Pakistani Army Chief General Asim Munir traveled to Tehran as Islamabad continues to serve as an active intermediary between Washington and Tehran in nuclear negotiations. Sources familiar with the process told Al Jazeera that Pakistani mediators are cautiously optimistic about a breakthrough on Iran's nuclear programme, signaling that backchannel momentum has not stalled despite public ambiguity from both sides. Pakistan's role as a conduit reflects its unique positioning: a Muslim-majority nuclear state with functional diplomatic ties to both the United States and Iran at a moment when direct engagement between Washington and Tehran remains structurally constrained. The visit follows a broader pattern of indirect talks that have drawn in regional actors to fill gaps left by the absence of formal diplomatic channels. Watchers should track whether Munir's Tehran meeting produces a concrete framework or timeline for the next round of talks, and whether Iran signals any shift in its posture on enrichment limits or inspection access, the two variables most likely to determine whether a negotiated agreement is achievable.
Iranian armed forces attacked a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, briefly halting traffic through the waterway. The strike threatens a fragile US-Iran arrangement and could push shipping insurance costs and oil prices higher.
The US has struck Iran, with President Trump citing an Iranian attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz as justification. The action raises immediate risks for global oil flows through one of the world's most critical shipping chokepoints.
The US struck ten Iranian targets on the second consecutive day of military action, putting a fragile ceasefire under serious pressure. The escalation raises immediate risks for Gulf shipping, global oil supply, and regional stability.
Venezuela's twin earthquakes, magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, have killed at least 164 people and injured 971, interim president Delcy Rodriguez confirmed Thursday. The quakes are the country's strongest since 1900, collapsing buildings across Caracas and prompting a state of emergency, with the death toll expected to rise as