Planned U.S.-Iran talks in Switzerland on Friday will no longer take place after Vice President JD Vance withdrew from a scheduled trip to meet Iranian negotiators, Swiss authorities said.
Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon killed at least 15 people on Friday, Lebanese state media said, as Israel said it targeted Hezbollah positions in response to repeated ceasefire violations.
The attacks came a day after Israel expanded its military control zone in southern Lebanon, raising questions over the Iran-US peace agreement's commitment to end fighting across the region.
The Israeli military said it carried out overnight strikes on Hezbollah fighters and infrastructure in southern Lebanon, saying the attacks were in response to repeated ceasefire violations by the Iran-backed group.
Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said reopening the Strait of Hormuz is solely Iran's responsibility under the ceasefire agreement with the United States, warning that outside intervention would only complicate the process.
Baghaei also said Tehran would maintain direct consultations with Oman on managing shipping through the strategic waterway.
Iran said commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz will receive transit authorisations free of charge for 60 days under the ceasefire agreement with the United States.
Tehran said the measure is being implemented under Article 5 of the memorandum, adding that ships seeking passage through the strategic waterway must apply to the Persian Gulf Strait Authority.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held calls with his counterparts from Cyprus, China, Italy, France and Kuwait, as discussions focused on the Iran-U.S. ceasefire agreement and next steps in the diplomatic process.
China and France were among the countries to publicly confirm the contacts.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian held calls with the leaders of Qatar, Pakistan and Tajikistan, thanking Doha and Islamabad for their role in helping secure the Iran-U.S. ceasefire agreement.
Pezeshkian also stressed the importance of expanding bilateral ties with Tajikistan, according to Iran's presidency.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, parliament speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi have welcomed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei's support for ceasefire talks with the United States.
In separate messages, the three said Khamenei's guidance would help steer Iranian negotiators during upcoming peace talks with Washington.
Planned U.S.-Iran talks in Switzerland on Friday will no longer take place, Swiss authorities said, after Vice President JD Vance withdrew from a scheduled trip to meet Iranian negotiators.
The White House said earlier that negotiations remain complex and unpredictable, but technical talks are expected to begin as soon as possible.
Abu Dhabi National Oil Co has instructed customers to resume loading crude oil from its Das and Zirku island export terminals, according to a Bloomberg report.
The move is the latest sign of improving conditions for Gulf energy exports following efforts to restore safe shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran said it will introduce fast-track authorisations for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz under the memorandum of understanding agreed with Washington.
Tehran added that mine-clearing operations would be carried out, while vessels have been advised to follow designated routes and schedules through the vital waterway.
The Pentagon needs about $80 billion to cover costs linked to the Iran war and other military expenses, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.
The newspaper said Deputy Defence Secretary Stephen Feinberg outlined the funding need in calls with lawmakers this week, as Congress presses the Trump administration for a full accounting of the conflict's cost.
Iraq's oilfields are ready to restart production, with output set to return gradually to previous levels, Oil Minister Basim Mohammed said.
The minister said crude exports from southern ports are resuming, although the pace of recovery will depend on the safe passage of shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. President Donald Trump is facing rare pushback from fellow Republicans over his interim Iran agreement, with some lawmakers warning it gives Tehran too much in return for limited concessions.
Senator Bill Cassidy called it “the worst foreign policy blunder in decades”, while others questioned plans to ease sanctions and release frozen Iranian assets.
Trump dismissed the criticism, saying opponents were “jealous, bad people, or stupid”.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance will not travel to Switzerland on Thursday night for planned talks on the next steps of a U.S.-Iran deal aimed at ending the conflict in the Middle East, the White House has said.
A White House spokesperson said the negotiations remain complex and unpredictable, adding: “As of now the Vice President is not departing tonight.”
The spokesperson said the administration still expects technical talks to begin “as soon as possible”.
Planned U.S.-Iran talks in Switzerland on Friday will no longer take place after Vice President JD Vance withdrew from a scheduled trip to meet Irania...
Labour mayor Andy Burnham cleared a path to ousting British Prime Minister Keir Starmer after winning a parliamentary seat in northern England on Frid...
World Cup action delivered impressive wins and late drama on 18-19 June. Mexico booked their place in the knockout stage as Group A winners, while J...
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has said he is severing “all contact” with European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, following remarks...
Ukraine and Germany have signed an agreement to strengthen anti-ballistic capabilities, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday,...
Labour mayor Andy Burnham cleared a path to ousting British Prime Minister Keir Starmer after winning a parliamentary seat in northern England on Friday in what could be most consequential local election in more than six decades.
World Cup action delivered impressive wins and late drama on 18-19 June. Mexico booked their place in the knockout stage as Group A winners, while Jonathan David's hat-trick inspired Canada to a 6-0 thrashing of Qatar.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has said he is severing “all contact” with European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, following remarks attributed to her that reportedly compared Israel’s policies toward Palestinians to apartheid-era South Africa.
Ukraine and Germany have signed an agreement to strengthen anti-ballistic capabilities, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday, as Kyiv continues to push for deeper Western support in countering Russian missile attacks.
Donald Trump has said the U.S. will resume bombing Iran if Tehran doesn't "behave," at the sidelines of the G7 summit in France. Earlier, the U.S. President criticised Israel for its tactics against Hezbollah, saying it was unnecessary to bomb entire apartment buildings to tackle militants.
U.S. President Donald Trump sought a deal with Iran "out of deperation," Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has said, in a statement on social media. Khamenei added that he himself "held a different view," to Trump, but allowed the agreement after receiving assurances from Iran's President.
Britain has announced an additional £8 million ($11 million) to help Pakistan combat illegal migration, human trafficking and organised crime, while praising Islamabad's role in diplomacy that helped secure the recent U.S.-Iran agreement.
Caleb Yirenkyi’s stoppage-time goal secured a 1-0 win for Ghana over Panama as World Cup action delivered a mix of late drama and key results. Colombia and England also began their campaigns with victories, while DR Congo held Portugal in a historic 1-1 draw and Austria beat Jordan 3-1.
The European Commission has announced €493 million in emergency support for the Ebola response, including funding for vaccines, treatment and health security measures.
The European Parliament has adopted one of its strongest resolutions on Georgia to date, calling for the release of political prisoners, backing sanctions against senior officials and warning that continued democratic decline could jeopardise the country's EU ambitions and visa-free travel regime.
The Caspian Sea has retreated by up to 35 kilometres along Kazakhstan's coastline since 2006, raising fresh concerns about the future of the world's largest inland body of water and the communities, industries and ecosystems that depend on it.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has remotely signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the U.S., brokered by Pakistan, under which Tehran and Washington agreed to extend their ceasefire and begin negotiations towards a peace agreement.
Kazakhstan and Iran have agreed to accelerate cooperation on transport corridors, giving Kazakhstan access to key Iranian ports in a move aimed at strengthening trade routes and reducing reliance on transit routes through neighbouring countries.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that Israeli settler groups could be added to a global blacklist for violations against children if attacks on Palestinian minors continue at current levels.
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