Hormuz ship traffic rebounds but remains below pre-war levels - AP

US House Speaker Mike Johnson said President Donald Trump could get a fresh start on the 60-day deadline for congressional approval if the paused conflict with Iran flares up again.

“I suppose it would have to restart entirely,” Johnson told USA TODAY, referring to the War Powers Act deadline.

The law requires the president to withdraw troops from combat zones if Congress does not authorize their deployment within 60 days. That deadline passed nearly two months ago, with no request from Trump to Congress.

Johnson said he hoped Iran would “come to their senses” and allow the Strait of Hormuz to remain open for commerce.

He added that members of Congress were closely watching the negotiations and what comes next.

Iran rejected statements by Bahrain, the United States and several Western members of the UN Security Council on Thursday, saying they overlooked what Tehran described as unlawful US and Israeli attacks on Iran.

“I categorically reject the baseless allegation made by the United States once again the representative of the United States has resorted to lies and disinformation against Iran,” Iran’s UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani said.

“I also reject the unfounded accusation made by certain Western members of the Council and the representative of Bahrain,” he added.

Iravani said Bahrain and some Western members had sought to shift blame from what he described as aggression against Iran.

He said Iran’s recent strikes were defensive measures aimed at US military facilities and bases in the region, after US attacks on Iran.

"Defensive measures were directed against US military facilities and bases and assets in the region from which attacks against Iran were launched,” he said.

Iravani said Tehran remained committed to implementing the Islamabad memorandum of understanding, including provisions on the Strait of Hormuz.

US Ambassador to the UN Michael Waltz warned Thursday that President Donald Trump’s patience with Iran was “not unlimited,” as he accused Tehran of holding the world economy hostage by disrupting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

“Iran cannot, and we cannot allow it to, hold the world’s economy hostage,” Waltz told an emergency UN Security Council meeting on escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf after recent Iranian attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait.

Waltz said Iran had stopped ships from transiting the Strait of Hormuz regardless of whether they were carrying “fertilizers to farmers in Africa, aid to Sudan, fuel to Japan” or were involved in the conflict.

He said Iran must stop attacks on its neighbors and keep the international waterway open, adding that the UN Trade and Development agency had found Iran’s closure of the Strait would have lasting effects on 61 developing economies.

Despite diplomatic efforts, including a memorandum of understanding signed two weeks ago, Iran had not shown “a basic level of decency and respect,” Waltz said.

“I cannot stress enough the possibility of real transformative positive opportunity for the nation and people of Iran is on the table,” he said, adding: “But President Trump’s patience is not unlimited.”

Bahrain’s foreign minister told the UN Security Council on Thursday that Iran had launched 808 missile and drone attacks on the country since February 28, killing three civilians and injuring 465 others.

Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani said the attacks included 203 ballistic missiles and 605 armed drones, targeting civilian facilities, critical infrastructure and residential areas.

“These attacks deliberately targeted civilian facilities, critical infrastructure and residential areas, resulting in the deaths of three innocent civilians and injuries to 465 others,” he said.

Al-Zayani said the damage disproved Iran’s claim that its attacks were aimed only at military targets, citing an April 5 incident in which an Iranian drone struck an ammonia storage tank in a densely populated residential area.

“Had it not been for precautionary measures and the decision to empty the tank beforehand, the release of toxic ammonia gas could have caused a catastrophic humanitarian disaster,” he said.

He rejected Iran’s claim that the attacks were a response to another state’s actions, saying: “Bahrain is an independent sovereign nation that is not a party to any conflict.”

Al-Zayani said the attacks violated the UN Charter and Security Council resolution 2817, and were even more concerning because they continued after Iran committed under a memorandum of understanding to a permanent cessation of military operations.

He demanded an immediate and complete halt to the attacks and called on the Council to establish a mechanism to monitor implementation and ensure accountability.

“The credibility of this Council is measured by its ability to protect peaceful nations and deter aggressors,” al-Zayani said, adding: “We are confident that this Council will rise to that responsibility.”

Mojtaba Khamenei is unlikely to appear in public at his father Ali Khamenei’s funeral because of security concerns, India Today reported Thursday, citing an interview with Hakim Elahi, the supreme leader’s representative in India.

Elahi was quoted as saying that Mojtaba Khamenei wants to attend the funeral and lead prayers, but security officials have warned it would be too dangerous.

“I was in Iran last week and I visited some of my friends who met him and they said he wants to come out,” Elahi said. “Even he wanted to lead people by Salat because we have to pray on the dead body of Ayatollah Khomeini. But the security doesn’t allow him to come.”

“They said it’s very dangerous and we cannot provide security for him. And I think he will not come out,” he added.

Asked whether Ali Khamenei had named someone in his will to lead the funeral prayers, Elahi said: “No, he didn’t mention anyone to lead the prayers and actually if the condition was good, the new supreme leader is the one who is going to lead the people for the Salat and prayer.”

“But unfortunately the condition is not good,” he added. “They have very, very advanced technology and they can recognize him and they can follow him. Where is he. And it’s very dangerous for him. So because of that he will not come out.”

When the reporter noted that Israel’s defense minister had said Mojtaba Khamenei remained on the hit list, Elahi replied: “Yes, it’s very, very difficult.”