Ships must comply with Iranian security regulations and coordinate their passage with relevant authorities, the mission said late on Tuesday.

The Strait of Hormuz has become a flashpoint in the current U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.

Tehran has repeatedly attacked vessels in the waterway, effectively closing off a key shipping route for global oil and gas supplies.

The narrow passage between Iran and Oman is the only link between the Gulf and the world’s oceans.

It is regarded as one of the most important shipping routes globally, with around 20 per cent of the world’s oil supply normally passing through it.

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According to Israeli broadcaster N12, the draft includes commitments from Iran not to pursue nuclear weapons and to hand over its stockpile of enriched uranium to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

U.S. news outlet Axios, citing a source with knowledge of the matter, reported that U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff told President Donald Trump that Iran had agreed on several key points, including giving up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

However, it remained unclear how Tehran would formally respond to the proposal, the New York Times reported.

Israel’s reaction, another party to the conflict, was also uncertain.

Trump has repeatedly said that Iran is eager to reach an agreement.

“We’re actually talking to the right people, and they want to make a deal so badly, you have no idea how badly they want to make a deal,” he said.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance are also involved in the negotiations, Trump said.

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IAEA’s Director General, Rafael Grossi, in a statement on Monday, urged a return to diplomacy, given the “increasing risk to nuclear safety” in the region as the violent escalation in the Middle East entered a third day.

The violent was sparked by the bombing of Iran by Israel and the United States.

Grossi, noted that there was no indication that any of Iran’s nuclear installations, including the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, the Tehran Research Reactor and other nuclear fuel cycle facilities had been damaged.

Meanwhile at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Gulf States impacted by Iranian retaliatory strikes involving ballistic missiles and drones condemned attacks against their sovereignty and urged Tehran to stop all “hostile escalation” that could jeopardize regional stability.

To date, missile strikes have been reported in Bahrain, Jordan, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in addition to Israel, whose military responded to Hezbollah strikes from Lebanon on Monday.

There are indications that 550 civilians have been killed in Iran since the country came under attack on Saturday. Targets have included Tehran’s Gandhi Hospital which sustained damage on Sunday, the UN World Health Organisation (WHO) said, citing reports.

“It serves as a reminder that all efforts must be taken to prevent health facilities from being caught up in the ongoing conflict.

Health facilities are protected under international humanitarian law,” WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus wrote in an online post.

Addressing the UN Human Rights Council in the Swiss city, Shahad Matar for the UAE alleged that Iranian attacks since February had killed three civilians and injured 58 more.

“This blatant and cowardly attack is a violent…blatant violation of our sovereignty, international law and UN Charter,” Shahad insisted.

Echoing those comments, Naser Abdullah Alhayen for Kuwait condemned Iranian missile attacks and affirmed the country’s right to defend its territory and people, in line with Article 51 of the UN Charter.

In response, Iran told the Human Rights Council that the country has continued to come under “indiscriminate and invasive” attack, a day after Tehran confirmed the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during a strike on the Supreme Leader’s compound in the capital.

“In recent days, schools have been bombed, hospitals subjected to indiscriminate attacks, civilian leaders including the spiritual and religious Supreme Leader, have been assassinated, and the headquarters of the Iranian Red Crescent, along with many other non-military buildings, have been destroyed,” Iran’s Ali Bahreini maintained.

Responding to reports that a primary school was hit on Saturday in Minab, southern Iran, Bahreini said that more than 160 schoolgirls had been killed.

“The ongoing unlawful military aggression against Iran exemplifies the dominance of raw power over the principles of human rights,” the Human Rights Council heard.

Earlier on Monday, Iran also issued a letter to countries attending the UN Conference on Disarmament meeting in Geneva on Monday, insisting on its right to self-defence “for as long as the aggression endures”.

All U.S. military “bases, facilities and assets” are now “legitimate targets” as a result of the “war of aggression”, the Iranian Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva insisted.

Back in Vienna, IAEA chief Grossi underscored the risk of a nuclear incident from the military escalation since Iran “and many other countries in the region that have been subjected to military attacks have operational nuclear power plants and nuclear research reactors”.

Addressing a special meeting of the IAEA Board in the Austrian capital, Grossi said that radiation levels had remained normal in countries bordering Iran since the bombing began.

And as the Israeli military began launching strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, Grossi urged “utmost restraint in all military operations”.

He noted that the UAE has four operating nuclear reactors while Jordan and Syria have operational nuclear research reactors.

“Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia have also been attacked,” he said, stressing that they “all use nuclear applications of some sort or the other”.

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The reporters five of whom worked for the Al Jazeera media network were killed in a targeted Israeli strike in Gaza City on Sunday.

UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, said this at a news briefing on Monday in New York

“These latest killings highlight the extreme risks journalists continue to face when covering the ongoing war.

“The Secretary-General calls for an independent and impartial investigation into these latest killings.”

Dujarric pointed out that at least 242 journalists have been killed in Gaza since the war began nearly three years ago.

“The Secretary-General underscores that journalists and media workers must be respected; they must be protected and they must be allowed to carry out their work freely, free from fear and free from harassment,” he said.

Meanwhile, the number of children in Gaza who have died from malnutrition since October 2023 has surpassed 100, according to the Gazan health authorities, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, said in an update.

More than a third of the population is not eating for days at a time, according to the UN World Food Population (WFP). Furthermore, acute malnutrition is spiking, with over 300,000 children at severe risk.

This comes amidst a recent warning by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) that a mere 1.5 per cent of cropland in the enclave remains both accessible and undamaged, “signaling a near-total collapse of the local production of food.”

On the aid front, the UN and its partners collected food and hygiene kits from the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem border crossing on Wednesday.

“However, supplies were offloaded directly from these trucks before reaching their destination, given the extreme desperation pervasive in Gaza today,” OCHA said.

The agency stressed that people there “need a predictable lifeline not a trickle of aid so they do not feel they need to take desperate measures to survive.”

WFP said that just to cover basic humanitarian food assistance needs, more than 62,000 metric tonnes are required to enter Gaza every month, and so far, humanitarians have not been permitted to bring in enough supplies to support the population.

Humanitarians also collected fuel from the Kerem Shalom crossing on Wednesday.

Israel is allowing, on average, the entry of about 150,000 litres of fuel daily, which is still far below the minimum required. As a result, life-saving operations continue to be at risk.

The Palestine Civil Defence organisation has warned that more than half of their ambulances have stopped operating across Gaza due to the shortage of both fuel and spare parts.

“Israeli authorities must allow aid to enter through all crossings and via all available corridors so that humanitarians can deliver at scale, in a safe and dignified manner to reach the most vulnerable, including women,children and older people,” OCHA said.

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This is expected as positions remained far apart.

In spite of the negotiations, Russian shelling of the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson killed a 66-year-old woman overnight.

This is according to regional military governor Oleksandr Prokudin.

Three people, including two 13-year-olds, were injured, he said on Telegram.

The Ukrainian Air Force said Russia launched 71 drones and drone decoys during the night, of which 45 were intercepted or brought down using electronic countermeasures.

The strikes targeted the regions of Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Kharkiv and Cherkasy.

Expectations remain low for a breakthrough in the Istanbul talks.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday that detailed ceasefire talks are not on the agenda.

Instead, the focus will be on the return of Ukrainian prisoners of war and abducted children, as well as preparations for a potential presidential-level meeting.

“We need more momentum in the negotiations to end the war,’’ Zelensky said, explaining his insistence on a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Kremlin, meanwhile, said that position papers previously exchanged by the two parties on possible peace frameworks would be discussed.

However, spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that “major diplomatic work’’ would be needed to reach any agreement on a ceasefire.

While Kiev insisted on an unconditional ceasefire to allow for negotiations to end the conflict, Russia has been sticking to its maximum demands.

It’s including the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the eastern regions Moscow illegally annexed.

Ukraine and Russia began holding direct talks for the first time in over three years in May.

So far, the negotiations have resulted in a large-scale exchange of prisoners of war, with soldiers under the age of 25 and severely wounded combatants released most recently.

The Russian delegation is again to be led by presidential adviser and former culture minister Vladimir Medinsky, according to the Kremlin.

The Ukrainian team is set to be led by former defence minister Rustem Umerov, who has since been appointed head of the National Security and Defence Council.

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The capital Kiev was hit hardest in the attack, where a ballistic missile struck a nine-story apartment building, killing 14 people and injuring 60 others, Interfax-Ukraine news agency cited the minister as saying.

In the southern city of Odessa, one person was killed and 10 others injured.

Casualties were also reported in the Kiev and Chernihiv regions.

Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kiev City Military Administration, said Russia launched a total of 175 drones, along with more than 14 cruise missiles and two ballistic missiles at the capital, hitting residential areas.

The Interior Ministry said that 27 locations in Kiev, including apartment buildings, educational institutions and critical infrastructure facilities, were under attack overnight.

Search and rescue operations are ongoing at the sites of the strikes, the State Service for Emergencies said.

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The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, disclosed this in a statement issued by Kimiebi Ebienfa, Spokesperson of the
Ministry.

Tuggar said, “Nigeria expresses profound sorrow and extends its heartfelt condolences to the government and people of India over the tragic crash of Air India Flight 171 in Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025.

“This devastating incident which claimed the lives of over 290 individuals has left the global community in mourning.

“Nigeria stands in solidarity with India during this period of immense grief and unfortunate loss.

“While initial reports indicate no Nigerian citizen was aboard the flight, the Nigeria High Commission in New Delhi remains in close contact with Indian authorities to verify this information and provide consular assistance where necessary.

“In this moment of shared sorrow, Nigeria reaffirms its commitment to global aviation safety and supports the call for thorough investigation into the crash with a view to preventing such tragedies in the future.”

The minister further commiserated with the families of the bereaved and all those affected by this tragic incident.

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Amb. Andrey Podelyshev, Russian Ambassador to Nigeria, disclosed this while briefing our correspondent on Tuesday in Abuja, against backdrop of the embassy’s preparation to commemorate the Russia Day anniversary on June 12.

He said although June 12, is celebrated by the Russian Federation as Russian Day, it has become important for the embassy to promote knowledge sharing about Russian economic potential for Nigeria’s benefit.

“Our embassy and trade representative office in Nigeria are ready to assist the Nigeria business community establish appropriate business contacts, if there is an interest in cooperation with Russian companies in these industries”.

The ambassador identified economic and technological sectors as key priority areas that Russia has advantages which could benefit Nigeria, and Africa at large in the long term.

According to him, these areas mentioned are only a small part among others of where Russia has competencies and what its companies can offer on the world market including Nigeria.

Podelyshev said, “The Russian economy is characterised by a very dynamic growth. As of the end of 2024, the country’s nominal GDP exceeded 201 trillion Rubles.

“This is equivalent to 2.5trillion dollars at current exchange rate. Russia’s GDP at purchasing power parity reached almost 7 trillion dollars and foreign trade turnover in 2024 estimated at 717 billion dollars.

“The volume of exports from Russia increased to 434 billion dollars and Russia’s positive foreign trade balance exceeded 150 billion dollars.

“For Russia, the dollar is no longer so important in carrying out foreign trade operations. The share of settlements in national currencies in 2024, including those with BRICS countries reached 65 per cent.

“As of April 1, 2025, the country’s external debt is estimated in absolute terms at 312 billion dollars, which is only 14 per cent of its GDP.”

He described drivers of the Russian economy such as space exploration, aircraft engineering, automobile manufacturing, electric power industry, nuclear energy, oil production, refining and agriculture to have significant scientific and technical potential.

“Russia is one of the pioneers of space exploration and possesses a unique set of competences in this area. The Russian space industry includes about 100 enterprises employing more than 250,000 people.

“Amidst turbulence in international politics, Russia’s space industry continues to confidently keep its position on the world stage, maintaining ties with both the United States (NASA) and the European Union (EuropeanSpace Agency).

“Based on existing plans for the completion of the International Space Station (ISS), Russia began full-scale work in 2024 to launch its own national orbital station.

“The works are scheduled to be completed by 2030, and the station is to be fully constructed by 2032, respectively,” he added.

He further mentioned other areas of Russia’s comparative advantage that Nigeria benefits from to include automobile manufacturing, electric power sector, nuclear energy, oil and gas sector.

Also are agricultural machinery, artificial intelligence, and information technology.

Russia, which is the largest country in the world that spans two continents and straddles 11 time zones, is renowned for its vast territory with a veritable mosaic of cultures, extreme landscapes and iconic monuments.

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The Directors-General of Military Operations (DGMOs) will discuss measures to ensure the ceasefire, effective since Saturday, stays in place beyond Monday.

The agreement follows days of escalated tensions, including drone, missile, and airstrikes targeting military installations and airbases.

The talks may also pave the way for security discussions between national security advisers to address disputed issues, including Kashmir.

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“They wanted to provoke us; they wanted to make us make mistakes,” he said in the film “Russia. Kremlin. Putin. 25 years.”

However, there was no need to use nuclear weapons, the Russian leader said.

“And I hope that this will not be necessary in the future either.”

Russia has sufficient forces and means to achieve everything that was necessary for Moscow in the military operation that began in 2022, Putin said, referring to the year the Kremlin launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Putin and his leadership have repeatedly threatened to use nuclear weapons against Ukraine and its allies in the course of the war.

The U.S. government was under the impression that Moscow could be preparing to drop a nuclear bomb in the autumn of 2022, according to reports.

Washington delivered a stern warning to Russia through diplomatic channels at the time.

The test attack with a new Russian medium-range missile on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro in November 2024 is also considered a nuclear threat.

Three people were killed by Ukrainian attacks in the Kursk border region, local governor Alexander Khinshtein said on Monday.

Two women died when a Ukrainian drone hit a car carrying five people, the official wrote on Telegram.

One man and two other women suffered bruises and abrasions.

One man was killed in another attack on a car, according to Khinshtein.

Following the surprise Ukrainian advance into the region last summer, the Russian military claimed at the end of April that Kursk had been “completely liberated.”

However, Kiev rejects this and says it still holds part of the territory.

“The buffer zone that the Ukrainian defense forces have created in the border areas remains relevant now,” Ukrainian commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi posted on Facebook.

The operation, which has been ongoing for nine months, had achieved most of its objectives, Syrskyi claimed.

On Monday morning, Russian military bloggers reported a new advance by small Ukrainian units into the Kursk region near the village of Tyotkino.

The reports have not yet been officially confirmed in Moscow or Kiev.

Ukraine has been defending itself against a full-scale Russian invasion for more than three years.

As part of its defensive campaign, it has also been attacking targets in Russia, resulting in deaths and injuries.

The casualties and damage are dwarfed by the devastating consequences of Russia’s war on the Ukrainian side.

Early on Monday, Russian authorities reported a drone attack in the Moscow region, with four unmanned aerial vehicles shot down over the city of Podolsk, south of the capital.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram that the drones were destroyed by Russian air defences.

There was no damage or injuries at the crash site, he said, citing initial information.

There have been ongoing diplomatic efforts by the United States to broker a ceasefire between Moscow and Kiev.

U.S. President Donald Trump recently proposed an unconditional 30-day truce, a plan Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accepted.

However, Putin has rejected the offer.

Instead, Putin has declared a unilateral 72-hour ceasefire to coincide with the annual Victory Parade on Moscow’s Red Square – which marks the end of World War II and is celebrated in Russia on May 9.

The ceasefire is scheduled to start at 12 a.m. Thursday (2100 GMT Wednesday) and end at 12 a.m. on Sunday (2100 GMT Saturday).

Kiev has rejected the limited pause and demanded that the ceasefire be extended to 30 days.

“The Russians are asking for a ceasefire on May 9 and are themselves firing at Ukraine every day.

This is cynicism of the highest order,” Zelensky wrote on Telegram on Sunday.

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