US Navy Expands AI Mine-Hunting In Strait Of Hormuz
The United States Navy is ramping up artificial intelligence capabilities to detect naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Reuters.
The contract, worth up to $100 million, was awarded to San Francisco-based Domino Data Lab and is designed to accelerate the Navy’s ability to identify and respond to underwater explosives in contested waters.
President Donald Trump has said the US Navy is already clearing Iranian mines from the Strait of Hormuz, warning that disruption to the waterway, which carries a large share of global oil shipments, could threaten the world economy. Sweeping for mines could take months despite a fragile cease-fire between the United States and Iran following weeks of conflict.
The new program expands Domino Data Lab’s role in the Navy’s Project AMMO (Accelerated Machine Learning for Maritime Operations), which aims to improve underwater mine detection using AI-driven analysis of sonar and visual imaging data.
According to Reuters, the system allows the Navy to train, test, and deploy machine-learning models for unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), while monitoring performance and correcting errors in real time.
“Mine-hunting used to be a job for ships,” Domino Data Lab chief operating officer Thomas Robinson told Reuters. “It’s becoming a job for AI."
The contract is part of broader efforts to speed up military AI deployment. Before the program, updating detection models for new or unseen mines could take up to six months. Domino Data Lab says the process has now been reduced to days.
Iran Delivers New Negotiation Plan To Pakistan
Iran has delivered a new negotiation proposal to Pakistan, which is acting as mediator in talks with the United States.
Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported that the Islamic republic handed over the text of its latest plan on the evening of April 30, as part of efforts to end the ongoing conflict and advance diplomatic talks with Washington.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said in a televised interview that the “termination of war and a lasting peace” remain Tehran’s top priorities in any engagement with the United States.
While the Foreign Ministry continues diplomatic efforts, hard-line clerics and lawmakers have publicly opposed concessions on key issues, particularly the Strait of Hormuz. Senior lawmaker Mahmud Nabavian described the waterway as one of three “red lines,” alongside uranium enrichment and the removal of enriched material, that should not be included in any agreement.
IRNA did not provide details of the proposal. However, according to The Guardian, the plan is understood to focus on ending hostilities and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, while postponing detailed negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program to a later stage.
Asked by RFE/RL about the matter later on May 1, the White House said it would not disclose details of "private diplomatic conversations" but added that US President Donald Trump "has been clear that Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon" and that "negotiations continue to ensure the short and long-term national security of the United States."
The development comes after Trump rejected Iran’s previous proposal, which called for ending hostilities and reopening the Strait of Hormuz without linking it to nuclear negotiations. Iranian officials subsequently said they would submit a revised text.
Earlier this week, Trump urged Tehran to “act wisely as soon as possible” and sign a deal. US officials have said military options remain on the table if a deal is not reached, while Israel has also signaled it would support renewed strikes should Iran’s nuclear program continue unchecked.
Iran Executes 21-Year-Old Karate Champion Over January Protests
Iran has reportedly executed a 21-year-old protester arrested during demonstrations earlier this year.
Mizan News Agency, the official media arm of Iran’s judiciary, reported that Sasan Azadvar, a karate champion, was executed on April 30 after being convicted of “moharebeh” (enmity against God) over his role in protests in the central city of Isfahan.
Mizan reported that Azadvar was accused of attacking police, damaging a security vehicle, attempting to set it on fire, and inciting unrest during the January protests.
The Norway-based Iran Human Rights said Azadvar was executed at Isfahan's central prison.
The rights group said his conviction relied in part on forced confessions and that his family had been summoned for a final visit days before the execution.
RFE/RL can not independently confirm details about Azadvar's trial or whether he has been executed.
Iran Human Rights said he was the 10th protester executed in connection with demonstrations that began in December 2025 and continued into January.
At least 43 remain at risk of execution, Iran Human Rights said, including two women and three individuals under 18 at the time of their arrest.
Human rights groups have warned that Iran has ramped up executions since the nationwide protests and are using the death penalty to instill fear in society.
UAE Official Rejects Iranian Control Of Strait Of Hormuz
UAE diplomatic adviser Anwar Gargash rejected Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz, advocating for an international, law-based guarantee to ensure maritime security in the post-conflict region.
In a post on X on May 1, Gargash said: “the collective international will and provisions of international law emerge as the primary guarantor of freedom of navigation through this vital passage, serving the stability of the region and the global economy in the postwar phase.”
He added: “no unilateral Iranian arrangements can be trusted or relied upon following its treacherous aggression against all its neighbors.”
In recent days, Iranian officials have reiterated Tehran's intention to control the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global energy chokepoint. Nearly all of the UAE’s LNG exports, along with the majority of its crude oil exports, traditionally pass through the strait. Roughly 12–13 percent of the oil flowing through it originates from the UAE, according to energy transport data.
Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz to most international shipping, while the US Navy is stopping Iranian ships entering or exiting Iranian ports.
Gulf states have increasingly called for internationally backed maritime protection arrangements, arguing that unilateral control or interference by any single regional actor would threaten global energy stability.
Gargash’s remarks come against the backdrop of UN Security Council Resolution 2817, adopted in March and co-sponsored by 136 countries, which condemned threats to close the Strait of Hormuz and affirmed that impeding freedom of navigation through the waterway constitutes a threat to international peace and security.
US Legal Showdown Over War Powers Deadline
The US-Iran temporary cease-fire is triggering a major legal dispute in Washington as a key War Powers Resolution deadline looms.
According to Reuters, the Trump administration said the halt in fighting over the past several weeks means the conflict no longer counts as “active hostilities” under the War Powers Resolution. The law generally requires a president to seek approval from Congress after 60 days of military action.
The conflict began on February 28 with US and Israeli air strikes on Iran, followed by strikes from Tehran. While the cease-fire has largely held, Democrats in Congress argue that the law does not allow the administration to pause the timeline because of a truce.
The White House, however, maintains that the absence of ongoing fighting effectively stops the clock, reducing the need for immediate congressional action. With Republicans holding narrow majorities in Congress, no resolution is expected before the deadline.
US Treasury Secretary Says Iran's Currency Has Fallen To A Record Low
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says Iran’s currency has fallen to a record low amid mounting economic pressure and the US blockage of Iranian oil exports and shipping routes.
"With their oil industry closing and their currency plummeting, it is past time for the Iranian regime to concede that the people of Iran deserve much better than the ruins of their current regime can provide," he wrote on X.
"The Iranian people deserve a new era, which the corrupt and shambolic Iranian regime cannot provide" he added.
Air Defenses Activated In Tehran Amid Drone Reports
Air defense systems were activated in Iran’s capital late on April 30, with antiaircraft fire heard in several parts of the city as forces responded to suspected drones, Iranian media reported.
According to the Tasnim and Fars news agencies, both affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, the sounds were heard for about 20 minutes as air defenses targeted “small aircraft and reconnaissance drones” over Tehran. The reports said it was initially unclear whether the activity was part of a military test or an operational response.
The news agencies later reported that the systems had been used to counter aerial objects but provided no further details on their origin or whether any were shot down.
Iranian media said the activity stopped after roughly 20 minutes and that the situation in Tehran had returned to normal, with no reports of damage or casualties.
A cease-fire has paused direct fighting between Iranian and US forces since April 8.
We are now closing the live blog for the day. We'll be back at 7:30 a.m. Central European time to cover the latest events across the Middle East.
UAE Bans Travel Of Its Citizens To Iran, Lebanon, Iraq
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on April 30 said it was banning travel by Emirati nationals to Iran, Lebanon, and Iraq, citing the Middle East war and other security concerns.
Since the US and Israel launched their air strikes on Iran on February 38, Tehran has targeted Gulf countries with retaliatory missile and drone launches aimed at civilian and energy infrastructure and US-linked sites.
"In light of current regional developments, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announces a travel ban on UAE nationals traveling to the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Lebanese Republic, and the Republic of Iraq," state news agency WAM reported.
It said the Foreign Ministry urged "all UAE nationals currently in these countries to expedite their immediate return" to the UAE.
With reporting by AFP
'Of Course' Iran Will Play In Soccer World Cup, FIFA Chief Says
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said "of course" Iran will compete in World Cup matches in the US during a meeting of the soccer governing body's congress in Vancouver, Canada -- held without the Iranian delegation after an incident at the airport upon its arrival.
"Let me start at the outset. Of course, Iran will be participating at the FIFA World Cup 2026. And, of course, Iran will play in the United States of America," Infantino said on April 30.
"And the reason for that is very simple, we have to unite. It is my responsibility, our responsibility."
US President Donald Trump said he was "OK" with Iran playing at the world's most-watched sporting event.
"Well, if Gianni said it, I'm okay. Did Gianni say it?...You know what? Let them play. Well, Gianni's fantastic, he's a friend of mine. He talked about it," Trump told reporters.
Iran qualified for the tournament, set for June 11-July 19, but its participation has been in doubt amid the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran.
Tehran requested alternative venues for matches in the US, but the request was denied.
Iranian soccer federation officials, including President Mehdi Taj, were scheduled to attend the congress but turned back at the Toronto airport after what Tehran described as “unacceptable behavior” by Canadian immigration authorities.
Taj is a former member of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). Canadian officials said entry decisions were made on a case-by-case basis and individuals linked to the IRGC, which Canada designates as a terrorist organization, would not be allowed in the country.