United States President Donald Trump has dispatched envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan as Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Islamabad, raising hopes of renewed dialogue to end the US-Israeli war on Iran. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the envoys were expected to meet Araghchi, though it remained uncertain whether Tehran had agreed to talks. Trump expressed optimism about a potential deal, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Iran still had an opportunity to make a “good deal.”

According to Pakistani sources cited by Reuters, Araghchi’s visit would be brief and focused on Iran’s proposals for talks that Pakistan might relay to Washington. However, Al Jazeera reported that a senior Iranian official ruled out direct US-Iran talks in Pakistan. Iranian state media made no mention of parliamentary speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf, who led previous negotiations that ended without progress. The Iranian parliament denied reports of his resignation and confirmed no new talks were scheduled.

Trump recently extended a two-week ceasefire to allow more time for negotiations while maintaining a blockade on Iranian ports. The US also froze $344 million in Iranian cryptocurrency assets to increase financial pressure on Tehran.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei stated that there are no plans for a meeting with the United States during the Iranian delegation’s visit to Islamabad. In a post on social media platform X, he confirmed that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has already arrived in the Pakistani capital and will hold talks with senior Pakistani officials.

Baghaei explained that the visit aims to convey Iran’s position and message to Pakistan as part of ongoing mediation efforts to end what he described as a U.S.-imposed war and to restore peace in the region. The statement came after earlier reports from the U.S. side suggested a possible meeting between Iranian representatives and American officials in Islamabad.

Iran’s clarification underscores a clear difference in positions between Tehran and Washington regarding any direct engagement during this diplomatic visit.

The United States is reportedly considering punitive measures against several NATO allies accused of providing insufficient support during the ongoing Iran war. According to a Pentagon internal email cited by a US official, Washington is dissatisfied with some member states that denied base access or closed their airspace, limiting the US military’s operational flexibility. The email outlines potential strategies and describes access, basing, and overflight rights as fundamental expectations within NATO.

The document also mentions possible actions such as removing uncooperative countries from key alliance positions and even discusses Spain’s potential expulsion from NATO, though a NATO official noted that the founding treaty includes no provision for suspension or expulsion. Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez reaffirmed his country’s commitment to the alliance, dismissing internal emails as non-policy. A Pentagon spokesperson said the administration is exploring realistic options to make NATO more effective and accountable.

Analysts cited in the report suggest the debate exposes renewed tensions over trust and burden-sharing within NATO, potentially marking one of the most serious internal strains in the alliance’s 76-year history.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner will travel to Pakistan on Saturday to join a second round of discussions aimed at ending the conflict with Iran. White House Press Secretary Carolyn Levitt confirmed the plan in an interview with Fox News on Friday, saying Iran had agreed to participate in the direct talks at Trump’s invitation and that Washington hopes the dialogue will lead to a productive outcome and a possible agreement.

The first round of direct talks between the United States and Iran took place in Islamabad on April 11 and 12, lasting about 21 hours but ending without a settlement. That meeting was led by U.S. delegate J.D. Vance, who will not attend this time but remains ready to join if needed. Levitt added that all relevant parties are prepared to travel to Pakistan quickly if required.

According to the report, Pakistan brokered a temporary ceasefire between the United States and Iran on April 8, which was later extended indefinitely after April 22.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Islamabad on Friday night, according to Turkey-based Anadolu Agency. He was received by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Army Chief Asim Munir. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said Araghchi will meet the country’s top leadership to discuss regional stability, peace, and cooperation. The visit is being viewed as a significant step toward a possible second round of talks between Iran and the United States.

The trip comes as Pakistan intensifies diplomatic efforts to restart dialogue between Tehran and Washington. The White House confirmed that U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkov and adviser Jared Kushner will travel to Pakistan on Saturday to meet Iranian representatives. White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt said Islamabad is playing a key mediating role in facilitating these direct discussions, while Vice President JD Vance remains closely involved from Washington.

A first round of direct Iran-U.S. talks was held in Islamabad on April 11–12 but ended without progress. Pakistan is now actively working to reopen the negotiation channel between the two sides.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that he will visit Islamabad, Muscat, and Moscow, describing the trip as a timely initiative. In a message posted on social media platform X, Araghchi said the purpose of the visits is to strengthen coordination with partner countries on bilateral issues and to discuss the regional situation. He emphasized that Iran’s neighbors remain its top priority.

Reports indicate that his planned visit to Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, is being viewed as a significant step that could help pave the way for renewed direct discussions between Tehran and Washington. The trip underscores Iran’s ongoing diplomatic outreach amid evolving regional dynamics.

The visits are expected to focus on enhancing cooperation and addressing shared regional concerns, though specific agendas or outcomes have not yet been detailed in the available reports.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the European Union could consider easing sanctions on Iran if a comprehensive agreement is reached to end the ongoing conflict involving the country. Speaking to reporters after an EU summit held in Cyprus, Merz noted that sanctions relief could form part of a broader diplomatic process aimed at halting hostilities.

He stated that lifting sanctions might be integrated into negotiations and emphasized that European leaders showed a positive attitude toward the idea, with no objections raised. According to Merz, such a move could help advance talks and support the establishment of a lasting ceasefire.

His remarks suggest that the EU may seek to play a significant diplomatic role by using sanctions as a negotiation tool to promote peace and stability in the region.

The United States has deployed three aircraft carriers to the Middle East for the first time in 23 years, according to the US Central Command (CENTCOM). The arrival of the USS George HW Bush joins the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R Ford, bringing a total of 12 accompanying ships, more than 200 aircraft, and 15,000 soldiers to the region. CENTCOM said the last comparable buildup occurred before the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq. The deployment comes amid a fragile ceasefire involving the US, Israel, and Iran.

Diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran remain stalled, with Iran demanding the lifting of a US naval blockade as a condition for resuming talks. President Donald Trump extended the truce on Wednesday but maintained the blockade, which Iran has called an “act of war.” In response, Iran reblocked the Strait of Hormuz after briefly reopening it. Trump has indicated no urgency to alter the current situation, claiming it weakens Iran’s economy at minimal cost to the US.

CENTCOM confirmed that 34 vessels have been redirected in the region and that the blockade continues. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel is ready to resume military action against Iran if authorized by the US.

Israeli forces killed at least 12 Palestinians in multiple attacks across Gaza on Friday, according to medical sources cited by Al Jazeera. The dead included eight people, among them three civilians, in an attack on a police vehicle in Khan Younis, two police officers in Gaza City, and two others in a house bombing in Beit Lahiya. Gaza’s Ministry of Interior urged the international community to stop Israel’s targeting of local police, saying the forces were working to maintain civilian security.

The ministry condemned the attacks as violations of international law, accusing Israel of systematically killing police officers and worsening Gaza’s humanitarian crisis. It said the Khan Younis strike occurred after police intervened to break up a local fight. Hamas described the latest escalation as part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “bloody, fascist approach,” blaming mediators and the international community for failing to enforce the ceasefire.

Although a ceasefire brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump took effect last October, Israel has continued attacks that have killed at least 984 people since then. Reconstruction has not begun, and the international security force envisioned under the truce remains unformed.

A NATO official stated that the alliance’s founding Washington Treaty contains no provision for suspending or expelling member states. The clarification came after reports suggested that the United States had considered measures targeting Spain. According to those reports, an internal Pentagon email mentioned possible actions against allies that did not support U.S. military operations, including Spain.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez dismissed the reports, saying Madrid bases its policies on official communications rather than internal correspondence. Speaking to journalists before an informal European Union meeting in Cyprus, he emphasized that Spain cooperates fully with allies but always within the framework of international law.

The reports followed Spain’s refusal to allow the United States to use its bases or airspace for a potential military operation against Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump had previously criticized Spain and other NATO allies over such decisions and hinted at reducing the U.S. role within the alliance.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi may visit Pakistan for talks, according to state media reports, though Tehran’s Foreign Ministry has not yet confirmed the trip. The visit could be part of a broader tour including Islamabad, Muscat, and Moscow, scheduled to begin Friday evening.

The development comes amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently declared that the country is “locked and loaded,” signaling readiness for military action. In response, Iran warned that its “finger is on the trigger.” Both nations have reportedly adopted a policy of seizing each other’s ships, described by analysts as a “blockade-for-blockade” strategy. The US military has claimed to disrupt Iranian-linked vessels, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps said it seized at least two ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

Conflicting claims of battlefield success have further deepened the standoff. Observers now await whether diplomacy through Araghchi’s potential visit can ease tensions or if the conflict will escalate further.

Russia and Ukraine conducted a prisoner exchange on Friday, releasing a total of 386 soldiers, with each side freeing 193 individuals. According to Russia’s Defense Ministry, the United Arab Emirates and the United States acted as humanitarian mediators in facilitating the exchange. The freed Russian soldiers are receiving medical and psychological assistance in Belarus before being repatriated to Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that 193 Ukrainian fighters returned home as part of the exchange. In a post on social media platform X, he said the released personnel include members of the armed forces, National Guard, border guards, national police, and the State Special Transport Service. Some of those freed had been facing criminal charges in Russia, and several were wounded soldiers.

The exchange follows a previous swap on April 11, when Moscow and Kyiv exchanged 175 prisoners each, marking another step in ongoing humanitarian negotiations between the two countries.

Tensions between Beijing and Washington have escalated after Donald Trump claimed that a Chinese ‘gift’ was found on an Iranian cargo ship seized by the United States. On Friday, China’s Foreign Ministry rejected the allegation, stating it had no factual basis. The ministry emphasized that China is a responsible state and that normal trade flows between countries should not be disrupted. Earlier in the week, Beijing had described similar claims as ‘malicious lies.’

China has consistently called for a ceasefire and dialogue since the start of the war, portraying itself as a neutral party despite being Iran’s largest trading partner and top buyer of Iranian oil. Beijing maintains that it does not supply weapons to Iran.

Trump’s new accusation has cast uncertainty over his planned mid-May visit to China, which was intended to stabilize bilateral relations after being postponed once due to the war. On the same day, China’s Commerce Ministry imposed export controls on seven European firms accused of supplying arms to Taiwan, adding another layer of strain to its international relations.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and Lebanon’s Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah have accused each other of violating a ceasefire agreement. The IDF reported intercepting several projectiles launched from Lebanon toward Israel and claimed to have killed three individuals identified as Hezbollah fighters who allegedly attempted to fire missiles at an Israeli aircraft. Hezbollah, through Telegram, confirmed launching rocket attacks into Israel, asserting that these were in response to Israeli violations.

According to the IDF, Hezbollah had previously fired rockets twice at Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, actions the IDF described as clear breaches of the ceasefire terms. Meanwhile, Lebanon’s state news agency reported that Israel carried out strikes in the southern Tyre region earlier in the day. Hezbollah stated that its attacks on northern Israel were retaliatory measures following Israeli actions.

The renewed hostilities came shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a three-week extension of the Lebanon-Israel ceasefire and pledged U.S. cooperation with Lebanon to strengthen its defense against Hezbollah.

An Iranian delegation led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to arrive in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Friday night, according to several Pakistani government sources cited by Al Jazeera. The visit comes amid what sources describe as a strong possibility of major progress in discussions between the United States and Iran. Earlier in the day, Araghchi and Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a phone conversation, confirmed by both sides.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the two ministers discussed regional developments, ceasefire efforts, and ongoing diplomatic initiatives related to U.S.-Iran engagement. Dar emphasized the importance of continuous dialogue, while Araghchi praised Pakistan’s consistent and constructive mediating role. Iran’s state news agency IRNA also reported that Araghchi spoke separately with Pakistan’s army chief, though Islamabad has not confirmed this call.

Pakistan has been preparing for a potential second round of U.S.-Iran talks after the first 21-hour session in February ended without agreement. Security has been tightened in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, and two hotels have been reserved for delegations, though Iran has not yet agreed to resume talks.