Washington, March 26 (IANS) The United States has opened a diplomatic channel with Iran through Pakistan, even as military operations continue, with officials signalling a possible pathway to de-escalation after weeks of intense conflict. Special envoy Steve Witkoff said Washington has presented a 15-point framework for a potential peace deal, which has been conveyed to Tehran through Islamabad, which is acting as a mediator.“We have… presented a 15-point action list that forms the fra…
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New York, March 26 (IANS) With the world in the throes of an energy crisis from the partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz, President Donald Trump warned on Thursday that time was running out for Tehran to “get serious” about a deal. Iran responded to the United States’ 15-point peace proposal with a five-point plan, according to the Iranian news agency Tasnim.Trump said on Truth Social that Iran “better get serious soon, before it is too late, because once that happens, there is no…
Washington, March 25 (IANS) President Donald Trump said the United States is in active negotiations with Iran and declared that the conflict had been “won”, even as he swore in Markwayne Mullin as Secretary of Homeland Security at the White House. Speaking to reporters after the swearing-in ceremony, Trump said talks with Iran were underway and involved top members of his administration.“We’re in negotiations, as it turned out. Now, you’ve seen what I said yesterday was exactly c…
Washington, March 24 (IANS) A series of backchannel talks helped shape President Donald Trump’s decision to pause planned strikes on Iran, according to US media reports.The Wall Street Journal reported that officials from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan were involved in closed-door discussions to find a way out of the conflict.The White House, however, refrained from giving any details. “These are sensitive diplomatic discussions and the United States will not negotiate through the…
New York, March 23 (IANS) President Donald Trump on Monday sounded optimistic about an imminent settlement of the Iran War with major points of agreement in talks, while Tehran was signalling that there were no negotiations. Trump told reporters that “we have points, major points of agreement, I would say, almost all points of agreement”, especially on the three major points on eliminating nuclear development.The remarks were greeted by a slump in oil prices and a rise in stock markets.The S…
Washington, March 23 (IANS) The White House on Monday declined to comment on mediation efforts in the Iran crisis, saying sensitive diplomacy would not be discussed publicly even as reports pointed to growing back-channel activity. “These are sensitive diplomatic discussions and the United States will not negotiate through the news media,” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told IANS when asked about Pakistan’s role in the conflict and peace efforts.Her remarks came amid media reports …
Florida, March 22 (IANS) Ukrainian and US delegations discussed “key issues” and next steps on settling the Ukraine crisis in fresh negotiations held in the US state of Florida, Rustem Umerov, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council, has said.”We continued to discuss key issues and next steps within the negotiation track. Special attention was paid to coordinating approaches for further progress toward practical results,” he was cited as saying in a report by the Interfax-Uk…
Washington, Feb 23 (IANS) US President Donald Trump is weighing military options against Iran as diplomacy enters what officials describe as a last-ditch phase, even as Tehran’s closest partners — China and Russia — appear reluctant to offer direct military backing in any conflict with the United States.According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, Iran has sought for years to build closer military ties with Beijing and Moscow. But its powerful friends are “proving reluctant to step …
Cairo, Feb 23 (IANS) The United States and Iran have decided to continue negotiations, even as their starkly different visions of a nuclear deal and a significant US military buildup highlight the fragility of the process and the ongoing risk of confrontation.Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi said on Sunday that the next round of US-Iran talks will take place on Thursday in Geneva.”Pleased to confirm US-Iran negotiations are now set for Geneva this Thursday, with …
Washington, Feb 19 (IANS) US President Donald Trump will convene the inaugural Board of Peace meeting, during which member states will announce over $5 billion in investment for Gaza reconstruction and related security measures. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is also set to attend the inaugural Board of Peace meeting on Thursday, with delegations from over 40 nations, including India.Convened by President Donald Trump, the administration has positioned the Board of Peace as a central…