AMNA NAWAZ: Welcome to the "News Hour."

An American delegation led by Vice President J.D.

Vance will soon be leave for Pakistan to resume talks with Iran over the nearly two-month war.

GEOFF BENNETT: Iranian officials have been noncommittal about attending the next round of talks.

President Trump also sent mixed signals, predicting success, even as he warned the war could drag on.

It follows a tense weekend around the Strait of Hormuz.

Our White House correspondent, Liz Landers, begins our coverage.

MAN: Motor vessel Touska, motor vessel Touska, vacate your engine room.

Vacate your engine room.

We're prepared to subject you to disabling fire.

(WEAPONS FIRE) LIZ LANDERS: Yesterday, in contested waters, a show of U.S.

force.

Marines seized and disabled an Iranian cargo ship.

U.S.

officials alleged the vessel tried to evade its naval cordon.

This is the first such interception of the U.S.

's over a week-long blockade of Iranian ports, yet, today, signs of renewed peace talks after a weekend of mixed signals.

A source tells PBS "News Hour" a U.S.

delegation led by Vice President J.D.

Vance plans to travel to Pakistan soon.

Iran has issued conflicting messages about its plans to attend.

The regime's Foreign Ministry said the U.S.

lacks -- quote -- "seriousness."

ESMAEIL BAGHAEI, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman (through translator): We witnessed that the United States insisted on bad faith and violation of the cease-fire.

We are still in a state of war.

A cease-fire has been announced, but unfortunately it has been met from the very beginning with repeated violations.

And the announcement that Iran's ports and vessels would be targeted by the United States has complicated the situation.

LIZ LANDERS: Israel, the U.S.

's ally in the war, won't be participating in the talks, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu touted Israel's war fighting during a Memorial Day celebration today.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, Israeli Prime Minister (through translator): Our pilots control the skies of the region as irrefutable proof of our superiority over the Iranian axis.

We have not yet finished the task, but the world already recognizes our determination to defend ourselves, not only to defend ourselves, but to defend humanity from barbaric fanaticism.

Small Israel and our great friend the United States carry the entire Western civilization on their shoulders.

MAN: If you attempt to run the blockade, we will compel compliance with force.

Over.

LIZ LANDERS: The U.S.

military released another video today showing their enforcement operations on Iranian ports.

The blockade stretches from the eastern tip of Oman to Iran's border with Pakistan.

(BELL RINGING) LIZ LANDERS: Meantime, rough sailing on global energy markets.

Today's opening trades were a sharp turnaround from Friday, when oil prices tumbled.

Now climbing oil prices and slipping U.S.

stock prices roiled global markets.

China, a major importer of Iranian oil, urged U.S.

restraint.

GUO JIAKUN, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson (through translator): China expresses concern over the United States' forced interception of relevant vessels, and hopes that the parties concern will act in a responsible manner and create the necessary conditions for the restoration of normal passage through the strait.

LIZ LANDERS: While the U.S.

has maintained its blockade of Iranian ports, Iran lifted and then reimposed its own blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

This comes as two Indian ships were forced to reverse course in the strait over the weekend following reports of Iranian gunfire.

MAN (through translator): Sepah Navy.

Sepah Navy.

This is motor tanker Sanmar Herald.

You gave me clearance to go.

My name second on your list.

You gave me clearance to go.

You are firing now.

Let me turn back.

LIZ LANDERS: Indian officials said today they have been in touch with Iranian counterparts, and since, Saturday's incident, another ship has safely crossed the strait.

Key Gulf Arab energy producers lost at least 40 percent of their crude oil output in March, according to OPEC, roughly equivalent to the combined output of U.S.

oil giants ExxonMobil and Chevron.

Yet U.S.

officials say pressure, including financial sanctions and maritime enforcement, is intended to bring Iran back to the negotiating table.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright appeared on CNN yesterday.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN Host: When will it be?

CHRIS WRIGHT, U.S.

Energy Secretary: I think after a deal is reached, after a deal is reached.

It won't be in the too-distant-future.

People are ready to go.

Ships are there.

The United States put through two warships through the straits.

We can open it one way or the other.

But the best way to do it is to have an end to the conflict and a defanged and de-armed Iran.

We're also going after their financial tentacles, which are spread all throughout the region and around the world.

LIZ LANDERS: While ships at both ends of one of the world's most volatile maritime corridors wait for clearance, risking interception from U.S.

or Iranian forces, the deadline of the temporary two-week cease-fire draws close.

And even with the vice president heading to Islamabad, that cease-fire appears likely to expire overnight tomorrow, Amna.

AMNA NAWAZ: Liz, I know you spoke to President Trump directly this morning about the war in Iran and much more.

Tell us about that.

LIZ LANDERS: I called him around 8:00 a.m.

we just had a few minutes to speak on the phone.

But I asked him first about this cease-fire, which is expected to expire tomorrow evening.

And I said, what happens if there is no deal that is reached by then?

And he said, "Then lots of bombs start going off."

Of course, the United States has not bombed Israel in the last few weeks since the cease-fire has held.

AMNA NAWAZ: Iran, rather, not Israel.

(CROSSTALK) LIZ LANDERS: Oh sorry.

Yes.

LIZ LANDERS: Yes, has not bombed Iran.

Sorry about that.

I also asked him about Iran participating in these peace talks in Islamabad and whether they would show up and be there.

We have questions about that still.

The president told me he didn't know if the Iranians were going to show up, but he did say that the United States agreed to be there.

And he said: "That's fine too if they don't show up."

I asked about the key objective for these talks in Islamabad.

And he said: "No nuclear weapons.

It's very simple.

Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon."

AMNA NAWAZ: You also asked him this very important question about potential conflicts of interest about his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and his diplomatic role, because he also has business interests in the Middle East.

What did he say about that?

LIZ LANDERS: Jared Kushner started a venture capital firm in 2021 after the end of the first Trump presidency.

It's called Affinity Partners.

And he has raised money from the Saudis, from their public investment fund, and from other countries in the Middle East region.

I asked the president if it was appropriate for Kushner to be negotiating about matters of war and peace in the Middle East while he has this investment fund that has raised money there.

He told me -- the first quote that he said to me is: "Well, he was there before, a long time before, and he's purely negotiating for the fact that they're not going to have a nuclear weapon.

Whether you have business or not, everyone knows that's the right thing.

He's a very good negotiator."

So then I started to ask a follow-up question.

The president kept going.

And he said: "i sent my A team.

I sent my A team.

He's done an excellent job.

He doesn't participate with Saudi now, as you know.

He's taken -- he doesn't do that.

He has a business, but he doesn't participate now."

Kushner is not actively raising money from the Saudis right now.

And we got a statement from his lawyer from Affinity Partners.

The chief legal officer, Ian Brekke, told us that: "Affinity had early conversations with its anchor investor and does not intend to take any additional capital while Jared is volunteering for the government.

An SEC-registered investment firm, Affinity has abided by all laws and regulations and will continue to do so."

As a volunteer right now, he is not subject to financial disclosure forms.

AMNA NAWAZ: Meanwhile, we saw the energy secretary, Chris Wright, on CNN earlier, and he mentioned he doesn't foresee gas prices coming down to under $3 a gallon until next year.

You asked the president about that.

What did he say?

LIZ LANDERS: This was the last question we got to.

I asked if this was a concern for the upcoming midterm elections in November.

The president told me: "I disagree with him totally," meaning Secretary Wright.

"I think it's going to come roaring down if it ends.

If we end it," meaning the war, "if Iran does what they should do, it will come roaring down."

The president has said this a number of times, though, I would say, Amna.

He keeps saying that gas prices are going to fall.

So far, we have not really seen that.

Americans are still feeling the pain at the pump.

AMNA NAWAZ: Terrific reporting, as always.

Our White House correspondent, Liz Landers, thank you.