Bernd Debusmann Jr
reporting from the White House

As of now, there is little expectation that we will see Donald Trump on-camera today. All his events are currently marked as "closed press", meaning that reporters have no access.

Among those events is a meeting at 15:30 (2030BST) this afternoon with Mark Rutte, the secretary-general of Nato.

The meeting between the two men - their eighth - comes at a difficult time in relations between the alliance and its largest member.

Trump has repeatedly criticised the alliance, referring to it as a "paper tiger" that has failed to come to America's aid during the conflict with Iran.

"They haven't been our friends when we needed them," Trump recently told Reuters.

Those tensions, however, stretch back to before Operation Epic Fury began, and were intensified by disagreements over the fate of Greenland, a Danish territory that Trump has set his sights upon despite vocal protests from European allies.

Rutte, whom Trump is known to be personally fond of, will be hoping that today's meeting can help smooth over those tensions, at least temporarily.

Joel Gunter
Reporting from Jerusalem

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has just given a public address from Jerusalem in which he denied reports that Israel had been sidelined in the ceasefire arrangement between the US and Iran.

In the message, Netanyahu says that he and President Trump “talk every day” and that Trump had recently told him “you are great."

The Israeli prime minister has been careful not to deviate publicly from President Trump, and in the hours after the ceasefire announcement this morning he published a — somewhat muted — message supporting the US president on the temporary deal.

But it is likely that this is a deal Netanyahu did not want. He is in an election year, and there is a sense here that he is not able to articulate a coherent success story around this war.

His stated aims — of regime change, and of removing Iran’s ability to fire ballistic missiles and drones into Israel — have clearly not been achieved.

In a notable shift in language, during his address, Netanyahu said that Israel had “set back” the Iranian regime “by many years”, when just days ago he was claiming to have “pulverised” Iran and “removed” the perceived existential threat to Israel for good.

Image source, Israel Prime Minister's Office

A few minutes ago we heard from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who made a statement in Hebrew.

Here's a summary of what we heard:

• Netanyahu suggests that Israel is prepared to resume the conflict with Iran if "required", saying that "our finger" remains on the trigger
• After further strikes in Lebanon today, he says that Israel said that the temporary ceasefire would not include Hezbollah. "We're continuing to hit at them strongly," he adds, saying that today was "the greatest blow" attacking 100 targets in 10 minutes
• He says the ceasefire deal struck on Tuesday evening was done in co-ordination with Israel, and denies they were notified at the last minute

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House

We are hearing very different things from the White House and from the Iranian side about the latest developments.

For one, Leavitt just made clear that from Trump's perspective, Lebanon is not included in the ceasefire - a fact she said has been "conveyed to all sides" of the conflict.

That stands in stark contrast to what we heard from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps earlier when they promised a "regret-inducing response" if strikes in Lebanon continue.

Notably, that IRGC warning was delivered both to the "oath-breaking" US and to Israel.

Similarly, the current status of Iran's security posture in the Strait of Hormuz remains unclear. Leavitt herself said that "what they're saying publicly is different privately."

The most significant unanswerered question is how Iran's highly-enriched uranium - which Leavitt referred to as Trump's "red line" - will be handled, even though she said that Iran has signalled a willingness to hand the material over.

Leavitt is asked if Trump is considering withdrawing the US from the Nato alliance.

"Its something the president has discussed, and I think its something the president will be discussing in a couple of hours with Secretary General Rutte," she says.

"And perhaps you'll hear directly from the president following that meeting later this afternoon."

Asked whether "regime change" will lead to greater freedom for the Iranian people, Leavitt says it's a "little too early" to answer that question.

"We hope that's the case but it's something that is yet to be seen," she says.

Next is a question about whether it is acceptable for Iran to charge a toll for ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

Leavitt refers to Trump's comment overnight in which he called for the immediate reopening of the strait, which she clarified meant "without limitation, including tolls".

Trump's threat that "a whole civilisation will die" unless a deal was agreed has repeatedly come up during this news conference.

Leavitt says Trump's message was a "strong threat" but "not an empty threat" against Iran - and ultimately it led Iranian leaders to agree to a deal.

She is then asked about Nato's role in the conflict.

"Nato was tested and they failed," Leavitt says, directly quoting President Trump.

She adds that it's "sad that Nato has turned their backs on the American people, when it's the American people who've been funding their defence".

She says that Trump and Nato Secretary General Rutte are holding a meeting at the White House later today, and Trump will have "a frank and candid conversation with him in regards to this".

Leavitt is asked about reports Iran's air defences have been activated and if bombing has continued.

She says she has not seen the reports and needs to check, calling it "a fragile" situation.

The White House secretary says communications are "difficult" in Iran right now, and asks for some patience in looking into these reports.

Leavitt says that Trump is considering an outcome under which the US earns revenue from ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

"It's something the president has floated," she says, adding that it is something negotiators will discuss in Islamabad.

She says Trump's immediate priority is to open the strait without limitations.

That, and Trump's demand that Iran turn over its enriched uranium, are "on the top of the priority list" for negotiators.

Leavitt is asked about Vice President JD Vance and China's role in the ceasefire between the US and Iran.

Vance's role is "very significant", Leavitt says, adding that he has been involved in all discussions and will be going to Islamabad for negotiations.

China has also been in touch with the US government, and Trump has great respect for Chinese President Xi Jinping, she says.

Image source, Getty Images

Leavitt is asked about how Trump can claim the moral highground after threatening to destroy the Iranian "civilisation" on social media before the ceasefire was agreed.

Leavitt replies that Iran has been a "rogue regime" that has been chanting "death to America" for decades.

"The president absolutely has the moral high ground," she says, adding that to suggest otherwise is "insulting".

Trump said hours before the ceasefire was agreed that "a whole civilisation will die tonight" unless Iran agreed to a deal.

The president is sending his negotiating team to Islamabad, Pakistan, says Leavitt.

The team will consist of Vice-President JD Vance, Trump adviser Steve Witkoff, and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

The talks will begin on Saturday morning local time, she says, adding: "We look forward to those in-person meetings."

Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire between the US and Iran, Leavitt says.

Trump and Netanyahu spoke last night, and the Israeli prime minister supports the efforts of the ceasefire and will be a key partner in the negotiations, she says.

Asked if Lebanon could potentially join a ceasefire deal, she says it will continue to be discussed.

Leavitt is asked about Trump's threat to destroy a whole civilisation, and whether it's appropriate for the president of the US to say this.

"I understand questions about the rhetoric but what he cares about is results," says Leavitt. "And his tough style is what led to this result that you're all witnessing today."

She's then asked if the world should not take Trump's words seriously.

"The world should take his words very seriously," she says. "And understand the president is always most interested in results."

Image source, Getty Images

Leavitt is asked about reports in Iranian state media that the Strait of Hormuz is closed, despite its opening being a condition of the temporary ceasefire.

Leavitt says Trump has been made aware of the reports, which she describes as "unacceptable".

But she says what is being said publicly is different to what is being said privately - saying there has been an "uptick" in traffic today.

She reiterates Trump's expectation for the strait to be opened "immediately", adding it has been relayed to him privately that that is what is taking place and reports suggesting otherwise are false.

Leavitt is now taking questions from reporters.

She is first asked what President Trump's message is to the American people about what has been achieved for them.

Trump wanted to take out the threat of Iran and eliminate its nuclear aspirations, Leavitt says.

"That threat has now been greatly destroyed," she says.

Now comes the negotiating period, she says, and in the next phase there will be long-term peace.

Leavitt says the American military has created "maximum leverage" for President Trump and his negotiators to come up with an opening for diplomatic solutions.

She says Iran had to agree the ceasefire because it "could no longer tolerate being bombed, or taking the gamble of what was to come following President Trump's 20:00 deadline last night".

Iran has agreed to open the strait of Hormuz, says Leavitt, who says the US has received a proposal from Iran that acts as a "workable basis" on which to negotiate.

"I've seen a lot of incorrect coverage today from the media about these negotiations and these plans already," Leavitt says, adding that she will "correct the record".

The White House press secretary says Iran had initially put forward a 10-point plan that was "fundamentally unserious, unacceptable and completely disregarded". She says it "was literally thrown in the garbage" by Trump and his team.

She says media outlets have falsely reported on that plan as being acceptable to the US, and goes on to say that Iran "acknowledged reality" and put forward a "more reasonable" plan to the US.

She says it is "absurd" to think that Trump would ever accept an "Iranian wish list" that would allow it to enrich uranium.

Leavitt says the US destroyed Iran's military-industrial base which they used to "terrorise the world", as well as set back the country's ability to make missiles and drones.

Iran's navy has been "annihilated", she adds, noting they now have "zero submarines" and 97% of their naval mines have been destroyed. The Air Force is also now functionally "irrelevant".

Most importantly, she says, Iran cannot get a nuclear weapon.

Leavitt claims that before Operation Epic Fury, Iran was "aggressively" expanding its short-range missile capability, which it aimed to use as a shield around the country to pursue its ultimate goal, which she says was to build nuclear weapons.

Leavitt says Iran's command structure was destroyed and its remaining leadership is now living in fear, and no longer enjoys the freedom to move around openly.

Bernd Debusmann Jr
reporting from the White House

Image source, Getty Images

Karoline Leavitt quickly began her briefing today by declaring Operation Epic Fury a "victory" that was accomplished within Trump's self-imposed four-to-six week timeline.

From the White House's perspective, the core objectives of the campaign - ending Iran's nuclear programme and destroying their navy and drone and missile programmes - have been successful, and officials have been "swift and successful".

What happens next, however, is much more complicated. All we really know is that the Trump administration sees in the ceasefire an "opening" for further talks about a "workable" proposal from Iran.

It is still unclear what, exactly, was in Iran's "modified" proposal - which Leavitt said was given in response to Trump's threats yesterday. Nor are we likely to hear much in the the way of "official" details about the progress of the talks, which will take place behind closed doors.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is speaking to reporters from the White House.

We will bring you the latest lines as we get them and you can also watch live at the top of the page.

As we've just reported, Netanyahu has also just been speaking - we will also bring you updates from his statement shortly.