{"id":12591,"date":"2026-05-06T11:16:54","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T11:16:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/2026\/05\/06\/iran-war-trump-says-project-freedom-paused-dw-com\/"},"modified":"2026-05-06T11:16:54","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T11:16:54","slug":"iran-war-trump-says-project-freedom-paused-dw-com","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/2026\/05\/06\/iran-war-trump-says-project-freedom-paused-dw-com\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran war: Trump says &#8216;Project Freedom&#8217; paused &#8211; DW.com"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-77063822\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/#post-liveblog-post-77063822\"><span>Skip next section Pakistani PM thanks Trump for pausing &#8216;Project Freedom&#8217;<\/span><svg viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" stroke=\"#002D5A\" stroke-width=\"2\"><path d=\"M4 9L4 16 11 16\" transform=\"rotate(45 7.5 12.5)\" \/><path stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"M3.5 12.5L17.5 12.5M17.5 12.5L17.5 5.5M17.5 5L12 5\" \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><span><span><span>May 6, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Pakistani PM thanks Trump for pausing &#8216;Project Freedom&#8217;<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\">\n<p>Pakistan&#8217;s Prime Minister <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/shehbaz-sharif\/t-76830426\">Shehbaz Sharif<\/a> thanked President Trump&#8217;s suspension of the mission that saw US Navy vessels escort merchant ships through the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Project Freedom&#8221; had also seen a\u00a0resumption of small-scale clashes with Iran reportedly firing on ships and the US sinking small boats in the strait.<\/p>\n<p>Trump&#8217;s announcement of the suspension said the decision had been made at the request of Pakistan.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Pakistan remains firmly committed to supporting all efforts that promote restraint and a peaceful resolution of conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy,&#8221; Sharif wrote on X.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We are very hopeful that the current momentum will lead to a lasting agreement that secures durable peace and stability for the region and beyond,&#8221; he added.<\/p>\n<blockquote data-id=\"2051948418390786334\"><\/blockquote><\/div>\n<p><span>https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5DLos<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-77063314\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/#post-liveblog-post-77063314\"><span>Skip next section Iran and US discussing 14-point peace deal \u2014 reports<\/span><svg viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" stroke=\"#002D5A\" stroke-width=\"2\"><path d=\"M4 9L4 16 11 16\" transform=\"rotate(45 7.5 12.5)\" \/><path stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"M3.5 12.5L17.5 12.5M17.5 12.5L17.5 5.5M17.5 5L12 5\" \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><span><span><span>May 6, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Iran and US discussing 14-point peace deal \u2014 reports<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\">\n<p>The White House appears to be hopeful that it is close to sealing some form of agreement with Iran to end the war soon, according to an <a rel=\"noopener follow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/2026\/05\/06\/iran-us-deal-one-page-memo\" title=\"External link \u2014 Axios report\">Axios report<svg width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\"><path d=\"M11.5 3.5 11.5 4.233C14.342 4.233 15.167 4.245 15.167 4.258L8.984 10.467 10.033 11.516C14.826 6.725 16.228 5.333 16.242 5.333L16.267 9 17.733 9 17.733 2.767 11.5 2.767 11.5 3.5M2.267 11 2.267 17.233 16.733 17.233 16.733 12 15.267 12 15.25 15.75 9.5 15.75 3.75 15.75 3.75 6.25 9.5 6.233 9.5 4.767 2.267 4.767 2.267 11 \" \/><\/svg><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Citing unnamed US officials, Axios said that a one-page memorandum of understanding (MOU) was in the works and that the US expects an Iranian response on its key points within 48 hours.<\/p>\n<p>The Axios source said the current efforts were the closest the two sides had been to finding an agreement since the war began.<\/p>\n<p>According to the report, the 14-point MOU would declare an official end to the war and launch a 30-day period of negotiations during which Iran would begin to open the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n<p>The MOU also reportedly includes a moratorium on Iran&#8217;s nuclear enrichment, with sources telling Axios it would last at least 12 years, after which Iran would be able to enrich but only to a low level.<\/p>\n<p>Iran would also commit to being open to UN inspections. Axios also cited sources saying the option of Iran moving its uranium stock was also being discussed.<\/p>\n<p>Iran&#8217;s nuclear program has been a major sticking point for both sides. Washington has said Iran cannot keep the stockpile and has previously threatened to put\u00a0boots on the ground to retrieve it. Tehran has maintained it is not seeking nuclear weapons while defending its right to pursue a civilian nuclear program.<\/p>\n<p>DW could, of course, not independently verify the Axios reports, however, Reuters later cited a Pakistani source confirming it. &#8220;We will \u2060close \u200bthis \u200bvery soon. \u200bWe are \u200cgetting close,&#8221; the source told Reuters.<\/p>\n<div>\n<h2 aria-label=\"Embedded video \u2014 What are the sticking points in US-Iran peace negotiations? \"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\"><g fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M14.114 7.599H13.5l.002 4.706h.601l4.582 3.25-.005-11.11zM11.084 4.444l-9.007.002-1.336.797.002 9.514 1.334.793 9.007.006 1.509-.799-.004-9.516z\" \/><\/g><\/svg>What are the sticking points in US-Iran peace negotiations? <\/h2>\n<p><video id=\"video-77024089\" controls playsinline preload=\"none\" poster=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-id=\"77024089\" data-posterurl=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/77018110_605.webp\" data-duration=\"19:54\"><source src=\"https:\/\/hlsvod.dw.com\/i\/vps\/webvideos\/ENG\/2026\/NEWS\/NEWSENG260503_QVoDTrumIran030526_01SMW_,AVC_480x270,AVC_512x288,AVC_640x360,AVC_960x540,AVC_1280x720,AVC_1920x1080,.mp4.csmil\/master.m3u8\" type=\"application\/x-mpegURL\"><source src=\"https:\/\/tvdownloaddw-a.akamaihd.net\/vps\/webvideos\/ENG\/2026\/NEWS\/NEWSENG260503_QVoDTrumIran030526_01SMW_AVC_1920x1080.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\"><p>To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that <a href=\"https:\/\/videojs.com\/html5-video-support\/\" target=\"_blank\">supports HTML5 video<\/a><\/p><\/video><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span>https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5DLgg<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-77062071\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/#post-liveblog-post-77062071\"><span>Skip next section China recognizes Iran&#8217;s right to &#8216;peaceful use of nuclear energy&#8217;<\/span><svg viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" stroke=\"#002D5A\" stroke-width=\"2\"><path d=\"M4 9L4 16 11 16\" transform=\"rotate(45 7.5 12.5)\" \/><path stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"M3.5 12.5L17.5 12.5M17.5 12.5L17.5 5.5M17.5 5L12 5\" \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><span><span><span>May 6, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2>China recognizes Iran&#8217;s right to &#8216;peaceful use of nuclear energy&#8217;<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\">\n<p>In further comments from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/china\/t-18480887\">China<\/a>&#8216;s foreign minister, Wang Yi called on all &#8220;parties involved&#8221; to make it possible for &#8220;normal and safe passage&#8221; to return to the Strait of Hormuz, after meeting with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;China considers that a complete cessation of fighting must be achieved without delay, that it is even more unacceptable to restart hostilities, and that continuing to negotiate remains essential,&#8221; he added, according to a statement from his ministry.<\/p>\n<p>Wang also touched on the question of Iran&#8217;s nuclear program, a major sticking point in negotiations between the US and Iran, saying:\u00a0&#8220;China appreciates Iran&#8217;s commitment not to develop nuclear weapons, while also recognizing Iran&#8217;s legitimate right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div>\n<h2 aria-label=\"Embedded video \u2014 Iran defies US pressure over nuclear, missile plans\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\"><g fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M14.114 7.599H13.5l.002 4.706h.601l4.582 3.25-.005-11.11zM11.084 4.444l-9.007.002-1.336.797.002 9.514 1.334.793 9.007.006 1.509-.799-.004-9.516z\" \/><\/g><\/svg>Iran defies US pressure over nuclear, missile plans<\/h2>\n<p><video id=\"video-77008416\" controls playsinline preload=\"none\" poster=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-id=\"77008416\" data-posterurl=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76683828_605.webp\" data-duration=\"14:20\"><source src=\"https:\/\/hlsvod.dw.com\/i\/vps\/webvideos\/ENG\/2026\/NEWS\/NEWSENG260501_QVoDAzodi02E_01SMW_,AVC_480x270,AVC_512x288,AVC_640x360,AVC_960x540,AVC_1280x720,AVC_1920x1080,.mp4.csmil\/master.m3u8\" type=\"application\/x-mpegURL\"><source src=\"https:\/\/tvdownloaddw-a.akamaihd.net\/vps\/webvideos\/ENG\/2026\/NEWS\/NEWSENG260501_QVoDAzodi02E_01SMW_AVC_1920x1080.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\"><p>To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that <a href=\"https:\/\/videojs.com\/html5-video-support\/\" target=\"_blank\">supports HTML5 video<\/a><\/p><\/video><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span>https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5DLMd<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-77061621\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/#post-liveblog-post-77061621\"><span>Skip next section China calls for &#8216;comprehensive ceasefire&#8217; in talks with Iran<\/span><svg viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" stroke=\"#002D5A\" stroke-width=\"2\"><path d=\"M4 9L4 16 11 16\" transform=\"rotate(45 7.5 12.5)\" \/><path stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"M3.5 12.5L17.5 12.5M17.5 12.5L17.5 5.5M17.5 5L12 5\" \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><span><span><span>May 6, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2>China calls for &#8216;comprehensive ceasefire&#8217; in talks with Iran<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\">\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"77061319\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/77061319_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"In this photo released by the Telegram channel of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, right, meets with Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Beijing, China, Wednesday, May 6, 2026\" src=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/77061319_${formatId}.jpg\"><figcaption>Araghchi&#8217;s visit to China is the first since the war began on February 28<small>Image: Iranian Foreign Minister\/Telegram\/AP Photo\/picture alliance<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi was hosting his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday amid the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.<\/p>\n<p>Wang told Araghchi that Beijing was &#8220;deeply distressed&#8221; by the war and called for a &#8220;comprehensive ceasefire.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We believe that a comprehensive ceasefire is urgently needed, that a resumption of hostilities is not acceptable, and that it is particularly important to remain committed to dialogue and negotiations,&#8221;\u00a0the Associated Press cited Wang as saying.<\/p>\n<p>Iran is heavily dependent on China buying up its oil. Beijing was responsible for 80% of the purchases of Iranian oil before the war due to other countries not wanting to contravene US sanctions.<\/p>\n<p>During the meeting, Araghchi said that the two countries were close friends and that bilateral\u00a0&#8220;cooperation will even become stronger under current circumstances,&#8221; according to\u00a0the Iranian Students&#8217; News Agency.<\/p>\n<p>The Iranian foreign minister also made clear that Tehran was not willing to accept an agreement that is not on its own terms.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We will \u200bdo our best to protect our legitimate rights and interests in the negotiations &#8230; We only accept a \u200bfair and comprehensive agreement,&#8221; \u200cAraghchi said.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span>https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5DLFN<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-77061360\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/#post-liveblog-post-77061360\"><span>Skip next section French container ship reportedly targeted in Hormuz<\/span><svg viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" stroke=\"#002D5A\" stroke-width=\"2\"><path d=\"M4 9L4 16 11 16\" transform=\"rotate(45 7.5 12.5)\" \/><path stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"M3.5 12.5L17.5 12.5M17.5 12.5L17.5 5.5M17.5 5L12 5\" \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><span><span><span>May 6, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2>French container ship reportedly targeted in Hormuz<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\">\n<p>The French shipping company CMA CGM has said that one of its container ships was subject to an &#8220;attack&#8221; while passing through the Strait of Hormuz, French TV channel BFMTV, which is owned by CMA CGM, reported.<\/p>\n<p>The company said that the vessel, the San Antonio, had been damaged in the attack and several crew members had been injured.<\/p>\n<p>According to the BFMTV report, those crew members had been evacuated and were receiving medical treatment.<\/p>\n<p>It wasn&#8217;t immediately clear if the ship had been passing through the strait as part of the US-led &#8220;Project Freedom&#8221; that sought to escort ships with the US Navy. In any case, Washington declared that mission to be suspended on Tuesday evening.<\/p>\n<div>\n<h2 aria-label=\"Embedded video \u2014 How Iran exposed the limits of the US Navy \"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\"><g fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M14.114 7.599H13.5l.002 4.706h.601l4.582 3.25-.005-11.11zM11.084 4.444l-9.007.002-1.336.797.002 9.514 1.334.793 9.007.006 1.509-.799-.004-9.516z\" \/><\/g><\/svg>How Iran exposed the limits of the US Navy <\/h2>\n<p><video id=\"video-76984590\" controls playsinline preload=\"none\" poster=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-id=\"76984590\" data-posterurl=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76852164_605.webp\" data-duration=\"12:13\"><source src=\"https:\/\/hlsvod.dw.com\/i\/vps\/webvideos\/ENG\/2026\/DWVG\/DWVGENG260429_FSNavalWarfareIns_01SMW_,AVC_480x270,AVC_512x288,AVC_640x360,AVC_960x540,AVC_1280x720,AVC_1920x1080,.mp4.csmil\/master.m3u8\" type=\"application\/x-mpegURL\"><source src=\"https:\/\/tvdownloaddw-a.akamaihd.net\/vps\/webvideos\/ENG\/2026\/DWVG\/DWVGENG260429_FSNavalWarfareIns_01SMW_AVC_1920x1080.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\"><p>To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that <a href=\"https:\/\/videojs.com\/html5-video-support\/\" target=\"_blank\">supports HTML5 video<\/a><\/p><\/video><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span>https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5DLBA<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-77061140\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/#post-liveblog-post-77061140\"><span>Skip next section Israel sends out evacuation warning for dozens of towns, villages in southern Lebanon<\/span><svg viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" stroke=\"#002D5A\" stroke-width=\"2\"><path d=\"M4 9L4 16 11 16\" transform=\"rotate(45 7.5 12.5)\" \/><path stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"M3.5 12.5L17.5 12.5M17.5 12.5L17.5 5.5M17.5 5L12 5\" \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><span><span><span>May 6, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Israel sends out evacuation warning for dozens of towns, villages in southern Lebanon<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\">\n<p>The Israeli military on Wednesday issued an urgent evacuation warning for the residents of 12 towns and villages in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/lebanon\/t-19131661\">Lebanon\u2019s<\/a> south.<\/p>\n<p>The military said that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/hezbollah\/t-41508807\">Hezbollah<\/a>\u00a0had violated a \u2060truce and civilians near the militant group\u2019s fighter or facilities could be at risk.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;For your safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately and move away from the villages and towns by at least 1,000 metres into open areas,&#8221; the military&#8217;s Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee said in a statement on X.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span>https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5DL7c<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-77060798\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/#post-liveblog-post-77060798\"><span>Skip next section Iran&#8217;s foreign minister meets with his Chinese counterpart in Beijing<\/span><svg viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" stroke=\"#002D5A\" stroke-width=\"2\"><path d=\"M4 9L4 16 11 16\" transform=\"rotate(45 7.5 12.5)\" \/><path stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"M3.5 12.5L17.5 12.5M17.5 12.5L17.5 5.5M17.5 5L12 5\" \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><span><span><span>May 6, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Iran&#8217;s foreign minister meets with his Chinese counterpart in Beijing<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\">\n<p>For the first time since the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/iran-war\/t-76168615\">Iran war<\/a> began, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/china\/t-18480887\">China<\/a>&#8216;s state news agency, Xinhua, reported the meeting in Beijing, but did not provide details. Iranian state media also confirmed the meeting.<\/p>\n<p>The Iran war was likely a central topic of discussion.\u00a0Tehran and Beijing are close economic partners, with China being the largest buyer of Iranian oil.\u00a0Beijing has been vocal in its criticism of US actions against Iran.<\/p>\n<p>The meeting between the Iranian and Chinese foreign ministers occurred about a week before US President <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/us-president-donald-trump-russia-ukraine-israel-gaza-tariffs-trade-war\/t-19434433\">Donald Trump<\/a>&#8216;s scheduled visit to China. Washington has announced the trip, but Beijing has yet to confirm it.<\/p>\n<div>\n<h2 aria-label=\"Embedded video \u2014 US war against Iran: Is China the hidden winner?\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\"><g fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M14.114 7.599H13.5l.002 4.706h.601l4.582 3.25-.005-11.11zM11.084 4.444l-9.007.002-1.336.797.002 9.514 1.334.793 9.007.006 1.509-.799-.004-9.516z\" \/><\/g><\/svg>US war against Iran: Is China the hidden winner?<\/h2>\n<p><video id=\"video-76905046\" controls playsinline preload=\"none\" poster=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-id=\"76905046\" data-posterurl=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76910747_605.webp\" data-duration=\"26:04\"><source src=\"https:\/\/hlsvod.dw.com\/i\/dwtv_video\/flv\/que\/que20260423_ToThePointENG_,AVC_480x270,AVC_512x288,AVC_640x360,AVC_960x540,AVC_1280x720,AVC_1920x1080,.mp4.csmil\/master.m3u8\" type=\"application\/x-mpegURL\"><source src=\"https:\/\/tvdownloaddw-a.akamaihd.net\/dwtv_video\/flv\/que\/que20260423_ToThePointENG_AVC_1920x1080.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\"><p>To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that <a href=\"https:\/\/videojs.com\/html5-video-support\/\" target=\"_blank\">supports HTML5 video<\/a><\/p><\/video><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span>https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5DL26<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-77060030\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/#post-liveblog-post-77060030\"><span>Skip next section Rubio and Lavrov discuss Ukraine and Iran<\/span><svg viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" stroke=\"#002D5A\" stroke-width=\"2\"><path d=\"M4 9L4 16 11 16\" transform=\"rotate(45 7.5 12.5)\" \/><path stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"M3.5 12.5L17.5 12.5M17.5 12.5L17.5 5.5M17.5 5L12 5\" \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><span><span><span>May 6, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Rubio and Lavrov discuss Ukraine and Iran<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\">\n<p>The increasingly interlinked nature of the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East was underlined in a phone call between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p>According to the US State Department, the call was initiated by Lavrov and the pair discussed &#8220;relations between the <span data-id=\"19065189\" data-size=\"BIG\" data-type=\"AUTO_TOPIC\" title=\"Automatische Themenseite\">United States<\/span> and Russia&#8221; in the context of both conflicts.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span>https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5DKpi<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-77059703\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/#post-liveblog-post-77059703\"><span>Skip next section Trump says Project Freedom &#8216;paused&#8217; to see whether Iran deal can be reached<\/span><svg viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" stroke=\"#002D5A\" stroke-width=\"2\"><path d=\"M4 9L4 16 11 16\" transform=\"rotate(45 7.5 12.5)\" \/><path stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"M3.5 12.5L17.5 12.5M17.5 12.5L17.5 5.5M17.5 5L12 5\" \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><span><span><span>May 6, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Trump says Project Freedom &#8216;paused&#8217; to see whether Iran deal can be reached<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\">\n<p>US President Donald Trump said &#8220;Project Freedom&#8221; will be paused while the US strives to finalize a deal with <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/iran\/t-18996175\">Iran<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Project Freedom&#8221; is the US effort to escort stranded ships through the Strait of Hormuz.\u00a0<\/p>\n<blockquote data-id=\"2051798734850101462\"><\/blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;Project Freedom (The Movement of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz) will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed,&#8221; Trump said in a post\u00a0on his Truth Social platform.<\/p>\n<p>At the same time, Trump said the US naval blockade on Iranian ports will remain in effect.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span>https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5DKkR<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-77059453\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/#post-liveblog-post-77059453\"><span>Skip next section USA: Gasoline prices up 50% since start of Iran war<\/span><svg viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" stroke=\"#002D5A\" stroke-width=\"2\"><path d=\"M4 9L4 16 11 16\" transform=\"rotate(45 7.5 12.5)\" \/><path stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"M3.5 12.5L17.5 12.5M17.5 12.5L17.5 5.5M17.5 5L12 5\" \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><span><span><span>May 6, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2>USA: Gasoline prices up 50% since start of Iran war<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\">\n<p>The price of gasoline in the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/united-states-of-america\/t-19065189\">United States<\/a> has increased by 50% since the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/iran-war\/t-76168615\">US and Israel went to war with Iran<\/a> in February, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA), which said that the price of a gallon of regular gasoline hit an average of $4.48 (\u20ac3.83) on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p>The price of crude oil, which is the main ingredient in gasoline, has been climbing because the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/strait-of-hormuz\/t-76193780\">Strait of Hormuz<\/a>, through which a fifth of the world\u2019s crude oil normally passes, has effectively been shut, leaving oil tankers stranded.<\/p>\n<div>\n<h2 aria-label=\"Embedded video \u2014 US gas prices soar as Iran standoff fuels oil market fears\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\"><g fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M14.114 7.599H13.5l.002 4.706h.601l4.582 3.25-.005-11.11zM11.084 4.444l-9.007.002-1.336.797.002 9.514 1.334.793 9.007.006 1.509-.799-.004-9.516z\" \/><\/g><\/svg>US gas prices soar as Iran standoff fuels oil market fears<\/h2>\n<p><video id=\"video-77019725\" controls playsinline preload=\"none\" poster=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-id=\"77019725\" data-posterurl=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76601143_605.webp\" data-duration=\"02:43\"><source src=\"https:\/\/hlsvod.dw.com\/i\/dwtv_video\/flv\/je\/je20260501_deadline17e_,AVC_480x270,AVC_512x288,AVC_640x360,AVC_960x540,AVC_1280x720,AVC_1920x1080,.mp4.csmil\/master.m3u8\" type=\"application\/x-mpegURL\"><source src=\"https:\/\/tvdownloaddw-a.akamaihd.net\/dwtv_video\/flv\/je\/je20260501_deadline17e_AVC_1920x1080.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\"><p>To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that <a href=\"https:\/\/videojs.com\/html5-video-support\/\" target=\"_blank\">supports HTML5 video<\/a><\/p><\/video><\/div>\n<p>&#8220;After the announcement of the initial ceasefire, there was optimism that this could be the beginning of the end of the conflict,&#8221; Rob Smith, director of global fuel retail at S&#038;P Global Energy, told the Associated Press.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;But no matter what a government says or what any market person thinks, upward pressure is being exerted on prices every day the Strait of Hormuz is constrained. And it is still severely constrained.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span>https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5DKgP<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-77059441\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/#post-liveblog-post-77059441\"><span>Skip next section Iran &#8216;categorically&#8217; denies recent attacks on UAE<\/span><svg viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" stroke=\"#002D5A\" stroke-width=\"2\"><path d=\"M4 9L4 16 11 16\" transform=\"rotate(45 7.5 12.5)\" \/><path stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"M3.5 12.5L17.5 12.5M17.5 12.5L17.5 5.5M17.5 5L12 5\" \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><span><span><span>May 6, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Iran &#8216;categorically&#8217; denies recent attacks on UAE<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\">\n<p>The Iranian military on Tuesday &#8220;categorically denied&#8221; launching any attacks on the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/united-arab-emirates\/t-67582701\">United Arab Emirates (UAE)<\/a> this week, dismissing claims to the contrary as &#8220;completely unfounded.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The UAE said earlier on Tuesday that its air defense systems were engaging missiles and drones coming &#8220;from Iran&#8221; for the second consecutive day, weeks into a fragile ceasefire.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The armed forces of the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/iran\/t-18996175\">Islamic Republic of Iran<\/a> did not launch any missile or drone operation against the United Arab Emirates these past days,&#8221; the Iranian military&#8217;s central command said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;If such an action had been taken, we would have announced it firmly and clearly,&#8221; it added, warning that any attacks launched from Emirati territory against Iran would be met with a &#8220;firm response.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Iran has targeted the UAE more than any other country during the war, hitting not only US assets in the country but also energy and civilian infrastructure.<\/p>\n<p>In its statement on Tuesday, the Iranian military issued a warning to the UAE, saying in reference to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/united-states-of-america\/t-19065189\">United States<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/israel\/t-19067044\">Israel<\/a>: &#8220;Your country, as an Islamic land, must not become a haven for the Americans and the Zionists, their forces and military equipment.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span>https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5DKgD<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-77059424\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/#post-liveblog-post-77059424\"><span>Skip next section Rubio: Offensive operations against Iran &#8216;over&#8217;<\/span><svg viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" stroke=\"#002D5A\" stroke-width=\"2\"><path d=\"M4 9L4 16 11 16\" transform=\"rotate(45 7.5 12.5)\" \/><path stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"M3.5 12.5L17.5 12.5M17.5 12.5L17.5 5.5M17.5 5L12 5\" \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><span><span><span>May 6, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Rubio: Offensive operations against Iran &#8216;over&#8217;<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\">\n<p>US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that offensive operations against <span data-id=\"76168615\" data-size=\"BIG\" data-type=\"AUTO_TOPIC\" title=\"Automatische Themenseite\">Iran<\/span> have ended.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The operation is over \u2013 Epic Fury \u2013 as the president notified Congress, we&#8217;re done with that stage of it,&#8221; he told reporters at the White House, insisting that the <span data-id=\"19065189\" data-size=\"BIG\" data-type=\"AUTO_TOPIC\" title=\"Automatische Themenseite\">United States<\/span> was now only taking defensive action in enforcing \u200bits blockade of Iranian ports.\u00a0<\/p>\n<blockquote data-id=\"2051768276028698951\"><\/blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;We are only responding \u200bif attacked first. This is a defensive operation,&#8221; he said. &#8220;If no shots \u200bare fired \u200cat these ships and no shots are fired at us, we&#8217;re not firing shots, but if we&#8217;re fired on we will respond.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Rubio also confirmed that ten civilian sailors have died during the ongoing conflict in the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;They&#8217;re isolated, they&#8217;re starving, they&#8217;re vulnerable and at least 10 sailors have died as a result, civilian sailors,&#8221; he said, without providing additional details.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span>https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5DKfw<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-77059423\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/#post-liveblog-post-77059423\"><span>Skip next section Welcome to our coverage<\/span><svg viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" stroke=\"#002D5A\" stroke-width=\"2\"><path d=\"M4 9L4 16 11 16\" transform=\"rotate(45 7.5 12.5)\" \/><path stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"M3.5 12.5L17.5 12.5M17.5 12.5L17.5 5.5M17.5 5L12 5\" \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><span><span><span>May 6, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Welcome to our coverage<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\">\n<p>Hello and welcome to DW&#8217;s coverage of the ongoing <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/iran-war\/t-76168615\">conflict in the Middle East<\/a> on Wednesday, 6 May, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has claimed that offensive operations against are over and that US forces will be acting purely defensively to enforce a blockade of Iranian ports.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, the Iranian military has denied launching attacks on the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/united-arab-emirates\/t-67582701\">United Arab Emirates<\/a> this week.<\/p>\n<p>And back in the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/united-states-of-america\/t-19065189\">United States<\/a>, the American Automobile Association reports that gasoline prices are up 50% since the start of the war.<\/p>\n<p>Stay tuned for more thorughout the day in our blog.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span>https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5DKfv<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Skip next section Pakistani PM thanks Trump for pausing &#8216;Project Freedom&#8217; May 6, 2026 Pakistani PM thanks Trump for pausing &#8216;Project Freedom&#8217; Pakistan&#8217;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked President Trump&#8217;s suspension of the mission that saw US Navy vessels escort merchant ships through the Strait of Hormuz. &#8220;Project Freedom&#8221; had also seen a\u00a0resumption of small-scale [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12592,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12591","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12591","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12591"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12591\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12592"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12591"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12591"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12591"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}