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.
Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has been in Tehran meeting with Iranian officials in an attempt to mediate and resolve the ongoing conflict between the US and Iran. This marks Naqvi's second visit in less than a week as Pakistan seeks to bridge the differences between the two nations and establish long-term stability in the region.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (local time) claimed that Iran has asked US for a ceasefire. He said that Washington would consider it once the Strait of Hormuz is open.
Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Sunday issued a formal address and said that the event is a moment of profound religious and historical consequence.
Despite President Trump's optimistic prediction of a swift resolution to the ongoing conflict with Iran, Tehran dismisses any possibility of diplomatic breakthroughs, citing deep distrust and highlighting the complexities of US-Iran relations.
US Vice President J D Vance confirmed that peace talks with Iran are underway in Switzerland, with negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner already present. Vance plans to join soon, expressing confidence in the US's strong negotiating position despite a delay caused by recent Israel-Lebanon firing.
The USS Abraham Lincoln has been operating in the Arabian Sea since the end of January.
The Iranian delegation, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, arrived in Islamabad for talks with the US, carrying images of victims from the Minab school attack on their official flight.
As Iran heads into crucial peace talks with the United States of America, here are the six men who decide the Islamic Republic's course.
The United States and Iran are scheduled to hold their initial round of talks in Switzerland on Friday, following a ceasefire agreement virtually signed by US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
A spokesperson said the government is carefully assessing these communications in the context of the ongoing regional crisis.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is on a state visit to Pakistan to discuss the full implementation of an agreement signed between Iran and the US, alongside regional and international developments. The visit also aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation across various sectors, following recent high-level talks between the US and Iran in Switzerland regarding regional security.
J D Vance heads to Islamabad for high-stakes US-Iran talks, balancing cautious optimism with a warning against bad faith. negotiations.
Top leaders from the US, Iran, and Pakistan, along with other nations, have gathered in Switzerland for high-level talks aimed at restoring peace in West Asia. These negotiations follow a recently signed Memorandum of Understanding between the US and Iran, initiating a 60-day window for a deal. Discussions focus on Iran's nuclear programme and the fragile interim peace deal, amidst renewed tensions and the fluctuating status of the Strait of Hormuz.
A peace deal between the US and Iran, set to be signed in Geneva, faces significant hurdles over the release of Iran's USD 12 billion in frozen assets, with conflicting reports from both sides on the conditions for their release.
After the Israeli attack on Iran's South Pars Gas Field on Wednesday night, in retaliation, Iran struck Qatar's Ras Laffan Industrial City, resulting in extensive damage, as per the country's Ministry of Defence.
Head of the Iranian Parliament's National Security Committee Ebrahim Azizi on Saturday said that Iran has prepared a "professional mechanism" to regulate maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz through a designated route, which will be unveiled soon.
China has called on Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and expressed appreciation for Tehran's commitment not to develop nuclear weapons, a key demand of the US to end the conflict.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has engaged in multiple conversations with his Iranian counterpart to secure safe passage for Indian merchant vessels through the Strait of Hormuz amidst escalating tensions in West Asia.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that a US-Iran peace deal is on the verge of finalisation, potentially within the next 24 hours, marking a significant diplomatic breakthrough after months of intense negotiations.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has urged Iran to guarantee freedom and safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil trade, amid ongoing tensions with the US.
An Iranian delegation, led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, concluded high-level meetings in Islamabad, delivering an 'official list of demands' to Pakistani leaders for the US and Israel. This comes as President Trump cancelled his envoys' visit to Islamabad amid ongoing efforts to facilitate peace talks between Iran and the US.
It is an unusual choice to depute a retired general for the funeral of a revered religious figure but a thoughtful one in an attempt to inject verve into the bilateral relationship and restore the equilibrium in India's West Asian policies, notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Pakistan's Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir held talks with Iranian leaders in Tehran to help resolve the conflict between the US and Iran, following a recent ceasefire agreement.
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.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to discuss deepening strategic partnerships and the regional situation, following meetings with Saudi Arabian leaders earlier in April.
The Indian embassy in Tehran has earlier stated that it is facilitating the safe movement of nationals who wish to leave Iran.
US President Donald Trump is inclined to reject Iran's latest diplomatic proposal, which suggests restoring maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz while deferring nuclear programme concerns, according to CNN. Concerns remain over Iran's nuclear enrichment and internal government fractures.
India is navigating a complex diplomatic landscape, attempting to balance its 'forever honeymoon' with the Israel-UAE-Bahrain axis against its historical ties with Iran, as evidenced by recent high-level visits and evolving geopolitical realignments in the Middle East, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday signed the historic peace deal between the United States and Iran as a guarantor; the agreement will see the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of the US naval blockade.
Iran has submitted a fresh proposal to regional intermediaries offering to cease its military operations in the Strait of Hormuz, contingent upon a complete cessation of hostilities and the removal of the US blockade on Iranian maritime hubs.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Saturday (local time) announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz "until further notice," stating that the strategic waterway would remain shut until the United States ends its "interference" in the West Asia region, Press TV reported.
The report said ships must submit full documentation, obtain clearance codes and accept IRGC-escorted passage through a designated corridor.
Two India-bound LPG tankers have crossed the Strait of Hormuz amid heightened tensions in the region, while an India-flagged vessel sank after being hit near the strategic shipping corridor.
The BRICS foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi concluded without a joint statement due to disagreements over the West Asia conflict, with Iran blaming the UAE for the lack of consensus. India, as the host, issued a chair's statement highlighting the differing views.
The US and Iran have agreed on a roadmap aimed at reaching a final agreement within 60 days after hours-long talks at the Swiss resort of Burgenstock, mediators Qatar and Pakistan said on Monday, describing the progress as "encouraging."
A joint attack by the United States and Israel on Iran has triggered a massive military confrontation in the Middle-East.
Trump added that the United States would assist in managing the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has lodged a formal complaint with the United Nations, accusing the US of engaging in 'piracy' following the seizure of Iranian vessels. The complaint was detailed in a letter sent by Iran's UN envoy to the UN Secretary-General and the Security Council.
At least eight civilians have been reported killed, and 95 others have sustained injuries following United States-Israeli strikes, Iranian state media Press TV reported.
