Diplomatic efforts to end the Iran war are intensifying, with the White House confirming that U.S. President Donald Trump will send special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner to Islamabad for talks with Iran under Pakistani mediation.
An Iranian delegation has arrived in Pakistan on Friday, two Pakistani government sources told Reuters, as diplomatic efforts intensify to revive stalled talks between Washington and Tehran.
Separately, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani discussed developments in the Washington-Tehran ceasefire agreement in a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, according to the Qatari state news agency.
The Emir also said Qatar would continue coordinating with partners to support Pakistan-led mediation efforts.
The United States imposed fresh Iran-related sanctions on Friday while also issuing a general license authorising the wind-down of transactions involving Chinese company Hengli Petrochemical (Dalian) Refinery Co, according to a notice on the U.S. Treasury website.
The move comes alongside continued diplomatic signalling, as White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Washington has seen some progress from the Iranian side.
The White House has confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump will send special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner to Islamabad on Saturday morning for talks with Iran under Pakistani mediation.
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the pair will assess the situation and report back, with other senior officials on standby to travel if negotiations progress.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is also expected in the Pakistani capital, where discussions will focus on proposals to revive stalled U.S.-Iran peace talks.
The U.N. human rights office said on Friday it has documented patterns of attacks on civilians in populated areas and residential buildings in Lebanon and Israel that may amount to serious violations of international humanitarian law.
The report covers the first three weeks of the latest escalation, which began after Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel on 2 March, prompting a large-scale Israeli military response.
According to Lebanese authorities, nearly 2,500 people have been killed in Lebanon since then, alongside widespread displacement and destruction of civilian infrastructure.
EU Council President Antonio Costa said on Friday that it is too early to discuss easing sanctions on Iran, pushing back on suggestions of immediate relief after an EU leaders’ meeting in Cyprus.
His remarks were echoed by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who also stressed that sanctions relief is not currently on the table.
The comments come after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz indicated that the EU could consider gradual sanctions easing only if a comprehensive agreement with Iran is reached.
Peace talks between Iran and the United States could resume in Pakistan, as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to hold bilateral discussions during a brief visit to Islamabad on Friday, according to two Pakistani sources.
The sources said Araghchi will present Iran’s proposal for negotiations with Washington, which will then be relayed to the United States.
A U.S. logistics and security team is already in place in Islamabad in preparation for potential talks, though no formal confirmation has been given by either Washington or Tehran.
Indonesia has again strongly condemned an Israeli attack in Lebanon that led to the death of a fourth Indonesian peacekeeper, its foreign ministry said on Friday.
The soldier had been severely injured in an artillery explosion from an Israeli tank on 29 March and later died from his wounds, following the earlier deaths of three other Indonesian peacekeepers in the same incident.
Jakarta called on the United Nations to conduct a thorough, transparent and accountable investigation into the deaths of its UNIFIL personnel.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Friday that the European Union is prepared to gradually ease sanctions on Iran if a comprehensive agreement is reached.
Speaking at an EU summit in Nicosia, he said sanctions relief could form part of a broader diplomatic process aimed at securing a lasting ceasefire. Merz added that no EU member state had objected to the idea, framing it as a potential incentive to advance negotiations and stabilise the situation.
Axios reporter Barak Ravid said on X on Friday that Iran had deployed additional naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week.
Ravid claims it happened shortly after U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that any attempt to lay mines would constitute a violation of the ceasefire.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will begin a regional tour on Friday, with visits planned to Islamabad, Muscat and Moscow, according to Iranian state media.
The state news agency IRNA said the trip is aimed at holding bilateral consultations and discussing regional developments, as well as the latest situation in what it described as the war imposed by the United States and Israel against Iran.
U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Friday (24 April) that any attempt by Iran to lay additional mines in the Strait of Hormuz would constitute a violation of the ceasefire, as tensions remain high over maritime security in the Gulf.
In separate remarks, Hegseth also brushed aside criticism from Pope Leo over the Iran war, saying the pontiff was “going to do his thing” and that this was “fine”.
Top U.S. General Dan Caine said on Friday that the United States would continue conducting interdictions in the Pacific and Indian Oceans targeting vessels linked to Iran.
His remarks point to an expanded maritime enforcement posture beyond the Gulf region, as Washington maintains pressure on Iranian shipping networks.
U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Friday that Iran still has a chance to make a “good deal” with the United States.
He added that 34 ships have been turned around from the Strait of Hormuz so far by the U.S. Navy, according to remarks reported from the Pentagon.
The Israeli military on Friday ordered residents to evacuate the southern Lebanese town of Deir Ames, located north of its self-declared “security zone,” warning it plans to carry out strikes there.
The army said Hezbollah was operating from the area, without providing evidence or specifying a timeline, adding that any militant activity from the town would trigger Israeli action.
The Swiss government said on Friday it is gradually reopening its embassy in Iran, deploying a small team of diplomats after shutting the mission in March over security concerns linked to the U.S.-Israeli war.
The embassy in Tehran had been temporarily closed as risks escalated and staff were evacuated.
Peace talks between Iran and the United States could resume soon in Pakistan, according to three Pakistani sources, as preparations gather pace for a possible new round of negotiations.
They said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was expected to arrive in Islamabad on Friday night.
Meanwhile, a U.S. logistics and security team is already in place for potential discussions.
A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon is meaningless due to Israeli "hostile acts," a Hezbollah lawmaker said on Friday.
Ali Fayyad's remarks came after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a further three-week pause in fighting between the two countries on Thursday.
Fayyad said the Iran-baked political and militant group had the right to respond to Israeli attacks on Lebanese targets.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday downplayed reports that the U.S. had considered suspending Spain from NATO, following disagreements over the war with Iran.
A Reuters report cited a U.S. official as saying an internal Pentagon email outlined possible measures against allies that did not support American military operations, including a proposal targeting Spain.
“We don’t work with emails, we work with official documents and positions of the U.S. government,” Sanchez said.
“Spain’s position is clear: full cooperation with allies, but always within the framework of international law,” he added.
Spain has refused to allow U.S. military bases on its territory or allow for its airspace to be used for operations against Iran.
Two drones launched from Iraq hit northern border posts in Kuwait, the country's army said on Friday, causing damage. The army added that there were no casualities as a result of the strikes.
Commercial shipping traffic around the Strait of Hormuz remained close to a standstill on Friday morning (24 April), amid the continuing Iranian blockade of the sea passage and the retaliatory U.S. blockade of Iranian ports.
Only six vessels were seen moving in either direction through the waterway, according to ship-tracking data compiled by Anadolu.
U.S. Central Command said on social media website X on Thursday that 33 vessels had been redirected since the start of the American naval blockade.
Iran will recommence international passenger flights from Tehran's Imam Khomeini Airport on Saturday, with the Turkish capital Istanbul and and Oman's capital Muscat among the first destinations, the airport's boss has said.
Ramin Kashef Azar, CEO of Imam Khomeini Airport City, said in an interview with the Iranian Labour News Agency (ILNA) that foreign passenger flights will resume on 25 April after being suspended during the war.
"Permits for additional domestic and international routes will be gradually issued based on demand. All infrastructure and navigation systems are fully operational, and there are no issues for conducting flights,” he added.
German shipping group Hapag-Lloyd confirmed Friday that one of its vessels has successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global trade.
The company’s spokesperson did not provide further details regarding the timing or conditions of the transit.
Photos taken by AnewZ's Touraj Shiralilou in Tehran on Thursday (23 April) show people gathered outside Iraq's Embassy in the Iranian capital.
They chanted slogans thanking Iraqis for their solidarity with Iran in its conflict with the U.S. and Israel.
They held placards calling for the destruction of Israel and resistance to the U.S.
China's Foreign Ministry on Friday rejected an accusation by U.S. President Donald Trump that an Iranian-flagged cargo ship intercepted by American forces was a "gift from China."
Normal trade between countries should not be disturbed, Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters.
The EU's Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas has warned that if talks with Iran don't include nuclear experts on the table then any agreement reached could be weaker than the Iran nuclear deal, which the U.S. withdrew from in 2018 under President Donald Trump.
The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) took two years of negotiations to reach and involved hundreds of specialists.
"If the talks are only about the nuclear and there are no nuclear experts around the table, then we will end up with an agreement that is weaker than the JCPOA was," Kallas said, ahead of an informal summit of EU leaders in Cyprus.
"And (if) the problems in the region, missile programmes, their support to proxies, also hybrid and cyber activities in Europe are not addressed, we will end up with a more dangerous Iran," she added.
An internal Pentagon email outlines options for the U.S. to punish NATO allies it believes failed to support American operations in the war with Iran, including suspending Spain from the alliance and reviewing Washington's position on Britain's claim to the Falkland Isands, a U.S. official has told Reuters.
The policy options are detailed in a note expressing frustration at some U.S. allies' perceived reluctance or refusal to provide support for the U.S. in its conflict with Iran, the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the email, said.
U.S. President Donald Trump has harshly criticised NATO allies for not sending their navies to help open the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively closed to global shipping since the U.S. and Israel carried out their first strikes against Iran on 28 February.
Commenting on the email, U.S. Department of Defense Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson said the Pentagon remained committed to ensuring American allies "do their part."
"The War Department will ensure that the President has credible options to ensure that our allies are no longer a paper tiger," Wilson added.
Chinese citizens should leave Iran and move to safe areas as soon as possible, the Chinese Embassy in Tehran said in a statement on Thursday (23 April), citing ongoing security risks due to the Middle East conflict.
Citizens were advised to exercise caution, avoid sensitive sites such as state and military buildings, and leave the country to reach safe areas at the earliest opportunity.
Chinese authorities issued a similar warning on 27 February, a day before the start of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.
An Iranian cargo ship carrying rice reached port after the U.S. attempted to seize it in the Gulf of Oman, Iran's IRGC-affiliated Fars News Agency reported on Thursday (23 April).
The vessel received a naval escort from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), before safely arriving, the news agency said.
On Monday, Iran confirmed that U.S. forces had seized an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman, as part of its blockade of Iranian ports.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday (23 April) that Washington had no problem with Iranian players participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but warned that footballers would be banned from bringing people with ties to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
"Nothing from the U.S. has told them they can't come," Rubio told reporters.
"The problem with Iran would be not their athletes. It would be some of the other people they would want to bring with them, some of whom have ties to the IRGC, he said.
"They can't bring a bunch of IRGC terrorists into our country and pretend that they are journalists and athletic trainers," Rubio added.
Washington designates the IRGC as a terrorist group.
U.S. President Donald Trump also said his administration "would not want to affect the athletes" in comments he made at the White House.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to begin on 11 June, across the United States, Mexico and Canada.
After the start of the Iran war, Tehran requested that FIFA move the team's three group matches from the U.S. to Mexico, which was rejected.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun could meet at the White House in the next three weeks to hold talks, U.S. President Donald Trump has told reporters.
It comes after Trump said Israel and Lebanon had agreed to pause fighting for a further three weeks in a post on social media website Truth Social early on Friday (24 April).
Trump also told reporters that Iran will have to cut funding for Lebanon's Hezbollah.
Israel and Lebanon have agreed to pause fighting for a further three weeks, U.S. President Donald Trump said in a post on social media website Truth Social early on Friday (24 April).
He said the decision to extend the ceasefire came after a meeting at the Oval Office between himself, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and senior officials from Lebanon and Israel.
"It was a Great Honour to be a participant at this very Historic Meeting!" Trump said.
The remarks came hours after Trump said he was in no rush to make a deal with Iran in a separate post on Truth Social on Thursday night.
"I have all the time in the World, but Iran doesn't - The clock is ticking!" he wrote.
Iran says no U.S. meeting is planned in Islamabad, despite Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arriving in the Pakistani capital. He is also set to vis...
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Azerbaijan for talks with President Ilham Aliyev, holding meetings in G...
Two men were killed after the United States carried out a missile strike on a suspected drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Frida...
Iran says no U.S. meeting is planned in Islamabad, despite Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arriving in the Pakistani capital. He is also set to visit Muscat and Moscow for regional consultations.
Residents in central Gaza are preparing to vote in municipal elections on Saturday (25 April), marking the first ballot in the Strip since 2006. The vote in Deir al-Balah is being watched closely as a rare indication of public sentiment, including towards Hamas.
Militants have staged coordinated attacks in Mali’s capital, Bamako, and several locations across the country, the army said on Saturday (25 April), in an assault apparently involving jihadist and Tuareg-led groups.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Azerbaijan for talks with President Ilham Aliyev, holding meetings in Gabala on Saturday (25 April) during a working visit to the country.
The U.S. military is redirecting at least three Iranian-flagged tankers after intercepting them in Asian waters near India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, shipping and security sources said on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Tehran said U.S. breaches, blockades and threats are undermining “genuine negotiations.”
Diplomatic efforts to end the Iran war are intensifying, with the White House confirming that U.S. President Donald Trump will send special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner to Islamabad for talks with Iran under Pakistani mediation.
Argentina has reiterated its interest in resuming talks with the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, a disputed archipelago in the South Atlantic, after reports that an internal Pentagon email suggested reviewing Washington’s support for the UK’s claim amid tensions over the Iran war.
Russian emergency services have contained a major fire at the Tuapse oil refinery on the Black Sea coast, local officials said on Thursday, ending a four-day effort after a Ukrainian drone strike.
Slovenia’s national broadcaster RTV Slovenia has confirmed it will not air the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, joining a widening boycott over Israel’s participation.
Iran says no U.S. meeting is planned in Islamabad, despite Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arriving in the Pakistani capital. He is also set to visit Muscat and Moscow for regional consultations.
Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner will travel to Islamabad on Saturday for Pakistan-mediated talks with Iran, the White House said.
Iran is pursuing a dual-track strategy in the Strait of Hormuz, balancing cooperation with South Korea while increasing military pressure, as tensions disrupt shipping and raise concerns over regional stability.
Iran’s leadership has presented a united front, rejecting claims of internal divisions amid continued tensions with the U.S. and Israel following a fragile ceasefire and stalled Iran–U.S. talks.
The Middle East conflict is pushing up energy prices and feeding into UK food costs, with businesses warning the impact is reaching consumers through everyday grocery bills.
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