Maria Bartiromo: Is the Iran war over?

Trump: I think it’s close to over. Yeah. I mean I view it as very close to over.

Russia's Lavrov says Russia can “without a doubt, compensate” China’s resource shortfall from the Iran war.

JD Vance:

Stopping funding the Ukraine war is one of the things I’m proudest of we’ve done in this administration.

JD Vance on Epstein:

When Trump says this is a hoax, he’s not saying it’s a hoax that Epstein was a scumbag or connected to powerful people—he’s saying the Democratic idea that he was Epstein’s best friend is a hoax.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent:

A Chinese EV is a coal-powered vehicle.

JD Vance on Epstein:

If you look at the emails, it’s obvious that Jeffrey Epstein hated Donald J. Trump.

The fact that Jeffrey Epstein hates Donald J. Trump is a pretty good thing for Donald J. Trump.

JD Vance on Epstein:

What you see in those emails is that Jeffrey Epstein hated Donald Trump, and Donald Trump hated Jeffrey Epstein.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on climate change:

The natural habitat for the earth is actually water.

The climate does change. We are going through cycles.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent:

We are partnering with our Gulf allies. They are much more willing to share the bank accounts of members of the Iranian regime.

We are reaching out to banks, including Chinese banks.

Any Iranian goods purchases are forbidden.

We will press for secondary sanctions if there’s a problem.

Stephen Miller:

What you are watching now in Iran with the implementation of this blockade is the total resetting of the American power dynamic.

For the next 100 years.

Stephen Miller:

President Trump has put Iran in a box.

He has played the checkmate move.

No matter what path Iran chooses, America wins.

Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter on Lebanon talks:

We certainly don’t want the French anywhere near these negotiations.

We’d like to keep the French as far away as possible from pretty much everything.

They’re not needed. They’re not a positive influence.

NEW: Satellite images show Iran using heavy equipment to dig out missile launchers trapped in underground tunnels during the ceasefire.

Recent US intelligence estimates that roughly half of Iran’s missile launchers remain intact after a month of fighting.

Many were likely buried by US and Israeli strikes on tunnel entrances, and Iran now appears to be recovering them.

Source: CNN

BIG: Europe is quietly preparing a backup plan for NATO in case Trump pulls the U.S. out or reduces its support.

The idea is to make the alliance far more European-led—sometimes called a “European NATO”—so the continent can still defend itself.

Source: WSJ

King Charles III will visit the United States from April 27–30, where he’ll address Congress and meet privately with Trump.

Source: CNN

WATCH: Polish MP Konrad Berkowicz displayed a modified Israeli flag with the Star of David replaced by a swastika in parliament, saying, “Israel is the new Third Reich.”

The IAEA says North Korea is significantly increasing its ability to produce nuclear weapons.

Chief Rafael Grossi pointed to expanded activity at the Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center and signs of a new uranium enrichment facility.

Iran's Fars:

A sanctioned Iranian supertanker sailed openly (with its tracker on) through the Strait of Hormuz into Iran without interference.

Péter Magyar:

Yesterday, I spoke by phone with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of Türkiye. President Erdoğan congratulated me on the election victory and sent his best wishes to Hungary and the Hungarian people.

We agreed to continue cooperation between our countries in the areas of energy, security policy, trade, and culture.

President Erdoğan invited me to Ankara, and I invited him to Budapest to mark the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Revolution.

Israel's Shin Bet arrested an Israeli woman who photographed the oil refineries in Haifa for the Iranians and passed them information about a former member of the security establishment.

Source: N12

Pakistan secured $3 billion in new funding from Saudi Arabia to boost its foreign exchange reserves, with funds expected within a week.

The country will use this support to help offset a $3 billion loan repayment to United Arab Emirates after failing to extend the debt.

Source: Bloomberg