Pakistan's army chief has traveled to Tehran to hold talks with Iranian leadership aimed at resolving the escalating US-Iran conflict, adding a significant regional diplomatic track to efforts already underway. The visit signals Pakistan's willingness to position itself as an intermediary at a moment when Washington and Tehran are reportedly weighing an extension of a ceasefire arrangement. Separately, the US is examining options to freeze Iranian sovereign funds as a pressure or negotiating lever, a move that would tighten the financial squeeze on Tehran beyond existing sanctions. Pakistan's engagement is notable given its geographic position, historic ties to both Gulf states and Iran, and its separate but unresolved tensions with regional neighbors. The military-to-military diplomatic channel, rather than a foreign ministry one, suggests urgency and sensitivity. Watchers should track whether the ceasefire extension holds, the legal and custodial status of any Iranian funds under US consideration, and whether Pakistan's mediation gains traction with both Washington and Tehran.
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
