Iran war: Tehran says it will keep up 'intolerable' blockade
What you need to know
- US says ceasefire not over, but warns Iranian attacks on ships will be met with 'devastating' response
- Earlier, Iran's lead negotiator warned it is prepared for a standoff in Hormuz
- World leaders criticized an Iranian attack on the Fujairah oil hub in the UAE on Monday
- Iran neither confirmed nor denied attacking the UAE
Welcome to DW's coverage of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East on Tuesday, 5 May, 2026. Catch up yesterday's developments here.
Skip next section Iranian foreign minister to depart for China on Tuesday05/05/2026May 5, 2026Iranian foreign minister to depart for China on Tuesday
Alex Berry EditorIranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will travel to China on Tuesday for talks, the foreign ministry announced.
"During the visit, he will meet his Chinese counterpart (Wang Yi) to discuss bilateral ties and regional and international developments," the ministry said in a statement.
Araghchi's visit to Beijing comes amid stalled negotiations with the United States aimed at ending the war in the Middle East.
China is considered the main buyer of Iranian oil and gas.
How China insulated itself from Gulf oil crises
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https://p.dw.com/p/5DIq7Skip next section Iran war: What you need to know now05/05/2026May 5, 2026Iran war: What you need to know now
The Strait of Hormuz remains closed de facto despite Donald Trump's "Project Freedom" intiative.
The US military said two American-flagged merchant ships successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday with the support of Navy guided-missile destroyers.
Iran's parliament speaker and chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, accused the US of jeopardizing security in Hormuz and warned that his country had not "begun" testing the vital energy chokepoint.
Iran imposed a blockade on foreign shipping using the strait soon after the war began with a US-Israeli attack on Iran at the end of February.
The US then imposed a blockade on all traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports to strangle the Islamic Republic's main economic corridors.
https://p.dw.com/p/5DIndSkip next section Pakistan prime minister condemns attacks on UAE05/05/2026May 5, 2026Pakistan prime minister condemns attacks on UAE
Pakistan, a mediator between the US and Iran, condemned attacks on US-allied UAE and urged respect for US's ceasefire with Iran.
"Pakistan strongly condemns the missile and drone attacks on civilian infrastructure in the United Arab Emirates last night," Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote on X.
He expressed solidarity with the Emirati people and the government of the United Arab Emirates "at this difficult time."
"It is absolutely essential that the ceasefire be upheld and respected, to allow necessary diplomatic space for dialogue leading to enduring peace and stability in the region," Sharif added.
The UAE said Iran attacked oil facilities in Fujairah on Monday.
https://p.dw.com/p/5DHzoSkip next section What is 'Project Freedom' and is it working?05/05/2026May 5, 2026What is 'Project Freedom' and is it working?
On Sunday, President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that the US would help guide ships stranded due to Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump announced that the mission, dubbed "Project Freedom," would begin on Monday and involve vessels belonging to "neutral and innocent bystanders."
"The Ship movement is merely meant to free up people, companies, and Countries that have done absolutely nothing wrong — They are victims of circumstance." Trump wrote.
"This is a humanitarian gesture on behalf of the United States, Middle Eastern Countries but, in particular, the Country of Iran," he said.
How Iran exposed the limits of the US Navy
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How many ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz so far?
According to the US military, two American-flagged merchant ships successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday with the support of Navy guided-missile destroyers.
Iran denied that any such crossings had taken place, but Danish containership operator Maersk said its Alliance Fairfax, a US-flagged ship, exited the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz on Monday with the help of US military.
The commander of US forces in the region also said his fleet had destroyed six small Iranian boats, as well as cruise missiles and drones.
However, Iranian media quoted a military commander as saying that US forces had targeted civilian boats, killing five people.
On Monday, Iran also claimed to have fired on a US warship approaching the Strait of Hormuz, forcing it to turn around.
https://p.dw.com/p/5DHjoSkip next section Iran warns it will continue to block shipping in Hormuz05/05/2026May 5, 2026Iran warns it will continue to block shipping in Hormuz
Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Iran's parliament speaker and chief negotiator in talks with the United States, has warned that his country has "not even started" with its standoff in the Strait of Hormuz.
"We know full well that the continuation of the status quo is intolerable for America; whilst we have not even started yet," he wrote on X.
Qalibaf added that the actions of the US and its allies had put shipping security at risk, but said their "malign presence will diminish."
https://p.dw.com/p/5DHQRSkip next section South Korea weighing Trumps's request to join US efforts protect ships in Hormuz05/05/2026May 5, 2026South Korea weighing Trumps's request to join US efforts protect ships in Hormuz
South Korea's presidential office is reviewing whether the country can participate in a new initiative announced by US President Donald Trump, which he has named "Project Freedom," to help stranded ships travel through the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported.
Meanwhile, South Korea's Defense Ministry said it would "carefully review our position" regarding Trump's initiative but did not commit to making any changes.
The ministry said that Seoul would consider its stance based on international law, the safety of international maritime routes, its alliance with the US and the security situation on the Korean Peninsula.
An explosion and subsequent fire were reported aboard a South Korean cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday.
On Tuesday, South Korea's Foreign Ministry said that all 24 crew members aboard the damaged HMM Namu, including six South Korean nationals, were unharmed.
Trump said the incident should prompt South Korea to join American efforts to guide stranded ships through the strait.
https://p.dw.com/p/5DHLNSkip next section India condemns Iranian attack on UAE05/05/2026May 5, 2026India condemns Iranian attack on UAE
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs condemned the "unacceptable" drone strike on an energy facility in the UAE's Fujairah oil hub that injured three Indian nationals, without naming Iran as the instigator of the attack.
"We call for immediate cessation of these hostilities and the targeting of civilian infrastructure and innocent civilians," India's foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement on X, referring to the attack on the Fujairah oil hub that the UAE said Iran carried out.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condemned the attack and expressed solidarity with the UAE.
"Strongly condemn the attacks on the UAE that resulted in injuries to three Indian nationals. Targeting civilians and infrastructure is unacceptable," he wrote on X.
"Ensuring safe and unimpeded navigation through the Strait of Hormuz is vital for enduring regional peace, stability and global energy security," Modi added.
India relies heavily on imported energy and typically sources around half of its crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz.
https://p.dw.com/p/5DHJ8Skip next section Fire breaks out on commercial ships at Iran’s Dayyer port, Mehr News Agency reports05/05/2026May 5, 2026Fire breaks out on commercial ships at Iran’s Dayyer port, Mehr News Agency reports
Several commercial vessels caught fire at the southern Iranian port of Dayyer, according to a report by Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency.
Firefighting teams are working to contain the blaze, the agency said, adding the cause of the incident is not yet known.
The fire at the Iranian port comes amid reports that the UAE was attacked by Iran on Monday morning for the first time since a fragile ceasefire took hold in early April.
The Day with Phil Gayle: flash point Hormuz
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https://p.dw.com/p/5DHJdSkip next section Iran war: What to know if you're joining us now05/05/2026May 5, 2026Iran war: What to know if you're joining us now
Roshni Majumdar EditorEuropean leaders on Monday condemned Iran for its missile and drone strikes on the UAE, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen saying the attacks were "vicious" and a violation of international law.
German Chancellor Friedrih Merz also condemned the attack.
In contrast, US President Donald Trump sought to downplay the attack.
The UAE said it came under attack from Iran Monday morning for the first time since a fragile ceasefire took hold in early April. Iran neither confirmed nor denied the attack.
Plus, the US military said two American-flagged merchant ships had successfully transited the strait on Monday as part of a new initiative.
https://p.dw.com/p/5DHJ7Skip next section Hegseth to hold news conference, Trump says05/05/2026May 5, 2026Hegseth to hold news conference, Trump says
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, are due to hold a press conference on Tuesday, according to a social media post by US President Donald Trump.
Trump released no other details. The news conference will come a day after the US launched an effort to help vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.
https://p.dw.com/p/5DHEgSkip next section Tehran neither confirms nor denies attacks on Emirati oil port and ships05/05/2026May 5, 2026Tehran neither confirms nor denies attacks on Emirati oil port and ships
Following reports from the UAE of a missile and drone attack by Iran, Tehran has neither confirmed nor denied the attacks.
Earlier, Iranian state television quoted an anonymous military official as saying that Tehran had "no plan" to target the UAE or one of its oil fields.
"The incident resulted from US military adventurism to create an illegal passage," the official was quoted as saying about the oil facility attack, apparently referring to Trump's latest efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
On Sunday, President Donald Trump announced that the United States would launch an effort on Monday to "guide" ships stranded in the Gulf.
https://p.dw.com/p/5DHECSkip next section Iran: 'No military solution' to crisis 05/05/2026May 5, 2026Iran: 'No military solution' to crisis
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said early on Tuesday that there was "no military solution" to the "political crisis" in the Strait of Hormuz, a day after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said it moved to intercept a barrage of missiles and drones launched by Iran.
Araghchi said that peace talks were "making progress" thanks to the "gracious effort" of Pakistan and that the United States should be "wary of being dragged back into quagmire by ill-wishers."
Criticizing the ongoing US blockade on Iranian ports, he said "Project Freedom is Project Deadlock."
https://p.dw.com/p/5DH7USkip next section Germany condemns Iran attacks on UAE, urges Tehran to return to negotiations05/05/2026May 5, 2026Germany condemns Iran attacks on UAE, urges Tehran to return to negotiations
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has urged Iran's leadership to return to negotiations after Tehran launched missile and drone attacks on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday.
The UAE Defense Ministry said its air defenses intercepted a total of 12 ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles and four drones in the first Iranian attacks on the Gulf state since a ceasefire began almost four weeks ago.
"Tehran must return to the negotiating table and stop holding the region and the world hostage: The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz must end," Merz wrote on social media. "We strongly condemn these attacks. Our solidarity is with the people of the United Arab Emirates and our partners in the region."
Merz also reiterated his stances that "Tehran must not acquire a nuclear weapon" and that "There must be no further threats or attacks against our partners."
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also called for deescalation in the Middle East after the attacks.
"The UK condemns the drone and missile strikes targeting the United Arab Emirates," Starmer said. "The escalation must cease. Iran needs to engage meaningfully in negotiations to ensure the ceasefire in the Middle East endures, and a long-term diplomatic solution is achieved."
French President Emmanuel Macron said the Iranian strikes against civilian infrastructure in the UAE are "unjustified and unacceptable."
Talks between the United States and Iran, mediated by Pakistan, have so far failed to produce results, leaving a ceasefire agreed on April 8 appearing increasingly fragile.
Welcome to our coverage
Wesley Dockery EditorWelcome to DW's coverage of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East on Tuesday, 5 May, 2026.
Today, tensions over shipping in the Strait of Hormuz are rising after Iran attacked oil facilities in the UAE on Monday.
The US military said Tuesday it will escort commerical ships stranded in the Gulf, and warned Iran that any attacks on commerical shipping will be met with a "devastating" response.
Stay tuned for more throughout the day in this blog.
The Day with Phil Gayle: flash point Hormuz
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