April 21 (Reuters) - Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports was an "act of war" and thus a violation of the ceasefire.

"Iran knows how to neutralize restrictions, how to defend its interests, and how to resist bullying," he said in a post on X on Tuesday.

(Reporting by Menna Alaa El-Din and Muhammad Al Gebaly; Editing by Chris Reese)

PARIS, April 21 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday France will help Lebanese authorities prepare negotiations with Israel even if Paris was not directly part of the discussions.

Speaking at a news conference alongside Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Macron said it was "secondary" for France to be sitting at the table of negotiations as it was in Lebanon's interest that everyone helps it in the negotiations.

PARIS, April 21 (Reuters) - Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Tuesday his government was not seeking confrontation with Iran-backed Hezbollah, but it would not allow itself to be intimidated as it continues direct talks with Israel to end the conflict.

Speaking at a news conference alongside France's President Emmanuel Macron, Salam said he would need all Lebanon's partners to help as direct talks at ambassador level continue later this week in Washington.

Iran has stepped up repression during the Middle East war with high-profile executions and hundreds of arrests, activists said on Tuesday, urging Washington to put human rights at the centre of any talks with the Islamic republic.

There has been no let up during the two-week ceasefire now due to end, with hangings of convicts seen as political prisoners a near daily occurrence and people arrested on charges such as simply sending videos to a media outlet abroad, according to rights groups.

JERUSALEM, April 21 (Reuters) - Israel’s military removed two soldiers from combat duty and placed them in military detention for 30 days after they destroyed a crucifix in southern Lebanon, it said on Tuesday.

A picture that showed an Israeli soldier taking the blunt side of an axe to a fallen sculpture of Jesus on the cross drew widespread condemnation on Monday ​from Israeli politicians, the United States and church leaders.

It was posted by Younis Tirawi, a Palestinian reporter who has also posted images of Israeli soldiers' apparent misconduct in Gaza.

WASHINGTON, April 21 (Reuters) - The United States did not move a key missile defense system from South Korea to the Middle East for the Iran war, the commander of U.S. forces in Korea said on Tuesday.

The Washington Post reported in March that the Pentagon was moving parts of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to the Middle East from South Korea, citing two officials.

The U.S.-made THAAD system is used for high-altitude interception of ballistic missiles and it was deployed in South Korea to guard against nuclear-armed North Korea.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Tuesday that gasoline prices appeared to have peaked after a surge linked to the Iran war -- a marked shift in tone a day after President Donald Trump publicly rebuked his earlier, more cautious outlook.

"I don't know the future of energy prices -- often I will speculate or look at those things. I would say, gasoline prices, it looks like they peaked about a week or so ago," Wright told the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

Mobina Rasoulian, a 19-year-old student in Tehran, has been trying to make the most of nearly two weeks without bombing thanks to the ceasefire in the Middle East war that may have just hours left to run.

"I went out without being stressed, I roamed around, went to cafes, restaurants, and here and there," she said of the truce that began on April 8.

Babak Samiei, a 49-year-old engineer, on his way back from a yoga class, said "I tried to get back as much as I can to the routines of my life".

"In the 40 days of war we could not do anything," he added.

PARIS, April 21 (Reuters) - The conflict between Iran and the United States and Israel is creating the worst energy crisis ever faced by the world, the head of the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Tuesday.

"This is indeed the biggest crisis in history," Birol told France Inter radio in an interview broadcast on Tuesday.

"The crisis is already huge, if you combine the effects of the petrol crisis and the gas crisis with Russia," he added.

WASHINGTON, April 21 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump told CNBC in an interview on Tuesday that he did not want to extend a ceasefire with Iran, adding the U.S. was in a strong negotiating position and would end up with what he called a great deal.

"I don't want to do that. We don't have that much time," Trump said when asked about the possibility of extending the ceasefire.

Washington has expressed confidence that talks with Iran will go ahead in Pakistan, and a senior Iranian official said Tehran was considering joining.