live U.S., Iran reach preliminary peace deal, Friday signing expected
U.S. and Iranian officials said they had agreed on a framework to end their war, halt the U.S. blockade of Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a pre...
China’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong, has met Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq, in Islamabad to discuss the China-facilitated Urumqi Process and regional security concerns.
Yue Xiaoyong, said the meeting focused on the China-facilitated process launched in April.
“It was a great pleasure meeting with Ambassador Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, today in Islamabad,” Yue said in a post on X.
“We recalled the great celebrations recently held in both countries for the 75th anniversary of our strongest diplomatic ties and discussed constructively about the Urumqi Process started in April,” he added.
Sadiq said the talks also focused on security threats in the region.
“Welcomed my Chinese counterpart Ambassador Yue Xiaoyong and his delegation to Islamabad,” Sadiq said.
“Held productive talks on regional security, including threats from TTP and ETIM operating from Afghan soil. Agreed to strengthen coordination and synchronize counter-terrorism efforts to protect regional peace and stability,” he added.
The Urumqi Process refers to informal talks hosted by China in Urumqi, Xinjiang, from 1 to 7 April. The discussions brought together officials from Afghanistan, Pakistan and China, including representatives from foreign affairs, defence and security departments.
Chinese officials said the three sides agreed that dialogue was the most viable way to resolve disputes and that terrorism remained one of the main issues affecting relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Pakistan has demanded that Kabul take visible and verifiable action against Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which Islamabad says operates from Afghan soil. Kabul, however, rejects the claim.
In an interview with the BBC on Sunday, Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesperson for the Afghan authorities, said some of Pakistan’s demands were unrealistic.
“Problems can be resolved through dialogue and mutual understanding, and there is no issue without a solution. However, some of Pakistan’s demands are unrealistic and cannot be implemented by Afghanistan,” Fitrat said.
He said Afghanistan’s position was based on respect for its territorial integrity and national sovereignty, as well as an end to attacks on the Afghan people.
Previous mediation efforts by Qatar, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia have failed to produce a long-term settlement between the two neighbours. While those initiatives helped keep channels of dialogue open, no agreement has so far ended the violence or resolved the main security disputes between Kabul and Islamabad.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said it documented 372 civilian deaths and 397 injuries resulting from cross-border armed violence between 1 January and 31 March 2026.
Details of a reported draft memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran offer the clearest picture yet of how both sides plan to end months of conflict and move towards a longer-term settlement.
Pakistan has warned that any attempt by India to block or significantly reduce river flows under the Indus Waters Treaty could have “far-reaching consequences”, after India's water minister said New Delhi was working to ensure that “not a single drop” of water reaches Pakistan in the coming years.
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The U.S. and Iran say they have reached a deal to end their conflict, with an immediate ceasefire and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz after the lifting of the U.S. naval blockade. Talks will continue over the next 60 days to finalise the agreement
U.S. President Donald Trump has said a peace agreement with Iran is scheduled to be signed on Sunday in a post on social media, despite Tehran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei saying no deal would be approved this weekend.
Türkiye and Saudi Arabia are aiming to establish a railway connection linking the two countries through Syria and Jordan within the next three to four years, according to Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu.
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At least six Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes and gunfire across the Gaza Strip on Sunday, 14 June, according to local health officials, as mediators intensified efforts to keep fragile ceasefire negotiations alive.
Senior officials from Azerbaijan and Armenia held a working meeting in Dilijan, Armenia, on 14 June to discuss issues related to the peace agenda between the two countries.
Tajikistan has strengthened its position as one of Central Asia’s fastest-growing economies. According to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the trend is supported by investment activity, industrial expansion and large-scale infrastructure projects.
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