Pakistan offered to host talks between Iran and the U.S. to bring about an end to the Middle East conflict on Tuesday (24 March), as U.S. President Donald Trump repeated that Washington was speaking to Tehran, despite the White House downplaying earlier comments by Trump saying the same thing.
After U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran and the U.S. had discussed an end to hostilities in a post on Truth Social on Monday (23 March), White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt downplayed the statement at a media briefing.
"This is a fluid situation, and speculation about meetings should not be deemed as final until they are formally announced by the White House,” she said.
Later on Tuesday, Trump again said that talks were taking place between Iran and the U.S., telling reporters that Washington was speaking to "the right people" in Tehran.
Iran also denied any negotiations were taking place and Qatar confirmed it wasn’t acting as a mediator in any talks.
Meanwhile, Pakistan emerged as a potential mediating force if any future talks happen. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the country was “ready” to host or facilitate negotiations to bring about the end of the conflict.
Lebanon expels Iranian Ambassador
Beirut’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had ordered the Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Reza Sheibani to leave the country by Sunday (29 March), after declaring him persona non grata.
It accused Sheibani of interfering in internal affairs by criticising decisions made by the Lebanese government and holding meetings with “unofficial Lebanese parties.” It didn’t say who those parties were.
The Ministry said that Sheibani had violated the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations through his actions.
The development came as Lebanese Shia Islamist group Hezbollah vowed to fight any attempt by Israel to occupy the south of the country, calling it an "existential threat” to Lebanon as a state.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) confirmed that a Moroccan civilian contractor had died in an Iranian attack in Bahrain. Another five UAE military personnel were also injured in the attack, as well as a number of troops from Bahrain, according to the UAE’s Foreign Ministry.
Elsewhere, the President of Iraq’s Kurdistan region said six people were killed in an Iranian rocket attack on a military base north of the city of Erbil. Nechirvan Barzani said 30 others were wounded in the attack early on Tuesday.
The President of the Philippines declared a national emergency as a result of what he called an “imminent danger” to the country’s energy supply from the Middle East conflict. Ferdinand Marcos Jr said an emergency committee had been formed to ensure the supply and distribution of fuel, food, medicines, agricultural products and other essential goods.
Meanwhile, beer brewers in India warned of price rises, due to a shortage of gas. As the world's fourth-largest importer of natural gas, India is especially vulnerable to fuel availability and relies heavily on the Middle East for shipments, sourcing about 40% of its supply from Qatar.
In Kenya, the head of an association representing independent retailers, said hundreds of outlets were running out of fuel due to the Iran conflict.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Thursday as Türkiye stepped up efforts to revive stalled ...
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The U.S. military said it completed a sixth consecutive night of strikes on Iran late on Thursday, targeting logistics infrastructure and maritime ca...
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Thursday as Türkiye stepped up efforts to revive stalled peace negotiations aimed at ending the war with Russia.
Andy Burnham has been elected leader of Britain's governing Labour Party, clearing the way to become the country's next prime minister on Monday. The 56-year-old pledged to spread power beyond Westminster, revive neglected communities and counter the rise of Reform UK.
The U.S. military said it completed a sixth consecutive night of strikes on Iran late on Thursday, targeting logistics infrastructure and maritime capabilities. Iran responded by launching strikes at U.S. bases in neighbouring countries.
Apple is closing in on Nvidia's position as the world's most valuable publicly traded company, as investors increasingly bet the iPhone maker can turn artificial intelligence into sustained earnings growth.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced the reimposition of a U.S. naval blockade on all Iranian ports and warned that power plants and bridges could be targeted next week unless Tehran returns to negotiations.
The U.S. military announced that it has completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets under U.S. President Donald Trump's orders. The operation targeted command centres, air defence systems, missile and drone facilities, and coastal surveillance sites across multiple locations.
The half-time interval during the 2026 FIFA World Cup final is expected to be extended to around 30 minutes to accommodate the tournament’s first-ever major half-time concert.
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The U.S. military said it completed a sixth consecutive night of strikes on Iran late on Thursday, targeting logistics infrastructure and maritime capabilities. Iran responded by launching strikes at U.S. bases in neighbouring countries.
Aid organisations in Afghanistan are struggling to keep women in work as Taliban restrictions force them to spend more on male guardians, transport and separate workplaces, a June 2026 survey has found.
Iran's space programme is advancing with new communications, radar and Earth observation satellites despite conflict and sanctions, the head of the Iranian Space Agency has said. He also outlined expanded international cooperation and a revised long-term strategy.
Uzbekistan and Italy's Tuscany region have agreed to expand cooperation in trade, investment, education and culture following talks between President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Tuscany Governor Eugenio Giani in Tashkent.
Iran struck eastern Syria on Friday, Iranian state media and a Syrian military source said, in the first known attack by Tehran on Syrian territory since a regional war erupted earlier this year.
Disruptions to shipping through the Gulf are creating an unexpected opportunity for Pakistan, as conflict around the Strait of Hormuz prompts vessels to divert cargo to Karachi, reshaping regional maritime trade.
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