Links to SIX reports: from Reuters, the Cradle, National Public Radio, and the Associated Press, and to commentaries from the Cradle and ScheerPost; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials. (Scroll up for UKRAINE and LEBANON, and down for IRAN 6-1-26.) — MCM

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Iran studying deal to halt war as stalemate persists. From Reuters. DUBAI — Iran is reviewing a proposed agreement with the United States to halt their war, Iran’s Mehr news reported today, after U.S. President Donald Trump said talks to reach a deal were continuing. READ MORE . . .

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U.S. pressures Oman to sever ties with Iran: report. From the Cradle. White House officials are pressuring Oman to distance itself from Tehran and sever diplomatic relations with the Islamic Republic, allegedly growing “increasingly frustrated” with Muscat’s neutral stance, the Wall Street Journal reported today, citing U.S. and Arab officials. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 1  Iran calls off talks with U.S. over Israeli strikes in Lebanon, Gaza. Reported by Hadeel Al-Shalchi | NPR  Iran says it is suspending all talks with the U.S. due to Israel’s expanding occupations in Lebanon and Gaza.  Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., shares his thoughts on the U.S.-Iran peace talks. Leila Fadel of NPR asks Democratic Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, for his view of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire and negotiations. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Iran’s inflation hits World War II levels, deepening economic pain, by Jon Gambrell and Nasser Karimi | AP  DUBAI — Year-on-year inflation in Iran reached a level in May unseen since World War II, underlining the economic pain average Iranians face as the Islamic Republic worries about the war with Israel and the United States restarting. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for same AP report in Spanish; and HERE for others.

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Iranians back online after a government-imposed blackout. Reported by Arezou Rezvani | NPR  People in Iran are back online after a government-imposed digital blackout that lasted nearly three months. Reconnecting has been bittersweet for many Iranians. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM JUNE 1  Why Oman now holds the key to Hormuz, by Omar Ahmad | The Cradle  On May 5, Iran announced the establishment of the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, a body presented by Tehran as a mechanism for regulating transit through the Strait of Hormuz and collecting fees from commercial passage. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 1  Trump: ‘We shouldn’t have been in Iran,’ by Joshua Scheer | ScheerPost  In an interview conducted not by a journalist but by his daughter-in-law on Fox News, Trump stumbled into a confession that cuts through months of White House triumphalism, media cheerleading, and endless declarations of victory. He casually admitted something extraordinary. Click HERE for article and video of interview with Lara Trump.

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