The US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and General Dan Caine to begin speaking. 

Expect to hear more about the US military operation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by force, a pivotal moment in its four-week truce with Iran.

There’s already been a publicity blitz about it, including a rare briefing call with reporters yesterday from Admiral Brad Cooper, who heads US Central Command (Centcom).

The administration clearly wants shipping owners to hear a message that the US is securing the strait, even though so far that doesn’t seem to be cutting through.

And a reminder these briefings are closely choreographed by Hegseth and his officials, often favouring questions from media outlets which last year signed up to a restrictive new set of Pentagon press pass conditions - that a judge has ruled as unconstitutional.

Pakistan is continuing to exchange messages between the US and Iran in its role as mediator.

Donald Trump, in the same post on Sunday announcing his plan to escort commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, said his "representatives are having very positive discussions with the country of Iran".

And Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in his message on Monday warning the US against "being dragged back into quagmire", said "talks are making progress".

A two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran was announced last month that was due to end on 22 April.

High-level negotiations were then held in Pakistan, with US Vice-President JD Vance and the Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf both present. But those talks collapsed - with key issues around the future of Iran's nuclear programme and the Strait of Hormuz unresolved.

The day before the ceasefire was set to expire, Trump said he would extend it until "discussions are concluded".

Trump's message on Sunday follows back and forth about a 14-point plan for peace, drawn up by Iran and sent to the US.

Also on Sunday, Iranian state media reported that Tehran was reviewing a response it had received from Washington - the US is yet to formally confirm it has replied.

(Source: BBC)