LONDON, June 5 (Reuters) - Here are the main issues between the United States and Iran as they seek a deal to end their war, which is now in its fourth month:

HORMUZ AND GULF BLOCKADE

Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz, normally the conduit for around a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, has caused an unprecedented oil supply shock, driving up fuel, food and fertiliser prices.

Reopening the strait is Washington's top priority and Tehran's main point of leverage, but it could take time.

WASHINGTON, June 5 (Reuters) - U.S. forces conducted an interdiction of the sanctioned stateless oil tanker Davina overnight in the Indian Ocean, the U.S. military's Indo-Pacific Command said on Friday.

Washington has imposed a blockade on Iran's sea trade while Tehran has fired on ships to prevent them sailing through the Strait of Hormuz waterway at the entrance to the Middle ​East Gulf.

U.S. forces have intercepted multiple commercial and oil tankers in the Indian Ocean in recent months.

By Mirko Miorelli

ROME, June 5 (Reuters) - Italy appealed on Friday for the release of two Italian pro-Palestinian campaigners detained in eastern Libya who, along with eight other activists, had been refusing food and water for four days.

Israeli forces arrested 430 people on board 50 ships in international waters in May, to halt a flotilla of "Global Sumud Flotilla" volunteers trying to bring aid supplies to the Gaza Strip.

The people held in Libya are part of a separate group of Flotilla activists who tried to reach the Palestinian enclaveby land.

By Can Sezer and Tuvan Gumrukcu

ISTANBUL, June 5 (Reuters) - Two decades of state investment have transformed Turkey into a major exporter of drones and other military equipment, and the NATO member is now looking to build on that momentum as the West rearms and security alliances are reshaped.

Turkey, once heavily reliant on foreign arms makers, now supplies nearly 40 countries mainly in the Gulf, Africa, Asia and parts of Europe with weapons that many buyers see as cheaper, faster to deliver and more adaptable than alternatives.

By Ebrahim Hajjaj

GAZA, June 5 (Reuters) - In a Gaza workshop, a group of men patch up pleasure dinghies with reclaimed fibreglass, wood and door frames pulled from the rubble, racing to get the boats ready for a tougher line of work.

The small vessels, which were used by families and swimmers before the war, have become a lifeline for the enclave's fishing industry which has been struggling to keep up its fleet.

Four Indian sailors have been stranded for months on an abandoned container ship off Istanbul, unable to leave under maritime rules requiring the vessel to remain manned, inspectors said on Friday.

In a message sent to AFP, the stranded crew members said they were losing hope after 10 months trapped on board the Mongolia-flagged AZRA C that has been moored in the Sea of Marmara since August 2025.

The ship's purported owners were arrested in January in connection with a massive international drugs bust, leaving its fate and those on board in limbo.

By Lucy Papachristou

YEREVAN, June 5 (Reuters) - Armenia holds a parliamentary election on Sunday that pits the governing Civil Contract party, which is pursuing closer ties with the West, against an array of opposition parties, many of which are pro-Russian.

Opinion polls predict Civil Contract, led by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, will emerge as the largest party, but it could fall short of the two-thirds majority necessary to make changes to the constitution.

Here's what to look out for:

REFERENDUM ON PEACE DEAL

Celtic's interest in appointing Robbie Keane as their new manager has sparked anger among the club's pro-Palestine fans after his previous role with Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Keane is the leading contender to take charge of the Scottish champions after reportedly entering talks with the club's principal shareholder Dermot Desmond.

Keane, who is Ireland's record goalscorer, enjoyed a prolific loan spell at Celtic in 2010.

By Ahmed Elimam and Jana Choukeir

DUBAI, June 5 (Reuters) - Iran has reaffirmed support for its Lebanese ally Hezbollah and demanded Israel withdraw from southern Lebanon, underscoring complications facing an interim deal to end the broader conflict between the U.S. and Iran.

Iran has made a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah a condition for any peace deal with Washington to resolve the regional war, now in its fourth month, and restart shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Lebanon's leaders issued pointed calls for Iran to stop interfering in their country's affairs on Friday, as Israel and Tehran-backed Hezbollah traded attacks after a new truce deal was flatly rejected by the group.

Lebanese state media reported fresh Israeli strikes on more than 40 locations Friday, while Hezbollah claimed new attacks on Israeli troops who have invaded the south.

Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war when Hezbollah attacked Israel on March 2 to avenge the February 28 killing of Iran's supreme leader.