US and Iranian negotiators set to arrive in Pakistan for new talks as ceasefire nears expiry (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)

J.D. Vance is set to depart Joint Base Andrews near Washington, DC later today to take part in talks in Pakistan, ABC reports, citing White House sources.

Dozens of veterans and military family members protesting the war on Iran were arrested on Monday after occupying the Cannon House Office Building in Washington, DC. The demonstration was organized by several veteran groups, including About Face, Veterans For Peace, and the Center on Conscience and War (CCW).

Protesters gathered in the rotunda and held red tulips to honor Iranians killed in US strikes, and unfurled banners reading “End the War on Iran.” They also performed a flag-folding ceremony for the 13 US troops killed so far, before being zip-tied and led away by police.

Among those arrested was Iraq War veteran and CCW Executive Director Mike Prysner, who called the conflict “a crisis for the Trump administration.” Prysner urged current service members to refuse participation, saying they have the chance he wishes he’d taken.

The US Department of War claims its forces have boarded another vessel believed to be part of Iran’s ‘shadow fleet’, in the latest interdiction far from the Middle East.

The tanker M/T Tifani was seized overnight in the Indo-Pacific, with Washington vowing to keep targeting these ships globally.

“As we have made clear, we will pursue global maritime enforcement efforts to disrupt illicit networks and interdict sanctioned vessels providing material support to Iran – anywhere they operate. International waters are not a refuge for sanctioned vessels,” the Pentagon said in a post on X.

Russia’s Emergencies Ministry (EMERCOM) has said a special Il-76 plane delivered 27 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Lebanon, as the country grapples with the fallout from the Middle East conflict and Israeli attacks.

The supplies include mobile generators, food, tents, blankets, and mattresses.

READ MORE: India expresses concern to Iranian ambassador over firing on ship in Strait of Hormuz 

Scam messages offering “safe passage” through the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for cryptocurrency are being sent to shipping companies with vessels stuck in the area, Greek maritime risk company MARISKS has warned, according to Reuters.

The company said unknown actors posing as the Iranian authorities demanded payments in Bitcoin or Tether for clearance, stressing that the messages are a scam and not linked to Tehran.

Hundreds of ships and around 20,000 seafarers remain stranded in the Gulf. MARISKS said at least one vessel that attempted to exit the strait and came under fire may have been misled by the scheme.

Trump has claimed that Iran has violated the ceasefire “numerous times” in a Truth Social post. The assertion appeared to come out of the blue, adding fresh uncertainty as talks were expected to resume in Pakistan.

Russia is closely watching developments around the planned US-Iran talks in Islamabad, but believes it is too early to draw conclusions, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said, noting the situation is “changing very fast.”

“I would say we are taking an analytical stance… we will be analyzing what’s happening,” he said, adding that “over the course of one day, the situation can turn 180 degrees… or it may not.”

Lavrov stressed it is “difficult to say how much confidence every party has” in a potential resolution, pointing to “threats and promises” from Washington. He noted that an agreement had already addressed concerns over Iran’s nuclear program before the US withdrew from it, despite now insisting it wants to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

READ MORE: EU country suspends defense agreement with Israel

Spain will urge the EU to reconsider its association agreement with Israel, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has announced, arguing that “a government that violates international law cannot be a partner of the EU.

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares, speaking ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, confirmed that Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia have formally requested a review of the agreement. The move is based on the treaty’s “human rights clause,” with the three countries arguing that Israel’s actions in Gaza and Lebanon breach the standards required to maintain the deal.

Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot echoed the concerns, calling Israel’s actions “unacceptable” and urging at least a partial suspension.

Gulf countries are in daily contact with various parties involved in the Middle East crisis, according to Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari.

“The crisis is ours, and the crisis of our region. That’s why we have direct contacts,” he told a press briefing, adding that Doha is betting on the upcoming US-Iran talks to yield results. “We do not want to talk about the failure of the negotiations… the entire world is supporting these negotiations, including us. And we are supporting our brothers in Pakistan.”

US Central Command has published footage showing Marines boarding the Iranian cargo vessel M/V Touska after it was disabled by the USS Spruance in the Gulf of Oman.

CENTCOM claimed that since the start of the blockade on ships entering or leaving Iranian ports, US forces have turned back or redirected 27 vessels.