He said Israel’s campaign against Iran was not yet complete and revealed he remains in frequent contact with U.S. President Donald Trump .

“We still need to complete the mission. I speak with President Trump about this every day - almost every day, every two days. We still have work to finish,” he said.

Netanyahu also highlighted the growing threat posed by drones, citing Iran’s Shahed drones and more advanced systems under development.

“I have no doubt that here too we will become the first country in the world to truly deliver a solution,” he said, referring to drone defence capabilities.

Turning to the war in Gaza, Netanyahu claimed Israeli forces had expanded their control over the territory.

He said the Israel Defense Forces now control about 60 percent of Gaza, up from 50 percent, and that he had instructed the military to increase that figure to 70 percent.

“We are squeezing them from every direction. We will deal with the remnants,” he said, referring to Hamas.

Netanyahu also outlined a broader vision for Israel’s role in regional energy networks, predicting that future oil and gas routes would increasingly connect the Gulf to the Mediterranean through Israel.

“We can further strengthen Israel’s power and truly turn ourselves into a global player,” he said.

On domestic policy , the prime minister said he had instructed officials to establish new communities as part of efforts to expand settlement and development projects across what he described as the Land of Israel.

“Our plan is first to draft a memorandum of understanding, a framework agreement consisting of 14 articles,” Baqaei said.

He said the proposed document would address issues including the end of what Iran describes as a U.S. naval blockade and the release of frozen Iranian assets.

“The end of US naval aggression… along with issues related to the release of Iran’s frozen assets, are the main topics addressed by this memorandum,” he added.

Baqaei said the nuclear issue would not be dealt with in detail at this stage, despite repeated U.S. demands for it to remain central to negotiations.

“The nuclear issue was a pretext for two aggressive wars against the Iranian people ,” he said.

He added that Tehran was prioritising efforts to end the conflict “on all fronts, including Lebanon.”

Baqaei thanked Pakistan for mediating talks between Tehran and Washington, with support from regional actors including Qatar, and said detailed discussions could continue for between 30 and 60 days.

The comments come amid ongoing tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has restricted access for what it calls “unfriendly” countries while the United States maintains a naval blockade on Iranian ports.

Earlier this week, Baqaei said Iran was coordinating with Oman and other regional parties on a mechanism governing navigation through the strategic waterway.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Washington wanted the Strait of Hormuz to remain “free” and insisted that “no fees should be imposed.”

Trump also claimed the U.S. had “full control” over the strait and described the naval blockade on Iran as “100% effective.”

“We declare very clearly that the current situation in the Strait of Hormuz and its global economic consequences are solely the responsibility of the initiators of the war against Iran,” Iravani said on Saturday.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world ’s most important oil shipping routes, carrying a significant share of global energy supplies.

The latest tensions follow months of conflict between Iran, the United States and Israel. Earlier this week, U.S. President Donald Trump described the ceasefire with Iran as being on “massive life support” and rejected Tehran’s latest proposal as “garbage,” “stupid” and “unacceptable.”

Iran’s Foreign Ministry defended the proposal, calling it “generous” and saying it included demands for an end to the war, the lifting of what it described as “maritime piracy,” and the release of Iranian assets frozen under U.S. pressure.

The United States and Israel launched a joint military operation against Iran on February 28. Iran later confirmed the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and announced that his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, would succeed him.

Tehran responded with missile strikes targeting Israel and several countries in the region.

On April 8, Trump announced a two-week truce to allow negotiations aimed at ending the crisis. The ceasefire was later extended indefinitely pending further Iranian proposals.

Pakistan hosted a first round of talks between U.S. and Iranian officials in Islamabad on April 11, but the negotiations ended without a breakthrough. A second round of talks has yet to take place.

Araghchi made the comments on the sidelines of the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi, held on May 14 and 15 under India ’s chairmanship. The gathering was overshadowed by divisions over the Iran conflict and ended without a joint statement.

Despite the impasse, Araghchi said Tehran had received messages indicating Washington was willing to continue talks.

His remarks came after U.S. President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s latest response, calling it “totally unacceptable” and warning that the ceasefire was on “life support.”

During a visit to China, Trump said he discussed the conflict with Chinese President Xi Jinping, claiming Beijing supported efforts to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Zohrevand compared the negotiation model to the 2020 killing of George Floyd in the United States.

“In their view, negotiation is like one side being the American police and the other side like Mr. George Floyd’s neck under the policeman's knee. We do not accept such an equation at all. We are a powerful country, and we strongly stand by and defend our national security interests,” he added.

George Floyd, an African American man, died in 2020 after US police officers knelt on his neck for several minutes in Minneapolis. The incident led to widespread protests across the United States against police violence.

On April 8, Trump announced a two-week truce with Iran to allow negotiations aimed at resolving the crisis. The truce was later extended “until Tehran submits its proposals,” without a specified deadline.

A round of negotiations between the US and Iran, mediated by Pakistan, took place in Islamabad on April 11 but did not produce an agreement. A second round has not yet been scheduled.

“I don’t call it a war. I’d rather have a military operation,” Trump said. “Iran is dying to make a deal.”

He added that Iran “want[s] to make a deal badly,” but said uncertainty over Iran’s leadership had complicated negotiations.

“We have a problem because nobody knows for sure who the leaders are,” Trump said. “The leaders have been wiped out along with their military, almost all of their military.”

Trump’s comments came after Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, released a statement promising what he described as a “new chapter” for the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. Khamenei said the region’s future would be one “without America ,” and warned that foreign powers had no place in the waters of the Gulf.

“Outsiders who, driven by greed, come from thousands of miles away to stir trouble have no place there, except at the bottom of its waters,” the statement read.

A first round of talks in Islamabad last month failed to produce a deal, while a planned second round did not materialise. Trump later moved to extend the existing ceasefire to allow more time for negotiations, Viory reports.

Pakistan has played a key role as a mediator between the two sides, but major disagreements remain, including over Iran’s nuclear programme and control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Sharif said Pakistan remained in contact with Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who recently visited Islamabad before travelling to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The prime minister also warned that disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz were putting pressure on global oil prices, forcing Pakistan to reassess domestic fuel costs.

The first round of U.S.-Iran talks ended without a breakthrough, while a planned second round has yet to take place. Tensions have remained high since joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28 triggered retaliatory attacks and restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

He also criticised what he described as “double standards” by some delegations regarding tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and broader maritime actions.

“They assert the navigational rights must not be threatened, but deliberately ignore the United States' unlawful action, including the imposition of maritime blockade and its recent terrorist attack on Iran's commercial vessels, the conduct that bears the hallmarks of piracy and hostage-taking and act like a pirate and terrorist group,” he stated.

“We worked shoulder to shoulder alongside the IDF, [...] exerting influence based on relative advantages and a true partnership in striking targets in the heart of Tehran, thwarting senior officials [and] achieving air superiority,” he said.

Barnea said the agency’s activities this year in Lebanon and Iran “broke boundaries” and extended its operational reach.

“We obtained strategic and tactical intelligence at the core of the enemy's secrets. We demonstrated new and groundbreaking operational capabilities in the target countries,” he asserted.

He added that the operations have “strengthened” Israel’s position and emphasised continued readiness and intelligence efforts.

“We are committed to operational intelligence audacity and we are committed to the principle of action. We will not rest on our laurels when facing a threat. We will act with full force,” he said.

Netanyahu also warned that Israel would continue operations against threats from Lebanon. “We maintain full freedom of action against any threat. Even emerging threats,” he said, adding that Israel was determined to restore security for residents in the north.

His remarks come as a fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire remains under strain, following weeks of fighting and disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz. Talks held in Islamabad earlier this month failed to produce a breakthrough.

In Lebanon, cross-border fire between Israel and Hezbollah has continued despite calls for de-escalation. Lebanese officials have accused Israel of violating sovereignty through air strikes and incursions, while Israel says its operations are aimed at pushing Hezbollah away from the border.

Data shows the U.S. leading with a 26% market share, generating approximately $8.9 billion, while China follows closely with 22% and $7.4 billion, underscoring a continued duopoly at the top of the global theatrical market.

Together, the two markets contributed roughly $16.3 billion, highlighting their outsized influence on global cinema performance, distribution strategies, and studio investment decisions.

Beyond the top two, the global box office landscape remains fragmented. Japan and India each captured 5% of the market, bringing in $1.8 billion and $1.5 billion, respectively, reflecting consistent domestic demand and strong local film industries.

In Europe, the UK & Ireland and France posted 4% shares, generating $1.5 billion and $1.3 billion, while Germany accounted for 3% ($1.0 billion). These figures indicate a stable but comparatively smaller contribution from mature Western markets.

Mexico also recorded 3% of global revenue at $0.8 billion, continuing its role as a key Latin American market.

Further down the rankings, South Korea and Australia each held 2% market shares, with revenues of $0.7 billion apiece. While smaller in absolute terms, these markets are increasingly influential due to strong local production ecosystems and international content exports, particularly from South Korea.

The top 10 global markets collectively generated $25.6 billion, according to the data , reflecting a continued recovery trajectory for theatrical exhibition following pandemic-era disruptions.

Analysts at Gower Street note that while Hollywood and Chinese productions continue to anchor global revenues, regional content is playing an increasingly important role in driving local box office performance. Comscore data further indicates that audience preferences are becoming more localised, even as global franchises maintain cross-border appeal.

Strategic implications

The concentration of revenue in the U.S. and China reinforces their strategic importance for studios, particularly in release scheduling, co-productions, and regulatory navigation. At the same time, growth in markets like India and South Korea points to shifting dynamics, where regional industries are not just supporting but reshaping global cinema trends.

The comment came after Trump reportedly reposted criticism of birthright citizenship in the United States that used the term to refer to India, China and others. A U.S. embassy spokesperson later sought to ease concerns, stressing the strength of U.S.-India relations and noting that Trump had praised India’s leadership.

Jaiswal also addressed maritime security concerns linked to tensions around the Strait of Hormuz. He said Indian nationals were aboard two foreign-owned vessels recently fired upon, but confirmed they were safe and in contact with authorities.

India said 10 Indian vessels had safely exited the Strait of Hormuz in recent weeks, while 14 remained in the Persian Gulf . Jaiswal reiterated New Delhi’s call for “unimpeded access and transit rights for commercial shipping” through the key waterway.

“We have total control of the Strait. And the fact that it's closed, you know, they would have opened it up three days ago,” Trump said.

According to the president, Iranian officials had approached the United States proposing to reopen the vital shipping route.

“They came to us, and they said, we will agree to open the Strait. And all my people were happy. Everybody was happy, except me,” he said.