US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are travelling to Pakistan for direct talks with an Iranian delegation as part of efforts to end the seven-week war, the White House announced.
United States President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that his special envoy Steve Witkoff would be visiting Moscow next week to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, with Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner might going with Witkoff too.
The ministry of external affairs on Monday said that a joint statement could not be issued following the BRICS deputy foreign ministers and special envoys on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) meeting, which took place on April 24 in the national capital, as member countries were unable to reach a general consensus concerning the conflict in West Asia.
Ahead of the expiry on Tuesday of the two-week ceasefire declared by US President Donald Trump in the conflict with Iran, US media outlets reported on Sunday that negotiators Steve Witkoff, special envoy for peace missions and Jared Kushner will head to Islamabad for talks with Iran.
Donald Trump has appointed Markwayne Mullin as the new Secretary of Homeland Security, replacing Kristi Noem, who will take on the role of Special Envoy for 'The Shield of the Americas' initiative.
US President Donald Trump warned that the United States is prepared to launch a military strike on Iran if peace negotiations in Islamabad fail, while Vice President JD Vance departed for talks in Pakistan.
Iran has submitted its latest proposal aimed at advancing negotiations to end the ongoing West Asia conflict with the US, days after the Islamic Republic submitted a fresh proposal through regional intermediaries to cease its military operations in the Strait of Hormuz, which is likely to get rejected by Washington.
Despite a ceasefire extension, Iran has rejected the United States' conditions for negotiations, creating uncertainty in ongoing diplomatic efforts.
A new assessment by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reveals that a power struggle within Iran's leadership, with hardliners gaining influence, could significantly impact future negotiations with the United States.
Iran's Foreign Ministry has denied reports of planned talks with the United States during a visit to Islamabad, Pakistan, despite US envoys also visiting the region.
The United States has welcomed the recent move by India to send its special envoy to Sudan and South Sudan to broker peace between the two countries, where New Delhi has sizeable oil interest. "We welcome that degree of interest," US Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan Princeton Lyman told reporters during a conference call on Monday.
CNN and Al Jazeera report that the Americans and Iranians are discussing a way out of conflict and hostilities face to face, in the same room -- the first time that such a high level interaction has taken place since the Islamic Revolution of 1979.
Witkoff confirmed that while progress had been made, there were still unresolved details that would be addressed during the upcoming talks.
Iran has reiterated that key preconditions must be met before negotiations with the United States can begin to resolve the conflict in West Asia, including a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of blocked Iranian assets.
US Vice President JD Vance is set to arrive in Islamabad on Monday evening to lead a high-level American delegation in a second round of ceasefire negotiations with Iran, CNN reported, citing White House on Sunday.
US President Donald Trump expressed confidence in America's position amid US-Iran peace talks in Islamabad, stating that Washington stands to 'win' regardless of a deal.
Uncertainty surrounds the US-Iran talks as a two-week ceasefire approaches its end. Pakistan is attempting to mediate, but tensions remain high after a recent naval incident.
The Taliban forces operating out of Pakistan's Swat region pose a common threat to India and the United States, besides the host country, America's special envoy Richard Holbrooke suggested in New Delhi on Monday. The envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, who met External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, National Security Adviser M K Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon, said he had sought the Indian leadership's assessment of the situation.
Iranian representatives have conveyed to the Trump administration that they are unwilling to resume talks with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, preferring instead to engage with Vice President J D Vance.
The escalating crisis in West Asia and its impact on the global energy supply chain are expected to dominate deliberations at a two-day meeting of BRICS foreign ministers to be hosted by India.
Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, special envoy, foreign ministry of Israel, has asserted that the situation has effectively been a "multi-front regional conflict" since its inception, while claiming significant military and strategic gains against adversarial forces.
US Vice President J D Vance is expected to travel to Islamabad for peace talks with Iran to end the seven-week war, amid a fragile ceasefire and ongoing tensions.
United States President Barack Obama has signed into law a bill which calls for appointing a special envoy near East and South Central Asia to promote freedom of religious minorities.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is in India for a BRICS foreign ministers' meeting, where discussions will focus on the escalating crisis in West Asia and its impact on global energy supply chains.
Former US President Donald Trump has criticised Iran's stance on the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a form of 'extortion' amid ongoing negotiations for a peace deal. The remarks come as Iran considers imposing transit fees on vessels crossing the strategic waterway.
The United States and Iran concluded the first phase of in-person talks in Islamabad, with both delegations exchanging written texts to formalise areas of understanding. The discussions, involving key representatives from both sides, are aimed at reducing tensions and exploring possibilities of a structured understanding.
US President Donald Trump has stated that the war with Iran is "close to over," while the US Central Command reports blocking traffic to Iranian ports.
Amid mounting speculation over his position within the Trump administration, FBI director Kash Patel reportedly could be the next senior official to exit Trump's cabinet in recent times, according to a Politico report.
Accompanying Sergio Gor at the tables on Saturday night was his buddy Jeanine Pirro, currently the United States attorney for the District of Columbia.
The White House has responded cautiously to reports of Pakistan offering to mediate between the US and Iran, amid ongoing tensions and potential talks.
US President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Iran if a deal is not reached before the ceasefire ends, while Pakistan urged both sides to extend the truce and pursue diplomacy.
US Vice President J D Vance stated that while progress was made during peace talks in Islamabad, it is now up to Iran to further the discussions and address US concerns regarding its nuclear ambitions.
The United States and Iran, with regional mediators, are reportedly discussing a potential 45-day ceasefire to prevent further escalation of conflict, including strikes on Iranian infrastructure and retaliation against Gulf states' facilities.
Talks between Iran and the US in Pakistan concluded without a deal due to disagreements over key issues, including Iran's nuclear programme and sanctions, despite efforts to find common ground.
Indian-origin lawyer Rashad Hussain will be America's new special envoy to the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, a post vital to President Barack Obama's bid to repair the United States' strained relations with the Islamic world.A White House lawyer, Hussain was nominated to the key post as he had played an important role in developing partnerships with the Muslim world, Obama said. Hussain is entrusted with deepening and expanding the partnerships with Muslims.
Gor, 38, was among 107 nominees confirmed by the Senate in a single en bloc vote on Tuesday, with 51 senators voting in favour and 47 against.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday said that a "dignified end" to the war was possible given that the US was demonstrating a constructive approach.
High-level peace talks between the US and Iran, facilitated by Pakistan, aim to de-escalate the conflict in West Asia and potentially reshape regional stability.
Taking to social media platform X, Dmitriev said, "Russia confirms Putin-Trump summit may happen next week and summit preparations are ongoing. This can be a historic meeting. Dialogue will prevail."
The White House on Thursday stated that United States President Donald Trump is 'extremely frustrated' with both Russia and Ukraine over the slow progress toward ending the ongoing war and is unwilling to engage in 'meetings just for the sake of meeting'.
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