Central Asia risks losing $640 million in annual energy gains as power grids struggle
Central Asia could gain up to $640 million a year from closer energy cooperation, but strained electricity grids threaten to limit those gains, wit...
U.S. President Donald Trump has predicted a swift end to the war with Iran, as Tehran considers a U.S.-backed peace proposal that sources say could formally end the conflict but leaves several core disputes unresolved.
The proposal is reported to focus on halting the war that began on 28 February 2026, while postponing agreements on key U.S. demands, including restrictions on Iran’s nuclear programme and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
“They want to make a deal. We’ve had very good talks over the last 24 hours, and it’s very possible that we’ll make a deal,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday, adding later that “it’ll be over quickly.”
Iranian officials have responded cautiously to the proposal. A foreign ministry spokesperson cited by state news agency said Tehran would formally convey its response, while lawmakers described the plan as one-sided.
Ebrahim Rezaei, a Spokesperson for Iran’s Parliamentary Foreign Policy and National Security Committee, said the proposal was “more of an American wish-list than a reality.”
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf appeared to mock the reports, writing on social media: “Operation Trust Me Bro failed.”
According to sources briefed on the mediation, the emerging framework would initiate further negotiations on lifting U.S. sanctions on Iran, securing maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, and setting limits on Iran’s nuclear programme.
However, the reported outline does not appear to include several long-standing U.S. demands, including restrictions on Iran’s missile programme and its regional network of allied armed groups.
Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium was also not addressed in the reported initial framework.
The mediation effort is reportedly being led by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner, according to sources cited in the talks.
If an initial memorandum is agreed, it would reportedly open a 30-day window for detailed negotiations toward a broader settlement.
Despite growing market optimism, officials on both sides have stressed that major political and security differences remain unresolved, leaving the outlook for a lasting agreement uncertain.
Reports of a possible framework agreement triggered a sharp reaction in global markets, with oil prices falling and equities rising on expectations that hostilities could ease.
Brent crude Brent crude oil briefly fell by around 11% to near $98 a barrel before recovering above $100, reflecting continued volatility in energy markets.
Analysts said markets were reacting more to the prospect of de-escalation than to confirmed details of any agreement, which remain limited.
The Middle East conflict remains tense as diplomatic efforts continue alongside renewed Houthi attacks. Iran says it remains open to mediation, while the Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted a ballistic missile fired towards the kingdom.
Rescuers searched the wreckage of two high-speed trains in central Spain on Thursday as the death toll rose to a provisional 74, making it the country's second fatal high-speed rail disaster this year.
Strengthened U.S.-Central Asia ties reflect a broader trend in international relations, with growing emphasis on developing alternative transit routes and diversifying energy and critical mineral supply networks to gain geopolitical influence.
At least 68 people have been killed after two high-speed trains collided in Spain on Wednesday, in the second deadly rail disaster in less than a year on a major route linking Madrid with the southern Andalusia region.
Qatari mediators returned to Tehran on Friday as part of efforts to reach a deal between the U.S. and Iran, according to an official briefed on the talks.
Iran shot down a U.S. drone over the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, Iranian news agency Tasnim reported on Sunday (25 October), citing the country’s army.
An unknown projectile struck a tanker 68 nautical miles northeast of Saudi Arabia on Friday according to a report released by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) on Saturday.
The leader of Yemen's Saudi-backed government announced the beginning of a major military operation against the Iran-backed Houthis on Sunday, aimed at seizing the territory under their control.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States meets seven conditions agreed under a June memorandum, as President Donald Trump signals he may soon decide whether to resume military operations against Tehran.
Governments from the Persian Gulf to the Horn of Africa are hedging against a conflict they cannot control, with contingency plans beginning to reshape trade routes, alliances and the regional map.
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