HSBC, Standard Chartered linked to alleged Iran laundering scheme – Telegraph

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said talks with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz are “going well” and that the United States was not far from reaching a deal.

“There are negotiations with the Iranians going on, despite what you hear in the chatter in public, I think those are actually going well,” Wright said on Fox News Sunday.

Wright added that President Donald Trump was “a creative negotiator” and predicted “a nice end of this conflict.”

He also said restarting shipping would take some time once the strait is reopened, but “probably not too much time.”

Iranian-born US permanent resident Shamim Mafi was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on charges of brokering arms deals for Tehran, including drones, bombs and ammunition allegedly destined for Sudan, the New York Post reported, citing the office of the US Attorney for the Central District of California.

The report said Shamim Mafi, 44, of Woodland Hills, was taken into custody on Saturday night and accused of using an Oman-registered company to arrange weapons sales as recently as 2025.

Among the alleged deals was a contract worth more than $70 million for Iranian-made Mohajer-6 armed drones from Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics, the report said.

The report added that prosecutors alleged phone records showed contact between Mafi and Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security between December 2022 and June 2025.

Mafi told investigators she had never been tasked by Iran to conduct activities in the United States, according to the report.

In a post on X, US Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli said Mafi faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison if convicted.

“She is charged with a violation of 50 U.S.C. § 1705 for brokering the sale of drones, bombs, bomb fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition manufactured by Iran and sold to Sudan,” Essayli said.

Essayli added that Mafi is expected to make her initial court appearance on Monday afternoon in US District Court in downtown Los Angeles.

An Iranian delegation will arrive in Pakistan on Tuesday for talks with the United States, CNN reported citing Iranian sources familiar with the negotiations.

The report cited the sources as saying the team is expected to be the same as in the previous round, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

Iran expects a symbolic joint announcement extending the ceasefire on Wednesday, the sources said, according to the report.

The report added that if talks proceed smoothly and US President Donald Trump agrees to travel to Islamabad, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian would also attend for a joint meeting where the sides could sign an “Islamabad declaration.”

Vice President JD Vance will lead the American delegation to Islamabad for talks with Iran, ABC News reported citing an interview with US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz.

Earlier, the New York Post reported that Vance would not attend the talks. The report cited an interview with President Donald Trump, who said Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff would travel to Pakistan for the negotiations, adding that his son-in-law Jared Kushner would also be involved.

President Donald Trump said Iran had violated the ceasefire by firing shots in the Strait of Hormuz, adding that Washington was offering a fair deal and that US representatives will arrive in Islamabad on Monday for negotiations with Tehran.

“Iran decided to fire bullets yesterday in the Strait of Hormuz — a total violation of our ceasefire agreement,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

“My Representatives are going to Islamabad, Pakistan — They will be there tomorrow evening, for Negotiations,” he added.

“We’re offering a very fair and reasonable DEAL, and I hope they take it,” Trump said.

“If they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran,” he added.

“NO MORE MR. NICE GUY! They’ll come down fast, they’ll come down easy and, if they don’t take the DEAL, it will be my Honor to do what has to be done, which should have been done to Iran, by other Presidents, for the last 47 years. IT’S TIME FOR THE IRAN KILLING MACHINE TO END!” Trump said.