Day News Recap: Pakistan strikes in Afghanistan spark civilian deaths as US courts and Iran talks dominate
The biggest escalation came on the Pakistan Afghanistan border, where the UN mission in Afghanistan said at least 28 civilians were killed and 49 injured after Pakistan launched airstrikes and sent ground troops into Afghan territory. India condemned the strikes, saying civilians, including women and children, were among the dead. 🔗 🔗Regional fallout widened as Donald Trump said Iran had requested a meeting in Doha and that talks would go ahead, while Iranian officials denied any political negotiations were planned. US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were later reported to be in Qatar for mediator led discussions, with Tehran... [Continue Reading]
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US envoys in Doha for mediator-led Iran talks as direct meetings are ruled out
US special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner are in Doha for discussions with mediators on the US-Iran negotiations, Qatar's foreign ministry says. Majed al-Ansari said no direct meetings between US and Iranian officials are scheduled in the coming days, underlining that the talks in the Qatari capital are being handled indirectly. The latest visit comes as diplomacy continues around a fragile stand-down after a recent exchange of strikes.The talks follow a four-day period of attacks that began after a dispute over reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which about 20% of global oil... [Continue Reading]
US and Iranian delegations head to Qatar for technical talks amid nuclear deadline
Iran has said it will send a delegation to Qatar for technical meetings on Tuesday, while stressing that no direct negotiations with the other side are planned. Washington has separately said that envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will travel to Qatar this week for high-level meetings. The talks come as mediators try to keep diplomacy moving on a permanent agreement that would include Iran's disputed nuclear programme.According to the confirmed details, the discussions are expected to involve lower-level diplomats before any possible return to the table by top negotiators. The White House press secretary said the US envoys were... [Continue Reading]
Trump says Iran talks set for Doha as Tehran denies any negotiations, amid wider regional fallout
US President Donald Trump said Iran had requested a meeting in Doha and that it would take place the next day, but Iranian officials denied that any such talks were planned. The conflicting statements have left the status of the proposed contact unclear, even as both sides continue to signal that diplomacy remains under discussion. The latest exchange centres on Qatar, which has emerged as the venue named by Washington for the next step in the talks.Trump said the discussions would focus on Iran's nuclear programme and wrote that the meeting would happen in Doha. He did not identify the... [Continue Reading]
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Oil prices fall further as Strait of Hormuz traffic resumes after US-Iran deal
Oil prices have fallen further as vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz continues to recover after a US-Iran memorandum of understanding signed on 17 June. Brent crude briefly dropped below $72.48 a barrel, returning to the level seen before the conflict began, before edging back up to $73.23. The move reflects a sharp easing in market fears over disruption to one of the world's most important energy shipping routes.The latest data cited by maritime intelligence firm Kpler suggests 284 vessels have crossed the strait since 18 June, the day after the deal was signed. That is still below the... [Continue Reading]
Viral clip from US-Iran talks in Switzerland sparks claims of Qatar prime minister snub of JD Vance
A video clip from the US-Iran talks in Switzerland has prompted online claims that Qatar's prime minister snubbed US Vice President JD Vance. The footage shows Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani greeting Pakistan's prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, as he walks past Vance without shaking his hand. The clip was filmed during the talks near Lucerne in central Switzerland, not Geneva, and has been widely shared on social media.The video was posted online on June 22 and has drawn more than two million views, according to the supplied report. It was shared with a claim that Vance had been... [Continue Reading]
US-Iran talks intensify as Rubio rejects Hormuz tolls and Senate backs war powers measure
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said Iran will not be allowed to charge tolls or fees on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz under any final agreement with Washington. His comments sharpen one of the main disputes in the negotiations, which are taking place alongside a 60-day diplomatic process launched after a preliminary agreement in Switzerland. Iran has meanwhile said planned transit fees through the waterway will be suspended for 60 days while talks continue.The latest developments come as the US Senate passed a war powers measure pressing President Donald Trump either to halt the war in Iran... [Continue Reading]
Shadows of Fire: The Long Arc of Iran–United States Tensions
A Region on Edge: The Latest Escalation In recent months, tensions between Iran and the United States have intensified once again, fueled by disputes over regional security, nuclear development, maritime incidents in the Persian Gulf, and the broader strategic balance in the Middle East. Officials in Washington have expressed renewed concern over Iran’s uranium enrichment levels, while leaders in Tehran have accused the United States of economic warfare through sanctions and diplomatic isolation. The fragile equilibrium that followed earlier rounds of indirect negotiations appears increasingly strained, with both sides engaging in sharp rhetoric at the United Nations, reinforcing military postures... [Continue Reading]
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