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.
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.
For weeks, the war skirted the edge of catastrophe without tipping over. Missiles flew, there was much destruction, commanders were assassinated, cities across the Gulf and even in Israel struggled to absorb the shock. But one line held: Energy infrastructure, the arteries of the global economy, remained largely untouched. That is no longer true. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
The US Navy seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman, escalating tensions as ceasefire talks face uncertainty. The incident raises concerns about the fragile ceasefire and the ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Pakistan is set to host a quadrilateral summit of foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkiye to discuss the ongoing conflict in West Asia and explore avenues for peace negotiations.
'Pakistan has pitched Islamabad as a possible venue for talks as early as this week involving senior figures from the Trump administration and Iran,' the Financial Times reported.
Direct talks between the US and Iran, mediated by Pakistan, have failed to produce an agreement after 21 hours of negotiations, with disagreements over Iran's nuclear ambitions and sanctions proving insurmountable.
One of the most uncivilised characteristics of this war has been the total disregard for international law and the laws of armed conflict, asserts Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor discusses India's role in the US-Iran peace talks taking place in Islamabad, emphasising the importance of peace over competition with Pakistan and highlighting India's regional interests.
Foreign Ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkiye convene in Pakistan for a summit aimed at de-escalating the ongoing conflict in West Asia, with Pakistan actively seeking to broker peace through dialogue and diplomacy.
Pakistan is hosting a quadrilateral summit of foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkiye to discuss the conflict in West Asia and explore avenues for peace. The summit includes discussions on regional developments and meetings with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Karex, the Malaysian company that makes roughly one in five of the world's condoms -- about five billion a year, supplying Durex and Trojan among others -- announced this week that it is raising prices by up to 30 percent. The reason is the Strait of Hormuz.
As the negotiations continued, the Iranian government said on social media that "talks between Iran and the US in Islamabad entered the expert-level stage as economic, military, legal, and nuclear committees joined in".
Pakistan is set to host face-to-face talks between the United States and Iran, aiming to solidify a fragile ceasefire and prevent further conflict in West Asia. The discussions will focus on a long-term peace arrangement, including sanctions relief, regional security, and Iran's nuclear program.
Trump has made it clear: the US will not lift its blockade of Iranian ports until a deal is signed.
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met with his counterparts from Egypt and Turkiye in Islamabad ahead of a quadrilateral summit, including Saudi Arabia, to discuss the ongoing conflict in West Asia and explore avenues for peace.
Former US President Donald Trump claimed victory over Iran, stating they agreed to never have a nuclear weapon and provided a 'significant prize' related to the Strait of Hormuz. He also suggested a change in Iranian leadership and acknowledged Pakistan's role in facilitating talks.
Both sides have now revealed a preference for escalation over strategic defeat, and each new provocation narrows the space for the next pause. The Touska seizure, Iran's refusal to negotiate under blockade, Israel's strikes on Iranian oil infrastructure -- all of these add up to an increasingly untenable situation. This makes the wild card -- Trump and his motormouth -- more consequential than ever, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has offered to host talks between the US and Iran to help resolve the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, following reports of Pakistan's involvement in backchannel diplomacy.
What we are watching is something different: A fog manufactured and maintained by the people who started the war, so that the question of why it was started never has to be answered, observes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the war in the Middle East.
The United States, which entered this war in expectation of a short, sharp win along the Venezuela model, is now preparing for deeper involvement in a conflict it does not fully control, without the allies it typically relies on, against an adversary that is not behaving as expected, in a global environment that is already absorbing economic shock. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
The pause gives the US time to breathe, to regroup, to move its expeditionary force into position without risk of interception along the way. It gives Iran nothing -- on the ground, attacks against its infrastructure continue apace. Prem Panicker in his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
The invitation comes as the US administration moves forward with formalising the "Board of Peace" structure linked to Trump's broader Gaza roadmap.
'Was the five-day pause ever meant to hold, or was it simply another instrument of signaling, of positioning, of buying time in a war where even the pauses are tactical?' asks Prem Panicker in his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
EU leaders convened an emergency summit in Brussels to address transatlantic tensions as President Trump threatened new tariffs on member States linked to his Greenland acquisition demands.
United States President Donald John Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met for lunch at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday. This was their first one-on-one meeting after their disastrous encounter at the White House in March.
United States President Donald Trump on Thursday said he had a good meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and his message to Russian President Vladimir Putin is that 'war has to end'.
Zelenskyy also stated that documents being drafted with Washington, DC to end the war were close to completion.
Putin argued that European countries are putting forward demands related to the conflict that Russia cannot accept. He further accused Europe of obstructing initiatives by the United States and President Donald Trump to pursue a negotiated settlement.
India is yet to take a call on United States President Donald Trump's invitation to be part of the 'Board of Peace' that will work towards bringing lasting peace to Gaza and possibly resolve global conflicts, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
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'.
India was among the countries not present in Davos when US President Donald Trump unveiled his "Board of Peace" that seeks to work towards bringing lasting peace to Gaza and possibly resolve global conflicts. India is yet to take a call on it, people familiar with the matter said when asked about Trump's invite to PM Modi.
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.
Trump's 'Board of Peace' is being projected by Washington, DC as a new international body to usher in peace and stability in Gaza and beyond, triggering speculation that it could throw a challenge to the United Nations.
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.
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."
Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a phone call this past week with United States President Donald Trump, demanded that Kyiv surrender full control of Donetsk, a strategically vital region in eastern Ukraine, as a condition for ending the war, said two senior officials familiar with the conversation, the Washington Post reported.
US President Donald Trump received a mixed reception of cheers and boos at the US Open final at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York on Sunday.
United States President Donald Trump has warned Hamas of 'complete obliteration' if the group insists on taking control over Gaza and blocks progress on his proposed ceasefire deal, CNN reported.
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