

I am a BIG proponent of ICE wearing masks as they search for, and are forced to deal with, hardened criminals, many of whom were let into our Country by Sleepy Joe Biden and his wonderful “Border Czar,” Kamala (she never even went to the Border!), through their absolutely INSANE Open Border Policy.

I would greatly appreciate, however, NO MASKS, when helping our Country out of the Democrat caused MESS at the airports, etc. Thank you!

Iran's State TV IRIB:

The Islamic Republic’s position on the Strait of Hormuz has not changed and will not change.

Iranian MP Bijan Nobaveh:

Because the United States realized that Iran had entered an existential conflict and would definitely act on its threats, it cowardly backed down.

Trump said that Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner took part in talks with Iran last night.

Trump on Iran:

Things are going very well.

Joe Kent:

Step 1 in deescalation must be restraining the Israelis...

Iranian Dr. Saeed Shamkadhri was killed with his family in an airstrike on his home in Tehran.

He specialized in control engineering, a dual-use field linked to missiles and drones.

Stock market manipulation.

Trump said US–Iran talks were “productive” → S&P 500 +$2T in minutes.

Iran denied any talks shortly after → market reversed −$1T.

Total swing: about $3 trillion in under an hour.

Source: KobeissiLetter (at X)

NEW: Iran’s Foreign Minister Araghchi says the United States and Israel are responsible for instability in the Strait of Hormuz and for attacking civilian areas.

He said Iran’s strikes on military targets are self-defense and criticized regional countries for allowing their territory to be used for attacks on Iran, in a call with Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

Trump on Iran:

We have major points of agreement and we both want to make a deal.

We will likely talk today, possibly by phone.

I hope to meet soon.

Trump on Iran:

We are dealing with a man who I believe is the most respected and the leader.

It is not the Supreme Leader; nobody has heard from him, and we don’t know if he is living.

Trump on Iran:

I dont want the leader of Iran to be killed; nobody wants that job right now.