US Vice President JD Vance says progress is being made in talks with Iran to end the war as President Donald Trump begins his state visit to China.
Posted on May 14, 2026
US Vice President JD Vance has said he believes progress is being made in negotiations with Iran, even though President Donald Trump rejected Tehran's latest proposal as unacceptable. The comments come as diplomatic efforts continue to prevent a collapse of the fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.
Meanwhile, Brigadier General Mohammad Akrami Nia says Iran's military remains at “the highest level of readiness,” warning there is “no room for retreat” as tensions with the United States persist. Iranian officials have continued to signal that they are prepared to respond to any escalation.
Separately, Israel says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a “secret” visit to the United Arab Emirates during the war with Iran, where he met with the president of the United Arab Emirates, according to the Israeli prime minister's office. The United Arab Emirates has denied that the trip occurred.
This is what we know:
In Iran
- Iran warns states that are 'colluding' with Israel: Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said countries working with Israel against Tehran “will have to be held accountable” after Israel revealed that Netanyahu visited the United Arab Emirates during the war. Araghchi accused states of helping to “sow division” alongside Israel and called such actions “unforgivable.”
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Iran says goodbye to the national team from the World Cup: Crowds gathered in Tehran's Enghelab Square to celebrate Iran's national soccer team ahead of the 2026 World Cup, waving flags as players appeared on stage in red and black tracksuits. The president of Iran's football federation, Mehdi Taj, said the team would represent “the people, the country's fighters, the leader and the country”, while some fans carried banners in honor of former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died during the war.
war diplomacy
- Vance says US is 'making progress' in talks: The US vice president says he believes progress is being made in negotiations with Iran. “I think we are making progress. The fundamental question is: Are we making enough progress to satisfy the president's red line?” Vance told reporters at the White House. “And the red line is very simple. You need to be sure that we put in place a series of protections so that Iran never has a nuclear weapon.”
- China may seek concessions on Iran's role: Analysts say China could demand concessions from the United States, potentially in Taiwan, in exchange for using its influence to pressure Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as Washington urges Beijing to play a bigger role in easing tensions linked to the war.
- Iran war will overshadow BRICS meeting: Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday evening to represent Iran at the BRICS foreign ministers' meeting.
in the gulf
- Netanyahu's visit to the United Arab Emirates: The Israeli prime minister held a “secret” meeting with the president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, his office said. “The visit marked a historic breakthrough in relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.”
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UAE denies claims about Netanyahu's visit: The United Arab Emirates has rejected the statements from Netanyahu's office. In a statement published by state news agency WAM, the United Arab Emirates said reports of a visit by Netanyahu or the presence of an Israeli military delegation were “baseless,” stressing that its ties with Israel under the Abraham Accords are public and “not based on secrets or clandestine agreements.”
in the united states
- The Senate backs Trump: US senators narrowly rejected a resolution limiting President Trump's power to wage war against Iran – their first vote on the conflict since the 60-day deadline for the White House to request formal authorization expired.
- Trump dismisses China's role in Iran: The US president said Washington does not need Beijing's help to end the war in Iran or reopen the Strait of Hormuz, ahead of his visit to China. “We will win it one way or another, peacefully or otherwise,” Trump said, while analysts in Tehran said the summit was not seen as a threat to strong ties between Iran and China.
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has defended the war against Iran, claiming this time that Tehran was building a huge arsenal as a prelude to a nuclear weapon, which Tehran has always denied it was trying to obtain. “Iran was developing a conventional capability, where they would have so many missiles and so many drones, that they could overwhelm anyone's defenses,” Rubio told Fox News.
In Lebanon
- Talks between Israel and Lebanon: Officials from Lebanon and Israel will meet in Washington, DC, later on Thursday for a new round of peace negotiations, as their “ceasefire,” which is only nominal and about to expire, remains technically active despite Israel killing dozens of Lebanese daily.
- Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA) reports that a series of Israeli strikes overnight and early in the morning have targeted multiple locations across southern Lebanon.
- Hezbollah said on Thursday it had carried out several attacks on Israeli army positions in or near the southern Lebanese city of Biyyada.
- Lebanon says 10,000 homes were affected: More than 10,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed in Lebanon since the ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hezbollah, the head of the country's National Scientific Research Council said.
- At least 12 dead in Lebanon – Israel intensified attacks on Lebanon and the Ministry of Public Health reported that 12 people were killed in attacks on Wednesday, mainly south of Beirut, despite a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
