Iran is 'open' to talks on Strait of Hormuz, Iranian FM says - Middle East conflict on 15 March
Iran says it is open to talks with countries seeking safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz - disrupted by recent attacks - as Israel continues ...
Türkiye, Egypt, and Qatar are trying to organise a meeting in Ankara between White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and top Iranian officials, according to reports in the U.S. and Turkish media.
All three countries previously worked with the U.S. administration to secure a shaky ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, and are now reportedly trying to facilitate talks aimed at averting another conflict between the United States and Iran.
The reported diplomatic push comes amid a massive U.S. military build-up in the region that has prompted fears of an imminent attack on Iran and Iranian reprisals against U.S. military targets.
Over the weekend, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian spoke by phone with Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, his Egyptian counterpart, to discuss ways of resolving the standoff diplomatically.
Hope for negotiations
During the call, al-Sisi reiterated Cairo’s opposition to further military escalation, while also affirming his country’s hope of bringing the two adversaries back to the negotiating table, according to Egyptian press reports.
Last month, al-Sisi stressed the importance of finding a diplomatic solution at a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Last Friday, Pezeshkian also spoke by phone with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who expressed Ankara’s readiness to facilitate talks between Tehran and Washington.
On the same day, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited Istanbul for talks with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, to discuss ways of averting another regional conflict.
Opposition to military force
At a joint press conference, Fidan said Ankara was ready to support a diplomatic solution, while also stressing Türkiye’s opposition to any foreign military intervention in Iran.
Araghchi, for his part, said Tehran was prepared to resume negotiations with Washington over its nuclear programme, but rejected the notion of holding talks while under the threat of a U.S. attack.
He also said Tehran’s ballistic missile capability, unlike its nuclear programme, would not be subject to negotiations.
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A widening conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel has triggered escalating military strikes across the Middle East, disrupted shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz and raised concerns over global energy supplies. This live report tracks the latest developments.
Iran says it is open to talks with countries seeking safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz - disrupted by recent attacks - as Israel continues to launch wide‑scale strikes on Iranian infrastructure in the west. This live report tracks the latest developments.
North Korea fired what appeared to be a ballistic missile on Saturday (14 March), Japanese and South Korean officials said. The development comes amid the joint annual U.S.-South Korea "Freedom Shield" military drills and South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok's visit to Washington.
Ukrainian drones struck an oil refinery and a key port in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region overnight (13-14 March), local authorities said, causing injuries and damage. In separate action, Russian air attacks on Ukrainian territory killed and wounded civilians near Kyiv, officials reported.
Canada and the five Nordic countries have agreed to deepen cooperation in military procurement and other areas, in the latest push by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to build new global alliances.
Top U.S. and Chinese economic officials launched a new round of talks in Paris on Sunday (15 March) to resolve issues in their trade truce. The discussions aim to smooth the way for U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at the end of March.
Ukraine wants money and technology in return for helping Middle Eastern nations that have sought its expertise as they defend against Iranian kamikaze drones, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, after Kyiv sent specialists to the region.
French voters head to the polls on Sunday (15 March) to elect their mayors in a closely watched ballot seen as a test of the strength of the far-right and the resilience of mainstream parties ahead of next year's presidential vote.
Tens of millions of Vietnamese were voting on Sunday (15 March) to elect members of parliament from a list of candidates almost exclusively fielded by the Communist Party, ensuring the party's continued overwhelming dominance.
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