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01:14

We are now closing the live blog for the day. We'll be back tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. Central European time to cover the latest events across the Middle East.

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01:10

Vance Says Ball In Tehran's Court After Progress In Peace Talks In Islamabad

• By

  RFE/RL

US Vice President JD Vance says the ball is now in Iran's court after peace talks last weekend in Islamabad made "a lot of progress." Speaking to Fox News in an interview on April 13, Vance said that during the peace talks, which lasted around 20 hours, "we actually made very clear what our red lines were." "I really think the ball is in the Iranian court, because we put a lot on the table," Vance said. He added that during the talks, it was made clear that US President Donald Trump had no flexibility with regard to Iran's enriched uranium, which Washington must have, and the verification mechanism that would ensure Tehran does not develop nuclear weapons in the future. "It's one thing for the Iranians to say that they're not going to have a nuclear weapon. It's another thing for us to put in place the mechanism to ensure that's not going to happen," Vance said.

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23:42

Toll Booths and Tankers: How the US Navy and Economic Sanctions Aim To Squeeze Tehran

• By

  Alex Raufoglu

WASHINGTON --A US naval blockade on ships entering Iranian ports and coastal areas took effect on April 13 as Washington increasingly turns to "economic statecraft" to force Tehran to agree on a peace deal after weeks of air strikes.

RFE/RL spoke with Max Meizlish, a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) and a former official at the US Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), on the intersection of naval blockades and financial warfare.

Meizlish argues that while kinetic air strikes grab headlines, the real battle is being fought against the Chinese financial lifelines and clandestine trade networks that keep the Iranian regime afloat.

To read the full interview, clickhere.

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22:47

Touting US Oil Reserves, Trump Says 'We Don't Need The Strait' As Blockade Begins

• By

  EBU

Telling reporters that a US naval blockade on Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz had started, US President Donald Trump said other countries are turning to US oil and gas to compensate.

Speaking at the White House on April 13, Trump also that "the appropriate people" want to strike a deal to end the standoff.