Page 7 - Us Iran Tensions

Damaging stalemate: Hopes for early resolution of the US-Iran crisis fade

Over the weekend, a third aircraft carrier, the USS George W Bush, entered the waters near Iran, joining the USS Gerald Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, and the USS Abraham Lincoln

Damaging stalemate: Hopes for early resolution of the US-Iran crisis fade

Over the weekend, a third aircraft carrier, the USS George W Bush, entered the waters near Iran, joining the USS Gerald Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, and the USS Abraham Lincoln

Iran's foreign minister returns to Pak as Islamabad races to save talks

Iran's foreign minister arrived in Islamabad again on Sunday as Pakistan's political and military leadership scrambled to reignite ceasefire talks between Tehran and Washington. Abbas Araghchi had left Pakistan's capital late Saturday, creating confusion around an expected second round of talks, but he returned to Islamabad before continuing on to Moscow, Iranian state media said. He had been in Oman, which previously mediated talks and is located on the other side of the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Two Pakistani officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the efforts, did not say when the Americans might return to the region to follow up on historic face-to-face talks earlier this month. The White House on Friday said it would dispatch envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Islamabad for a second round of talks. But shortly after Araghchi's departure was reported, President Donald Trump said he had called off the mission because of a lack of progress with Iran. "The

US-Iran peace negotiations stall as conflict approaches two-month mark

While a ceasefire has mostly held since early April, both countries are maintaining a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, making the key energy chokepoint virtually impassable

US-Iran peace negotiations stall as conflict approaches two-month mark

While a ceasefire has mostly held since early April, both countries are maintaining a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, making the key energy chokepoint virtually impassable

Talks in Pak on hold as Iran's diplomat leaves, Trump's envoys are no-show

Attempts at ceasefire talks between the United States and Iran fell flat after Tehran's top diplomat left Pakistan, and President Donald Trump's envoys stayed away after he told them not to travel to Islamabad. The US president indicated the ball was now in Iran's court. "If they want to talk, all they have to do is call!!!" Trump said on social media. The negotiations were meant to follow historic face-to-face talks earlier this month between the US, led by Vice President JD Vance, and Iran, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. But Iranian officials have questioned how they can trust the US after its forces started blockading Iranian ports in response to Iran's grip on the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi left Islamabad, Pakistan's capital, on Saturday evening, two Pakistani officials told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to talk to the media. Araghchi went on to Oman, on the other si

Talks in Pak on hold as Iran's diplomat leaves, Trump's envoys are no-show

Attempts at ceasefire talks between the United States and Iran fell flat after Tehran's top diplomat left Pakistan, and President Donald Trump's envoys stayed away after he told them not to travel to Islamabad. The US president indicated the ball was now in Iran's court. "If they want to talk, all they have to do is call!!!" Trump said on social media. The negotiations were meant to follow historic face-to-face talks earlier this month between the US, led by Vice President JD Vance, and Iran, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. But Iranian officials have questioned how they can trust the US after its forces started blockading Iranian ports in response to Iran's grip on the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi left Islamabad, Pakistan's capital, on Saturday evening, two Pakistani officials told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to talk to the media. Araghchi went on to Oman, on the other si

Iran sent new offers 10 minutes after US team's Pak trip cancelled: Trump

Amid the stalled negotiations with Iran, US President Donald Trump said the Iranians sent over a new peace proposal, but that it "could have been better," and rejected it. "They gave us a paper that could have been better, and interestingly, immediately when I cancelled it, within 10 minutes we got a new paper that was much better," Trump said to reporters on Saturday before boarding Air Force One to return to Washington from Florida. The President wouldn't offer specifics about what was in the latest proposal other than saying "they offered a lot." But he stressed that one of his conditions is that Iran "will not have a nuclear weapon." Trump said he cancelled the latest rounds of negotiations with Iran because it was "a lot of travelling" and because his negotiators, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, "weren't meeting with the leader of the country." Trump said the US will "deal by telephone and they can call us anytime they want" before adding that "we have all the cards.

'We have all the cards': Trump cancels US negotiators' Pakistan trip

The development came shortly after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi concluded his visit to Pakistan

Araghchi leaves Islamabad, conveys Tehran's demands to end war to Pakistan

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi left Pakistan on Saturday evening, two Pakistani officials told The Associated Press. He met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and other senior officials, the officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media. Aragchi's visit comes amid regional tensions and efforts by Islamabad to facilitate a second round of talks between the United States and Iran. Two US envoys had been planning to fly in Islamabad on Saturday. The White House declined to comment on when they were expected to arrive. Senior Pakistani officials were present at an airport near Islamabad to see him off, two officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media.

Iran's foreign minister Araghchi meets Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday met Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir here, as Islamabad continued its efforts to facilitate engagement between the US and Iran. The meeting, according to a short video posted by the Iranian embassy on social media, was also attended by Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, and Iran's ambassador Reza Amiri Moghadam. Araghchi calls on Munir, the embassy said in the video caption. It did not provide further details about the discussions. Araghchi arrived here late Friday for engagements with the Pakistani leadership. He was received by senior officials, including Munir, foreign minister Ishaq Dar and interior minister Mohsin Naqvi. However, there is no clarity on whether direct talks between Washington and Tehran will take place during the visit. "No meeting is planned to take place between Iran and the US. Iran's observations would be conveyed to Pakistan," Baqaei said in a social media post on ...

Iran's foreign minister Araghchi meets Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday met Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir here, as Islamabad continued its efforts to facilitate engagement between the US and Iran. The meeting, according to a short video posted by the Iranian embassy on social media, was also attended by Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, and Iran's ambassador Reza Amiri Moghadam. Araghchi calls on Munir, the embassy said in the video caption. It did not provide further details about the discussions. Araghchi arrived here late Friday for engagements with the Pakistani leadership. He was received by senior officials, including Munir, foreign minister Ishaq Dar and interior minister Mohsin Naqvi. However, there is no clarity on whether direct talks between Washington and Tehran will take place during the visit. "No meeting is planned to take place between Iran and the US. Iran's observations would be conveyed to Pakistan," Baqaei said in a social media post on ...

US says it's hunting for explosive mines in latest push to open Hormuz

President Donald Trump says the US Navy is clearing Iranian mines from the Strait of Hormuz, a vital sea route for oil shipments whose disruption is increasingly threatening the global economy. Sweeping for underwater explosives could take months despite a tenuous ceasefire between the United States and Iran in the weekslong war, experts say. Any future claims that the US cleared the waterway where 20 per cent of the world's oil typically passes might fail to convince commercial freighters and their insurers that it is finally safe. "You don't even have to have laid mines - you just have to make people believe that you've laid mines," said Emma Salisbury, a scholar at the Foreign Policy Research Institute's National Security Program. "And even if the US sweeps the strait and says everything's clear, all the Iranians have to do is say, Well, actually, you haven't found them all yet,'" said Salisbury, who is also a fellow at the Royal Navy Strategic Studies Centre. "There's only so mu

Luxury giants slump as West Asia demand seizes up due to prolonged war

Shoppers in the West Asia are some of the world's biggest spenders, splashing out at retail hubs like Dubai and other luxury destinations including Paris and Milan

Iran resumes commercial flights from Tehran int'l airport amid peace effort

Iran resumed commercial flights from Tehran's international airport on Saturday for the first time since the conflict with the US and Israel began about two months ago. Iran's state-run television reported that flights took off from the Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran bound for Istanbul, Oman's capital of Muscat and the Saudi city of Medina. Flightradar24, a flight tracking platform, showed that at least three Istanbul-bound flights departed Saturday morning. Iran partly reopened its airspace earlier this month amid a ceasefire with the US, which halted fighting between the two countries.

Iran resumes commercial flights from Tehran int'l airport amid peace effort

Iran resumed commercial flights from Tehran's international airport on Saturday for the first time since the conflict with the US and Israel began about two months ago. Iran's state-run television reported that flights took off from the Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran bound for Istanbul, Oman's capital of Muscat and the Saudi city of Medina. Flightradar24, a flight tracking platform, showed that at least three Istanbul-bound flights departed Saturday morning. Iran partly reopened its airspace earlier this month amid a ceasefire with the US, which halted fighting between the two countries.

No clarity on US-Iran peace talks as Islamabad stays under lockdown

Large parts of Pakistan's capital remain under a tight security lockdown for over a week on Saturday, even as uncertainty persisted over the proposed second round of talks between the US and Iran. Arterial roads leading into Islamabad are sealed, while the Red Zone, housing key government buildings and diplomatic missions, remains under a strict security cordon. In the adjacent commercial 'Blue Area', markets are deserted, cafes are running short of supplies, and public transport disruptions with no service at bus terminals have left commuters stranded. For residents, uncertainty has become the hardest part. Islamabad is a city of transients, where many residents work during the week and return to family homes at the weekend. This is the second lockdown in recent weeks. Islamabad was earlier sealed on April 11 for talks between the US and Iranian delegations that ended without a deal. The city briefly reopened before restrictions were reimposed as Pakistan prepared to host another

No clarity on US-Iran peace talks as Islamabad stays under lockdown

Large parts of Pakistan's capital remain under a tight security lockdown for over a week on Saturday, even as uncertainty persisted over the proposed second round of talks between the US and Iran. Arterial roads leading into Islamabad are sealed, while the Red Zone, housing key government buildings and diplomatic missions, remains under a strict security cordon. In the adjacent commercial 'Blue Area', markets are deserted, cafes are running short of supplies, and public transport disruptions with no service at bus terminals have left commuters stranded. For residents, uncertainty has become the hardest part. Islamabad is a city of transients, where many residents work during the week and return to family homes at the weekend. This is the second lockdown in recent weeks. Islamabad was earlier sealed on April 11 for talks between the US and Iranian delegations that ended without a deal. The city briefly reopened before restrictions were reimposed as Pakistan prepared to host another

Jet fuel shortages could make summer travel 'total mess', push fares higher

Facing sky-high fuel costs linked to the war in Iran, airlines are cutting routes and raising prices; European vacations are looking a lot less affordable

US interventions in Iran, Venezuela driven by oil: Russian foreign minister

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused US of oil-driven interventions, slammed 'dominance' doctrine