Axios

Senator Roger Wicker stated that a rumored 60-day ceasefire would undermine gains from Operation Epic Fury. President Trump posted that a memorandum of understanding has been largely negotiated and that talks are proceeding constructively without rushing. The US blockade of Iranian ports, imposed April 13 following strikes that began February 28, remains in effect while Iran has halted most Strait of Hormuz traffic.

Axios reported a draft 60-day memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, lift port blockades, and issue sanctions waivers for oil sales in exchange for mine clearance and nuclear talks. The outline remains unconfirmed by Iran and has not been finalized. CNN reported that President Trump described an agreement as largely negotiated.

Pope Leo XIV signed the 43,000-word encyclical Magnifica Humanitas at St. Peter's on May 15, 2026, exactly 135 years after Rerum Novarum. The document urges restraint on AI development. A separate report states the Pope apologized for the Church's historical involvement in slavery.