The United States said on Wednesday its military had completely halted trade going in and out of Iran by sea, while President Donald Trump said talks with Tehran on ending the war could resume this week, sending oil prices down for a second day.

Trump said negotiations between U.S. and Iranian officials could resume in Pakistan in the next two days and Vice President JD Vance, who led weekend talks that ended without a breakthrough, said he felt positive about where things stood.

“I think you’re going to be watching an amazing two days ahead,” Trump told ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl, adding he did not think it would be necessary to extend a two-week ceasefire that ends on April 21. “It could end either way, but I think a deal is preferable because then they can rebuild,” Trump said, according to a post by Karl on X. “They really do have a different regime now. No matter what, we took out the radicals.”

Officials from Pakistan, Iran and the Gulf also said negotiating teams from the U.S. and Iran could return to Pakistan later this week, although one senior Iranian source said no date had been set.

Despite the optimistic note, more vessels were being turned back under the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports, including a U.S.-sanctioned and Chinese-owned tanker Rich Starry that was making its way back to the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday after exiting the Arabian Gulf.

Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of the U.S. Central Command, said American forces had completely halted economic trade going in and out of Iran by sea, which he said fuels 90% of Iran’s economy.

“In less than 36 hours since the blockade was implemented, U.S. forces have completely halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea,” Cooper said in a post on X.

U.S. and Iran begin a battle of economic endurance in the Strait of Hormuz

Earlier the U.S. military said it had intercepted eight Iran-linked oil tankers since the start of the blockade on Monday, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Trump, speaking to the New York Post on Tuesday, said his negotiators are likely to be back, thanks largely to the “great job” Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, was doing to moderate the talks.

Later on Tuesday, at an event in Georgia, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Trump wanted to make a “grand bargain” with Iran but there was a lot of mistrust between the two countries.

“You are not going to solve that problem overnight,” he said. The signs of diplomatic engagement to end the conflict that began on Feb. 28 helped calm oil markets, pressing benchmark prices below US$100 for a second day on Wednesday. Asian stocks rose while the safe-haven dollar stabilized after falling for a seventh straight session overnight.

China’s Xi warns global order ‘crumbling’ amid Iran war chaos

However, the market stands to lose access to further supply as the U.S. does not plan to renew a 30-day waiver of sanctions on Iranian oil at sea that expires this week, according to two U.S. officials, and quietly let a similar waiver on Russian oil run out on the weekend.

The war has prompted Iran to effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global waterway for crude and gas transport, and cut shipments from the Gulf to global buyers, particularly in Asia and Europe, leaving importers scrambling to secure alternative supplies. About 5,000 people have died in the hostilities, including about 3,000 in Iran and 2,000 in Lebanon.

Sticking points

Iran’s nuclear ambitions were a key sticking point at the weekend talks. The U.S. had proposed a 20-year suspension of all nuclear activity by Iran, while Tehran had suggested a halt of three to five years, according to people familiar with the proposals.

Speaking in Seoul, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, said the length of any moratorium on Iranian uranium enrichment was a political decision and it was possible Tehran might accept a compromise as a confidence-building act.

The U.S. has also pressed for any enriched nuclear material to be removed from Iran, while Tehran has demanded that international sanctions against it be removed.

Israel and Lebanon meet in Washington for first direct diplomatic talks in decades

One source involved in the negotiations in Pakistan said back-channel talks since the weekend had produced progress in closing that gap, bringing the two sides closer to a deal that could be put forward at a new round of talks.

However, in a major complication for peace prospects, Israel has continued to attack Lebanon as it targets Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group. Israel and the U.S. say that campaign is not covered by the ceasefire, while Iran insists it is. On Tuesday, the U.K., Canada, Japan and seven other countries condemned the killings of UN peacekeepers in Lebanon and called for “an urgent end to hostilities.”

Reuters

Pope Leo said he did not fear the Trump administration and would continue to speak out against war after Donald Trump delivered an extraordinary broadside against him in which he said he did not think the Chicago-born pontiff was “doing a very good job”, while also suggesting he should “stop catering to the radical left”.

In remarks that have been widely criticised, the US president used a lengthy social media post to sharply criticise Leo while he flew from Florida to Washington on Sunday night, then continued in comments on the tarmac to reporters. “I’m not a fan of Pope Leo,” he said.

Trump made the comments after Leo suggested over the weekend that a “delusion of omnipotence” was fuelling the US-Israeli war in Iran. While it is not unusual for popes and presidents to be at cross purposes, it is exceedingly rare for the pope to criticise a US leader – and for the president to respond in such a stinging manner.

“Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” the president wrote in his post, adding: “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon.” He repeated that sentiment in comments to reporters, saying: “We don’t like a pope who says it’s OK to have a nuclear weapon.”

Later, he posted a clearly AI-generated image of himself as a Jesus-like figure, appearing to “cure” a man. He deleted it after a backlash from some of his religious supporters.

Leo presided over an evening prayer service in St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican on Saturday, the day the US and Iran began face-to-face negotiations in Pakistan during a fragile ceasefire. The pope did not mention the US or Trump by name, but his tone and message appeared to be directed at Trump and American officials, who have boasted of US military superiority and justified the war in religious terms.

Leo arrived in Algeria on Monday as part of an 11-day tour of Africa, and during the papal flight he told reporters he was not a politician and that he did not want to enter into a debate with Trump.

“The message of the church, my message, the message of the gospel: blessed are the peacemakers. I do not look at my role as being political, a politician.” Leo said he did not think the message of the gospel should “be abused, as some are doing”.

“I continue to speak strongly against war, seeking to promote peace, dialogue and multilateralism among states to find solutions to problems,” he said.

Responding to a question from a US journalist, the pope said: “I’m not afraid of the Trump administration or speaking out loudly of the message of the gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do, what the church is here to do.”

US bishops have defended Leo, saying he is not a political rival but a “vicar of Christ who speaks from the truth of the gospel” while their Italian counterparts called on Trump to respect Leo and his ministry.

The Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, said he condemned Trump’s “insult” in a message addressed to Leo on social media. “On behalf of the great nation of Iran, I condemn the insult to Your Excellency and declare that the desecration of Jesus (peace be upon him), the prophet of peace and brotherhood, is unacceptable to any free person,” he wrote.

Italian politicians from across the spectrum also criticised Trump’s comments. Matteo Salvini, the far-right deputy prime minister who has been a staunch supporter of Trump, said: “If anyone is working hard on the issue of peace and conflict resolution, it’s Pope Leo. Attacking the pope, a symbol of peace and a spiritual guide for billions of Catholics, doesn’t seem like a useful or intelligent thing to do.”

Italy’s far-right prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, said Trump’s words were “unacceptable”. But that was only after she came under pressure from the opposition when she omitted to address the remarks in a social media post earlier on Monday that praised Leo for his role in “fostering the return of peace” and his trip to Africa. Her government has formed strategic partnerships on the continent, mainly aimed at addressing irregular immigration.

Meloni, who is ideologically in tune with Trump and has nurtured good relations with him, said in a statement: “I find President Trump’s words toward the Holy Father unacceptable. The pope is the head of the Catholic church, and it is right and proper that he calls for peace and condemns all forms of war.”

Matteo Renzi, Italy’s liberal former prime minister, said it was a “duty” to defend the pope. “Not only for Catholics but also, and above all, for the laity,” he said.

“It’s been centuries since we’ve seen such blatant aggression [against a pope],” Renzi said, describing the pontiff as a “bridge builder”, in contrast to Trump, who he described as “a destroyer of relationships and civilisations”.

Leo’s criticisms of the war have intensified since the US-Israeli strikes on Iran began. In ones of his harshest condemnations, he said God “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them”.

This was seen as a rebuke to the US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, who said he prayed for “overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy”.

Leo has also referenced an Old Testament passage from Isaiah, saying that “even though you make many prayers, I will not listen – your hands are full of blood”.

Before the ceasefire, when Trump warned of mass strikes against Iranian power plants and other infrastructure and that “an entire civilization will die tonight”, Leo described such sentiments as “truly unacceptable”.

In his social media post on Sunday night, however, Trump went far beyond the war in Iran in criticising Leo. The president wrote: “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s terrible that America attacked Venezuela, a Country that was sending massive amounts of Drugs into the United States.” That was a reference to the Trump administration ousting the Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro in January.

“I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do,” Trump added, referencing his 2024 election victory.

Trump also suggested in the post that Leo only got his position “because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J Trump”.

“If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican,” Trump claimed, adding: “Leo should get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense, stop catering to the Radical Left, and focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician. It’s hurting him very badly and, more importantly, it’s hurting the Catholic Church!”

In his subsequent comments to reporters, Trump remained highly critical, saying: “I don’t think he’s doing a very good job. He likes crime I guess,” adding: “He’s a very liberal person.”

In the 2024 election, Trump won 55% of Catholic voters, according to AP VoteCast, an extensive survey of the electorate. But Trump’s administration also has close ties to conservative evangelical Protestant leaders and has claimed heavenly endorsement for the war on Iran.

Hegseth has urged Americans to pray for victory “in the name of Jesus Christ”. When Trump was asked whether he thought God approved of the war, he said: “I do, because God is good – because God is good and God wants to see people taken care of.”

The US vice-president, JD Vance, urged the Vatican to “stick to matters of morality”.

Vance told Fox News: “In some cases, it would be best for the Vatican to stick to matters of morality … and let the president of the United States stick to dictating American public policy.”

The Guardian

Pope Leo XIV has arrived in Algeria for the first papal visit to the country, calling for peace on the opening stop of a tour of Africa that signals the continent’s growing importance to the Catholic church.

The 11-day trip, which will include stops in Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea, is the longest by Pope Leo since being elected to the papacy in May last year.

The choice to visit Africa sends a powerful signal that the continent is one of the church’s top priorities, according to academics and theologians.

Adriaan van Klinken, a professor of religion and African studies at the University of Leeds, said this reflected shifting demographics, with Africa home to one of the fastest-growing Catholic populations and accounting for about 20% of Catholics worldwide. By contrast, the Catholic population in western Europe is in decline.

“Africa is the site of vitality, of growth, of the future of the church,” Van Klinken said.

In the last year alone, 14 new dioceses have been created across Africa, with the Catholic population growing by 7 million, according to John Pontifex, from the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need UK. “A focus on Africa this early on in Pope Leo’s pontificate no doubt reflects a sense that in terms of Catholicism this is a continent that is coming of age,” he said.

The pope, on arrival at Algiers international airport on Monday, was welcomed by Algeria’s president, Abdelmadjid Tebboune. He was later taken to the Maqam Echahid, a monument that commemorates those who died in the 1954-62 Algerian war for independence against French colonial rule.

Father Peter Claver Kogh, the rector of the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa in Algiers, described the visit as a moment to strengthen bonds between Christian and Muslim communities, and solidify “the desire to have a climate of peace and tolerance among these two religions”.

He added: “That is what the world needs now – a world of fraternal living and living in harmony. That will be the utmost importance of this visit for Christians and Muslims who are here, and all those who desire to live in peace and harmony.”

For Austen Ivereigh, a biographer of Pope Francis, the trip signals continuity with his predecessor’s priorities. In 2019, Francis broke new ground with the joint “human fraternity” document signed with leading Muslim figures. “Leo will want to continue that all-important alliance in building a new world order of peace,” Ivereigh said.

Pontifex said the trip was not just about interfaith relations, but also a sign that the pope remained committed to freedom of religion and belief. “His visit comes at a time when religious freedom in Algeria, be it for Christians, Ahmadi Muslims and more liberal Muslims, has declined in recent years, according to our research.”

The trip has also been viewed as an opportunity to spotlight communities with long histories of injustice and exploitation who are often overlooked by the west.

Lucy Esipila, the regional coordinator for Caritas Africa, said she believed the pope’s visit would have a profound impact on Catholic communities in the region. “At a time when many African nations continue to face conflict, debt burdens, and widening inequalities, this apostolic journey is a powerful expression of synodality, of ‘walking together’ as a global church that listens to voices from the peripheries.”

Algeria is the only Muslim-majority country on the pope’s tour. While its Catholic population is relatively small, the country holds particular significance for Pope Leo as the birthplace of Saint Augustine. Leo is the first pontiff from the Augustinian order, a theological tradition that emphasises a commitment to “live together in harmony”.

Prof Anna Rowlands, the holder of the St Hilda chair in Catholic social thought and practice at Durham University, said: “Starting his visit in Algeria shows the other side of African Christianity that Leo is also deeply attuned to: its ancient legacy.”

North Africa was home to some of the earliest Christian communities before the arrival of Islam and remains central to the church’s intellectual and theological heritage.

Rowlands added that as the former head of the Augustinian order, Pope Leo, then Friar Robert Prevost, travelled frequently to African communities. “The church in Africa is well known to him – probably better known than to any pope in the modern era.”

The decision to make these African countries the focus of his longest trip so far as pope comes alongside his decision not to visit the US. “That’s the unspoken part of this,” said Dr Miles Pattenden, a historian of the Catholic church at the University of Oxford.

Pope Leo not only declined an invitation to the US, Pattenden said, but on 4 July, American independence day, he will be making a visit to the Italian island of Lampedusa, which is the place of arrival for many Africans making the perilous journey across the Mediterranean.

“He’s sending an extremely powerful message, which President Trump obviously understands, and that may explain some of his bombastic criticisms of the pope over the past few days,” Pattenden said.

That contrast appears to speak directly to the communities Leo is seeking to reach.

“It’s a feeling of joy,” Father Kogh said of hearing Leo address the people of Algeria. “I’m so glad to have heard that message, because it was what I was expecting: a message of peace, and a call to coexistence and living in fraternity. So my joy redoubles.”

The Guardian