Tuesday Afternoon News Updates: Iran Negotiations Collapse - 4/21/26
Hi all, Ben here. The planned negotiations between the U.S. and Iran are currently collapsing before our eyes as the so-called ceasefire rapidly approaches its end. The corporate media may have bought into Trump’s rosy assessments, but we followed the facts and the data here at the MeidasTouch Network. First, let me break down the top headlines:
Iran refuses to negotiate while the U.S. naval blockade remains. The ceasefire expires around 3 a.m. Tehran time Wednesday
No Iranian diplomatic delegation has arrived in Islamabad; JD Vance has not left Washington
Trump tells CNBC “I expect there to be bombing” and says he does not want to extend the ceasefire
Iranian tankers are breaking through the blockade; at least one supertanker completed a full round trip
Trump posts all-caps screed defending Operation Midnight Hammer and attacks Democrats as “traitors”
Pope Leo XIV delivers a pointed rebuke of leaders who invoke God’s name to justify “death-dealing actions”
Virginia is holding a statewide special election today on a congressional redistricting referendum — polls close at 7 p.m.
Pete Hegseth scraps the mandatory military flu vaccine requirement
Huge congratulations to the Legal AF team on THREE Webby Award wins!
Before I go any further, I want to thank all our paid subscribers. At MeidasTouch, you know we don’t care about access. We don’t care about offending power. We don’t act as stenographers for Trump’s lies. We care about getting you the truth. If you’re already a Meidas+ Substack member, thank you. If not, join us today and support our unapologetic reporting.
