Iran live updates: Trump honors troops killed in Iran war during Memorial Day remarks

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Last updated: Monday, May 25, 2026 6:04PM GMT
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President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military, government and infrastructure sites.

Following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire, initial U.S.-Iran talks in Pakistan in April failed to reach a peace deal.

Trump later announced the open-ended extension of the ceasefire and the continuation of a U.S. blockade until negotiations are concluded "one way or the other."

For previous updates on Iran, click here.

Key Headlines

Here's how the news is developing.
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1 hour ago

Trump honors troops killed in Iran war

President Donald Trump honored the 13 service members killed during the war in Iran while delivering Memorial Day remarks at Arlington National Cemetery.

"In Operation Epic Fury, we lost 13 wonderful souls, wonderful special people," he said. "These incredible men and women gave their lives to ensure that the world's number one state sponsor of terror will never have a nuclear weapon. Oh, and they won't. They will never have a nuclear weapon."

President Donald Trump speaks at the Memorial Amphitheater in Arlington National Cemetery, Monday, May 25, 2026, in Arlington, Va.
President Donald Trump speaks at the Memorial Amphitheater in Arlington National Cemetery, Monday, May 25, 2026, in Arlington, Va.

Seven service members died following the opening wave of Iranian retaliatory attacks across the Middle East, and six Air Force airmen were killed when a U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq.

ByEmily Chang ABCNews logo
1 hour and 12 minutes ago

Trump says Iran deal critics 'know nothing' of potential agreement

President Donald Trump on Monday again insisted that his proposed Iran deal is the "exact opposite" of former President Barack Obama's nuclear deal with Iran, attacking Democrats and his GOP adversaries in a new social media post.

"The deal with Iran will either be a great and meaningful one, or there will be no deal. It will be the exact opposite of the JCPOA disaster negotiated by the failed Obama Administration, which was a direct and open path to a Nuclear Weapon for Iran. No, I don't do deals like that!" Trump wrote.

President Donald Trump speaks at Rockland Community College, Friday, May 22, 2026, in Suffern, N.Y.
President Donald Trump speaks at Rockland Community College, Friday, May 22, 2026, in Suffern, N.Y.

The president said that his critics "know nothing" about the potential deal he is working on, adding that "things haven't even been negotiated yet." On Saturday, Trump claimed an "agreement had been largely negotiated."

Trump also criticized his Republican adversaries, including Sen. Bill Cassidy, Rep. Thomas Massie, and Sen. Thom Tillis. While pointing to Cassidy and Massie's recent primary losses, Trump added that Tillis is also "Soon out of office!"

In a subsequent post, the president wished Americans a happy Memorial Day, "including the Dumocrats, who disrespect our Military and all of the tremendous success that it has had over the last year."

ByVictoria Beaule ABCNews logo
1 hour and 12 minutes ago

'No one' can say deal is imminent despite progress, Baghaei says

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told a Monday press conference that the U.S. and Iran have "reached a conclusion on a large part of the issues under discussion," though stressed that "no one" can say that the finalization of a deal is "imminent."

Tehran is "witnessing frequent changes in positions" from the U.S. side, Baghaei said, as quoted by the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency.

"Within a few hours you will encounter different and in many cases contradictory views," Baghaei told reporters of the talks.

Baghaei also addressed different facets of a possible deal, saying a ceasefire of the war on all fronts -- including Lebanon -- was part of the draft agreement. He also said details about the management of the Strait of Hormuz are still undecided.

"We have not entered into the details of this agreement. How the Strait of Hormuz will be managed is a matter that concerns the coastal states of the strait," Baghaei said.

He added that no Iranian delegation visit to Pakistan, the mediating country, is planned at the moment.

Government supporters hold Iranian flags and pictures of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosque in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, May 24, 2026.
Government supporters hold Iranian flags and pictures of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosque in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, May 24, 2026.

"We are now focused on the negotiation process. How the understanding will be announced or signed later is an issue that there is time to decide on in the future," Baghaei said.

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1 hour and 11 minutes ago

Trump says agreement 'largely negotiated,' includes Strait of Hormuz reopening

President Donald Trump said Saturday that a framework for a peace deal with Iran will be announced shortly and it will include opening the Strait of Hormuz.

In a lengthy social media post, the president said he spoke with several Middle Eastern leaders and "an Agreement has been largely negotiated, subject to finalization between the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the various other Countries."

"Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly," he said.

The post added: "In addition to many other elements of the Agreement, the Strait of Hormuz will be opened."

-ABC News' Selina Wang