Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty

The war in Iran and the wider Middle East appeared to be in a holding pattern on May 9 as Washington awaited Iran’s response to its latest peace proposal but, while Tehran has not yet offered a formal reply, the regime has maintained its belligerent language toward the US.

Iran blamed the United States for a recent escalation of skirmishes in the Persian Gulf as Washington awaits a response from Tehran over the latest proposal to end their war.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio sought to steady ties with Italy and the Vatican during a visit to Rome shaped by disputes over Iran, NATO, and migration. He also defended Washington’s military posture in the Middle East and warned Tehran against trying to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz.

Sources in the Pakistani Taliban told RFE/RL that the group’s leadership has been ordered to relocate from the Afghan capital, Kabul, where it is allegedly based.

Security is tight as Moscow prepares for the May 9 Victory Day parade on Red Square, marking the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945. For the first time in nearly 20 years, the event will be held without military hardware. Mobile Internet restrictions are already in effect across the Russian capital.

The United States sees energy security in the Western Balkans as a national security priority and is stepping up efforts to help the region reduce its dependence on Russian supplies, Joshua Volz, a special envoy for energy integration at the U.S. Department of Energy, told RFE/RL.

In an interview with RFE/RL, Barry Pavel, a former senior director for defense policy and strategy at the National Security Council, who served as a special assistant to the president under George W. Bush, unpacks the strategic meaning behind recent developments in the US war with Iran.

Iran said it was reviewing the latest US proposal that sources say would end the fighting but leave several key issues open, as US President Donald Trump claimed a deal was “very possible” but also warned of renewed fighting if Tehran rejected the deal.

A French shipping ⁠group has confirmed that one of ⁠its vessels was attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

In response to the US naval blockade on Iran’s ports and vessels, Tehran is using alternative routes to transit goods, including through Pakistan, Turkey, and the Caspian Sea.