US Warns Iran of Fresh War as Nuclear Deal Talks Hit Roadblock

Fresh fears of renewed conflict in the Middle East have emerged after the United States warned it is fully prepared to restart military operations against Iran if ongoing negotiations fail to produce a peace agreement.

The warning came as efforts to secure a diplomatic breakthrough between Washington and Tehran remain uncertain, despite reports that an initial ceasefire extension framework is awaiting final approval from President Donald Trump.

Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue defence summit in Singapore on Saturday, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth declared that Washington has the military capacity to resume hostilities if necessary.

He said the United States remains fully equipped to launch fresh strikes, stressing that American military stockpiles are strong enough to sustain operations both in the Middle East and across other global theatres.

The comments signalled growing pressure on Tehran as diplomatic negotiations continue behind closed doors.

The warning followed a two-hour high-level meeting held by President Trump and senior national security officials in the White House Situation Room on Friday to assess a proposed framework aimed at extending the current ceasefire by 60 days.

US officials familiar with the talks said the draft agreement remains under review, with Trump yet to make a final decision.

The White House has maintained that any US-Iran peace deal must meet Trump’s strict red lines, including a permanent guarantee that Iran will never develop nuclear weapons and the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to unrestricted international shipping.

A White House official said Trump would only approve a deal that protects American strategic interests and prevents Iran from acquiring nuclear capabilities.

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The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical maritime oil routes, has become a central point of contention in the talks.

The waterway carries nearly one-fifth of global oil shipments, and its disruption has triggered market instability, pushed up oil prices and raised fears of wider economic consequences.

As part of the proposed framework, Trump has reportedly demanded that Tehran remove naval mines from the waterway and guarantee toll-free commercial access.

The proposal would also reportedly require cooperation on dismantling Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, while the United States would ease certain restrictions affecting Iranian shipping and port access.

However, Tehran has sharply rejected several of Washington’s demands.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei insisted no final agreement had been reached and dismissed what he described as attempts to impose conditions on the Islamic Republic.

He said Iran had long rejected the language of ultimatums and confirmed that indirect diplomatic exchanges were still ongoing through regional mediators.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reportedly told Qatar’s Emir during a phone conversation that Tehran remains willing to pursue what he called a “dignified framework” for peace, provided Iran’s sovereignty is respected.

Meanwhile, Iranian state-linked media challenged several claims made by Trump regarding the negotiations.

The semi-official Fars News Agency reported that Tehran is demanding the immediate release of $12 billion in frozen Iranian assets before agreeing to the next phase of discussions.

The report also denied claims that Iran had agreed to permanently reopen the Strait of Hormuz without tolls or surrender control over its nuclear material.

Military tensions have further complicated the fragile diplomacy.

Recent US airstrikes on Bandar Abbas, a strategic southern Iranian port, were met with retaliatory Iranian missile and drone attacks, raising fears that both nations could slide back into direct conflict.

Regional efforts to broker a durable ceasefire are being led by Pakistan, with support from Qatar and Oman, while parallel negotiations continue over the conflict in Lebanon, which Iran insists must form part of any broader settlement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu added another layer of complexity by announcing that Israeli forces had expanded military operations, even as military delegations from both countries held separate consultations in Washington.

For many ordinary Iranians, the mixed signals from both sides have created uncertainty over whether peace is genuinely close.

A resident of Tonekabon in northern Iran said public statements from Washington and Tehran appear designed more to satisfy domestic audiences than reflect actual progress at the negotiating table.

Analysts say the next few days could prove decisive as negotiators attempt to bridge deep divisions over Iran’s nuclear programme, sanctions relief, regional security guarantees and freedom of navigation through the Gulf.

With tensions still high, the prospect of renewed military confrontation remains a serious concern for global markets and regional stability.

US Warns Iran of Fresh War as Nuclear Deal Talks Hit Roadblock

Nigerian Catholic Priest Convicted in US for Sexually Abusing Women Seeking Spiritual Help

A Texas jury has convicted former Nigerian Catholic priest Anthony Odiong of sexually assaulting women who sought spiritual guidance, bringing to a close a closely watched criminal trial that exposed years of alleged abuse of trust and clerical authority.

The 57-year-old was found guilty on one count of first-degree sexual assault and two counts of second-degree sexual assault after jurors deliberated for about two hours in Waco, Texas, on Friday.

The jury, made up of eight women and four men, reached the verdict after hearing testimony from two women who accused the former priest of exploiting his role as a spiritual adviser to initiate and sustain abusive sexual relationships during periods when they were emotionally vulnerable.

The conviction means Odiong now faces a possible life sentence on the first-degree charge, while each second-degree conviction carries a prison term of between two and 20 years. Sentencing proceedings are scheduled to begin Monday before the same jury.

The case drew widespread public attention after multiple women accused the former cleric of using his religious authority to manipulate parishioners under his pastoral care.

During the trial, one of the complainants, identified in court as Mary Doe, testified that Odiong began sexually abusing her while serving as her spiritual adviser as she struggled through a difficult divorce and cared for seven children.

She told the court the abuse continued for years and recounted how one of her sons once walked in on them having sexual intercourse in her bedroom following a family gathering.

According to courtroom testimony, when confronted, Odiong allegedly attempted to justify the encounter by telling her, “We are but men.”

A second complainant, identified as Jane Doe, told jurors she sought spiritual counselling from Odiong while trapped in an abusive marriage.

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She testified that he pressured her into permitting painful sexual acts with her husband and later demanded detailed accounts of those encounters during counselling sessions.

Prosecutors argued that the conduct constituted sexual assault under Texas law, which criminalises sexual exploitation by clergy members who abuse positions of trust over vulnerable individuals receiving spiritual or emotional guidance.

A third accuser was expected to testify but prosecutors dropped that portion of the case after describing her emotional state as extremely fragile.

They said they chose not to compel her appearance in court due to concerns over her psychological wellbeing.

Both women testified that they met Odiong while he served at St Peter Catholic Student Center in Waco, a church frequented by students and employees of Baylor University, placing them within his pastoral reach.

Jurors also heard evidence that DNA testing established Odiong fathered a child in 2023 with Presley Jones, a woman he had also reportedly counselled spiritually while serving as pastor of St Anthony of Padua Church in Louisiana.

Although Louisiana prosecutors did not pursue charges because the state lacks a clergy sexual assault law similar to Texas, prosecutors in the Waco trial presented the evidence to demonstrate what they described as a broader pattern of sexual exploitation involving women under his spiritual authority.

Odiong, originally ordained in Nigeria’s Catholic Diocese of Uyo in 1993, served in churches across Texas, Louisiana and Florida before church authorities suspended him following mounting allegations.

The allegations first became public in 2024 following investigative reports that detailed accusations of sexual coercion, unwanted touching and financial manipulation involving women under his pastoral care.

Authorities later identified additional complainants, strengthening the prosecution’s case despite the age of some of the allegations.

Court observers reported that Odiong showed little visible emotion as Judge Thomas West read the verdict.

He reportedly stared straight ahead before lowering his head as deputies escorted him from the courtroom.

The conviction marks a significant moment in efforts to hold clergy accountable for abuse of trust and power within religious institutions.

Nigerian Catholic Priest Convicted in US for Sexually Abusing Women Seeking Spiritual Help

Trump Will Only Accept Iran Deal That ‘Satisfies His Red Lines’

WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Donald Trump has deferred his “final determination” on a potential ceasefire agreement with Iran after a two-hour meeting with his national security team at the White House Situation Room, insisting that he will only accept a deal that “satisfies his red lines” and guarantees that “Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon” . The Situation Room meeting, which lasted approximately two hours on Friday, concluded without a final decision from the President. “President Trump will only make a deal that is good for America and satisfies his redlines. Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon,” a White House official said in a statement following the meeting, speaking on condition of anonymity . It was not immediately clear why Trump did not reach a decision, though officials indicated that key disputes remain unresolved, including the matter of unfreezing Iranian assets .

Earlier on Friday, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to outline his conditions for a potential agreement. He wrote that “Iran must agree that they will never have a Nuclear Weapon or Bomb” and demanded that “the Hormuz Strait must be immediately open, no tolls, for unrestricted shipping traffic, in both directions” . The President added that “all water mines (bombs), if any, will be terminated” and that the U.S. naval blockade “will now be lifted” . Trump had earlier stated that he had ordered US negotiators “not to rush into a deal” with Iran, amid growing expectations and criticism of an accord to end the Middle East conflict. “The negotiations are proceeding in an orderly and constructive manner, and I have informed my representatives not to rush into a deal in that time is on our side,” Trump wrote . “The blockade will remain in full force and effect until an agreement is reached, certified, and signed” . The United States has imposed an embargo on Iranian ports since April 13, after Tehran essentially stopped transportation through the economically critical Strait of Hormuz in reaction to US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran that began on February 28 .

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Regarding Iran’s nuclear materials, Trump insisted that the country’s enriched uranium stockpiles will be “unearthed by the United States in close coordination and conjunction with Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency and destroyed” . “Both sides must take their time and get it right,” Trump wrote while slamming the 2015 nuclear deal that former president Barack Obama agreed to with Iran . On financial compensation, Trump stated that “no money will be exchanged, until further notice,” dismissing both Iran’s demands for war reparations and any suggestion of U.S. investments .

Iran has vehemently rejected Trump’s characterization of the potential agreement. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said in a phone interview with Iranian state media on Friday that current negotiations were limited in scope and did not include “the nuclear issue,” directly contradicting Trump’s framing of the talks . Speaking to state television, Baghaei emphasized that Tehran does not accept directives from Western governments. “Tehran has said goodbye to the language of ‘must’ 47 years ago. None of the Western parties can use the language of ‘must’ when they talk about the Islamic Republic of Iran. We make our own decisions based on the interests and rights of the Iranian nation,” Baghaei said . Baghaei also addressed Trump’s comments on the Strait of Hormuz, emphasizing that the strategically important waterway falls within the territorial waters of both Iran and Oman . He also disclosed that the two sides are working to finalize a memorandum of understanding (MoU) consisting of 14 clauses . “Our intention has been to firstly agree on a MoU consisting of 14 clauses,” Baghaei said, noting that “within a period of 30 to 60 days,” they would “reach a final agreement” . “We are at the stage of finalizing the MoU. The issues that are being discussed are focused on ending the war (on all fronts, including Lebanon). Among the major topics to be addressed in the MoU are the cessation of U.S. maritime attacks, or naval blockade as they themselves call it, and other issues pertaining to the release of Iranian frozen assets” .

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf expressed deep scepticism about any deal with the United States, writing on social media: “We do not trust guarantees and words; only actions are the criterion. No action will be taken before the other side acts” . He added that the Islamic Republic “achieved its rights not through dialogue, but with missiles,” warning that “the victor in any agreement is the one who plans better for the war on the day after” . Ibrahim Azizi, chairman of the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, stressed that Iran will not retreat from its “red lines” under pressure from Trump’s rhetoric. He identified Iran’s red lines as including the right to enrich uranium, possession of enriched uranium, authority over the Strait of Hormuz, and the removal of sanctions.

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Several Republican voices close to Trump have expressed fears of an agreement beneficial to Iran as details of the potential deal began to leak . The main Republican senator in charge of military policy, Roger Wicker, stated that agreeing to a “rumored 60-day ceasefire” with Iran would mean that “everything accomplished by Operation Epic Fury would be for naught!” . Fellow Republican senators Ted Cruz and Lindsey Graham have also expressed objection to Iran potentially getting perks such as the right to freely sell its oil. “If the result of all that is to be an Iranian regime — still run by Islamists who chant ‘death to America’ — now receiving billions of dollars, being able to enrich uranium & develop nuclear weapons, and having effective control over the Strait of Hormuz, then that outcome would be a disastrous mistake,” Cruz wrote on X . Thom Tillis, a Republican senator from North Carolina, said the deal “doesn’t make sense to me.” “We were told about 11 weeks ago by (Secretary of Defense Pete) Hegseth and the Department of Defense that they had obliterated Iran’s defenses, and it was just a matter of time before we had the nuclear material. Now we’re talking about a posture where we may accept the nuclear material remaining in Iran. How does that make sense at all?” Tillis said on CNN’s “State of the Union” morning program .

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned at the Shangri-La Dialogue that “if Iran doesn’t want to make a great deal that ensures they don’t get a nuclear weapon,” then Iran can “deal with” the U.S. military . This statement underscores the continued threat of military action should negotiations fail to produce an agreement acceptable to Washington. Regional tensions escalated significantly earlier this year when the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28. Tehran retaliated with strikes targeting Israel as well as U.S. allies in the Gulf, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. A ceasefire took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation and was later extended by Trump indefinitely . As of Saturday, the proposed 60-day ceasefire extension and the broader memorandum of understanding remain pending Trump’s final determination, with both sides publicly staking out positions that appear, at least for now, irreconcilable.

Trump Will Only Accept Iran Deal That ‘Satisfies His Red Lines’