On the 79th day of the US-Israeli war on Iran on Sunday, May 17, US President Donald Trump warned that Iran would face a “very bad time” if a peace agreement was not reached soon.
Speaking to French broadcaster BFMTV in a telephone interview, Trump said Tehran had “an interest in reaching an agreement”.
Trump shares Strait of Hormuz image amid rising tensions
Trump also posted an image on his Truth Social platform showing warships in the Strait of Hormuz alongside the phrase “the calm before the storm”, fuelling speculation over possible military escalation in the region.
The remarks came as tensions between Washington and Tehran remained high despite continued diplomatic efforts to avoid further escalation.
Pakistan says mediation efforts between US and Iran continue
Meanwhile, Shehbaz Sharif confirmed that Pakistan was continuing mediation efforts between Washington and Tehran despite the exchange of threats between both sides.
In an interview with British newspaper The Times, Sharif said he remained optimistic that a second round of direct talks between the United States and Iran could help secure lasting peace.
“Pakistan enjoys the trust of all parties, from Iran and the US administration to the Gulf states,” Sharif said.
He added that achieving peace required “patience, wisdom and the ability to move things forward despite the most difficult challenges”.
Israeli officials say army prepared for possible renewed war
Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, citing security assessments and officials, reported that the Israeli military had reached its highest level of readiness to resume fighting.
According to the report, Israeli officials believe the possibility of renewed conflict with Iran remains equal to the chances of avoiding war.
The newspaper said Israel and the United States were continuing military coordination at the highest levels while preparing for the possibility of renewed strikes.
Israeli assessments claimed Iran had restored part of its missile capabilities and remained unwilling to abandon its nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief.
The report also suggested Trump was unlikely to pursue a campaign aimed at overthrowing the Iranian government and would instead favour limited strikes targeting infrastructure such as bridges and power plants if hostilities resumed.
Israeli officials further claimed Iran could attempt to draw the United States into a broader regional conflict extending beyond the start of the FIFA World Cup.
Iran President calls for unity
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called for national unity amid the ongoing conflict, saying Iranians stood together under the country’s leadership.
“In Iran there are no ‘hardliners’ or ‘moderates’. We are all Iranians and revolutionaries,” Pezeshkian wrote on X.
He added that Iran would make “the aggressor regret” its actions and stressed unity under Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
UK deploys new anti-drone system for RAF Typhoon jets
The United Kingdom announced the deployment of a new low-cost anti-drone system for Royal Air Force fighter jets operating in the Middle East.
British authorities said the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) would be fitted to RAF Typhoon jets, enabling them to destroy targets more precisely and at lower cost than traditional missile systems.
Rising energy prices fuel US economic concerns
Economic concerns linked to the conflict also deepened, with rising energy prices contributing to growing financial anxiety and inflationary pressure in the United States.
Analysts have linked the increase in inflation fears to instability in energy markets caused by the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
Israeli army intercepts Hezbollah rockets and drones
In southern Lebanon, the Israeli military said it intercepted several rockets and drones launched by Hezbollah towards Israeli forces.
The Israeli army reported no casualties and said no warning sirens had been activated following the interceptions.
Iran to reopen stock market after wartime suspension
Iran’s IRNA news agency reported that the country’s stock market would reopen on Tuesday after being suspended during the conflict.
Hamid Yari, deputy supervisor at Iran’s Securities and Exchange Organization, said the suspension had been aimed at protecting shareholders’ assets, preventing panic-driven trading and ensuring more transparent pricing conditions.
He added that all sectors of Iran’s capital market would fully resume operations after trading restarts.
FIFA expresses confidence over Iran’s World Cup participation
FIFA Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom said he held a “constructive” meeting with Iran Football Association president Mehdi Taj and expressed confidence that Iran would participate in this year’s FIFA World Cup despite ongoing geopolitical tensions.
Speaking to Reuters during a visit to Istanbul, Grafstrom described the talks as positive and said FIFA was looking forward to welcoming Iran to the tournament.
Iran’s participation has faced scrutiny since the outbreak of hostilities, particularly as the national team is scheduled to play group-stage matches in the United States.
Visa concerns have also emerged after Taj was reportedly denied entry to Canada over alleged links to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Iran speaker says world is approaching ‘new order’
Meanwhile, Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the world stood “at the cusp of a new order”, claiming Iran’s resistance had accelerated global political change.
“The future belongs to the Global South,” Ghalibaf said.
India raises concerns over Strait of Hormuz security
At the United Nations, India’s Permanent Representative Parvathaneni Harish stressed the need for international cooperation to tackle the growing energy and fertiliser crisis linked to the conflict in West Asia.
Speaking at a special meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Council on safeguarding energy and supply flows, Harish called for a combination of immediate and long-term measures to respond to the crisis.
He also reiterated concerns over maritime security and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, warning against attacks on commercial shipping and civilian crews.
“International law in this regard must be fully respected,” Harish said.
