Key Updates
- U.S. to Blockade Ships Entering and Leaving Iranian Ports Monday
- Watch: J.D. Vance says U.S. leaving negotiations after giving Tehran the "final and best offer"
April 13, 2026 05:30
Trump weighs limited strikes on Iran after talks collapse: reports
U.S. President Donald Trump and his advisers are looking at resuming limited military strikes in Iran in addition to the U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz as a way to break a stalemate in peace talks, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday (April 12, 2026), citing officials and people familiar with the matter.
Reuters could not immediately verify the report.
- Reuters
April 13, 2026 03:57
Lebanon PM says working to get Israeli troop withdrawal
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Sunday (April 12, 2026) he was working to stop the Israel-Hezbollah war, even as Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu told troops in south Lebanon that the fight there was far from over.
The Lebanese Red Cross said in a statement that one of its paramedics had killed in the south.
They said its teams had been “directly targeted by an Israeli drone” while on a humanitarian mission, even though “the ambulances and their crews bore the protective Red Cross emblem”.
- AFP
April 13, 2026 03:56
Oil bounces back above $100 after US, Iran talks end in stalemate
Oil prices jumped above $100 a barrel on Monday (April 13, 2026) as the U.S. Navy prepared to blockade the Strait of Hormuz after talks between the U.S. and Iran failed to reach a deal to end the war.
Brent crude futures rose $7.11, or 7.47%, to $102.31 a barrel by 2204 GMT after settling 0.75% lower on Friday (April 10, 2026).
U.S. West Texas Intermediate was at $104.43 a barrel, up $7.86, or 8.14%, following a 1.33% loss in the previous session.
- Reuters
April 13, 2026 03:55
Iran says was 'inches away' from deal with U.S. in Islamabad
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday (April 12, 2026) that Tehran had been just “inches away” from a deal with Washington during weekend talks with the United States in Islamabad.
“Iran engaged with U.S. in good faith to end war,” he said in a post on X.
But when “just inches away” from an agreement in Islamabad, “we encountered maximalism, shifting goalposts, and blockade,” he added.
- AFP
April 13, 2026 03:04
U.S. to Blockade Ships Entering and Leaving Iranian Ports Monday
The U.S. military announced it will begin blockading all Iranian Gulf ports on Monday (April 13, 2026) at 1400 GMT, and will allow ships not coming or going to Iran to pass through the critical Strait of Hormuz.
“The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman,” US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a post on X on Sunday (April 12, 2026).
“CENTCOM forces will not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports,” it added, appearing to walk back President Donald Trump’s earlier post in which he said “any and all Ships” would be blocked.
- AFP
U.S. military says it will start blockade of all ships going to and from Iran on Monday
U.S. military to enforce an impartial blockade on all ships entering or leaving Iranian ports starting April 13.
April 13, 2026 01:05
Iran navy chief calls Trump threat to block Hormuz strait 'ridiculous': state TV
Iran’s navy chief Shahram Irani on Sunday (April 12, 2026) called U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to blockade the Strait of Hormuz “ridiculous”, after marathon talks between Tehran and Washington in Pakistan failed to deliver a deal to end the West Asia war.
“The brave men of the naval force of the Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran are monitoring and supervising all the movements of the aggressive American army in the region. The threats of the US president to blockade Iran at sea... are very ridiculous and funny,” he said, according to state TV.
- AFP
April 13, 2026 00:39
Israel PM formally appoints new Mossad chief
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday (April 12, 2026) formally appointed a new chief of the country’s foreign intelligence agency, the Mossad.
Major General Roman Gofman, an army officer with no prior intelligence background, will assume the role on June 2, 2026, when the current Mossad director, David Barnea, completes his five-year term.
Mr. Netanyahu had selected Mr. Gofman for the position in December, with the appointment receiving formal approval on Sunday (April 12, 2026).
- AFP
April 12, 2026 23:58
'Civilisation will die' remarks brought Iran to bargaining table: Trump
US President Donald Trump on Sunday (April 12, 2026) said his “civilisation will die” remarks brought Iran to the bargaining table for the now failed peace talks, and predicted that they will come back.
“Let me tell you, that statement got them to the bargaining table, and they have it left. They have left the bargaining table. I predict they come back and they give us everything we want,” Trump told Fox News programme ‘Sunday Futures’.
On April 7, Mr. Trump had threatened that the U.S. forces would wipe out the “whole civilisation” and demanded that Iran open up the Strait of Hormuz, the transit route for one-fifth of the global oil supplies, for navigation.
“A whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back again,” Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social, remarks that drew condemnation from across the world.
- PTI
April 12, 2026 23:56
Iran's Guards will view military vessels approaching strait as ceasefire breach
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Sunday (April 12, 2026) that any military vessels attempting to approach the Strait of Hormuz will be considered a violation of the two-week U.S. ceasefire and be dealt with harshly and decisively.
The strait is under the control and ‘smart management’ of Iran’s Navy, the Guards said in a statement reported by Iranian state media, adding it is “open for the safe passage of non-military vessels in accordance with specific regulations”.
- Reuters
April 12, 2026 23:54
UN force in Lebanon says Israeli tank rammed its vehicles in south
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said that an Israeli tank rammed peacekeeping vehicles on Sunday (April 12, 2026) in the country’s south where Israel and Hezbollah have been at war since last month.
“On two occasions today, Israel Defense Forces [IDF] soldiers rammed UNIFIL vehicles with a Merkava tank, in one case causing significant damage,” the statement said, adding that the Israeli soldiers had blocked a road in south Lebanon’s Bayada “that is used to access UNIFIL positions”.
“Over the past week, Israeli soldiers have fired ‘warning shots’ in the area, striking and damaging clearly identifiable UNIFIL vehicles. In one case, a ‘warning shot’ landed a metre away from a peacekeeper who had dismounted his vehicle,” the statement added.
- AFP
April 12, 2026 23:49
Israel's Netanyahu, in south Lebanon, says threat of invasion removed
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday (April 12, 2026) that Israeli forces had eliminated the threat of an invasion by Hezbollah militants during a visit to troops in southern Lebanon.
His visit comes two days before officials from Lebanon, Israel and the United States are due to hold direct talks in Washington.
“The war continues, including within the security zone in Lebanon,” Mr. Netanyahu said in a video released by his office, which showed him wearing a flak jacket and surrounded by masked soldiers.
- AFP
April 12, 2026 23:48
Iran says it has full control of the Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy said on Sunday (April 12, 2026) that military vessels approaching the Strait of Hormuz “will be met with a firm and forceful response,” according to two semi-official Iranian news agencies.
Earlier on Sunday (April 12, 2026), Mr. Trump said the U.S. Navy would begin a blockade on the critical waterway to stop ships from entering or leaving.
The talks in Pakistan between Iran and the U.S. ended on Sunday (April 12, 2026) without an agreement to end the fighting.
- AP
April 12, 2026 23:47
Lebanon PM says working to achieve Israeli troop withdrawal
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Sunday (April 12, 2026) that he was working to stop the Israel-Hezbollah war and to ensure the withdrawal of Israeli forces, after Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu visited troops in south Lebanon.
“We will continue to work to stop this war, to ensure the Israeli withdrawal from all our lands, the return of all the prisoners, to rebuild our destroyed villages and towns, and the safe return of the displaced,” Mr. Salam said in a speech on the eve of the anniversary of the start of the country’s 1975-1990 civil war.
“We are continuing our efforts... to negotiate to stop the war,” he added in the televised address ahead of planned talks on Tuesday (April 14, 2026) in Washington between Lebanese, Israeli and U.S. officials.
- AFP
April 12, 2026 23:46
Iran had good initiatives to show goodwill to U.S., top negotiator Qalibaf says
Iran had very good initiatives to show goodwill in talks with the United States which led to progress in the negotiations, the country’s top negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said in comments carried by state media on Sunday (April 12, 2026).
Mr. Qalibaf said U.S. President Donald Trump’s new threats will have no effect on the Iranian nation.
“If you fight, we will fight, and if you come forward with logic, we will deal with logic,” he said.
- Reuters
April 12, 2026 23:26
Iran also rejected call to end funding for Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis and to reopen Strait of Hormuz: Senior U.S. official
A senior U.S. official said that Iran also rejected the call to end funding for Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis and to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran also rejected the demand for the end to Uranium enrichment and the dismantling of major enrichment facilities.
- Reuters
April 12, 2026 23:00
'No other way': West Asia prepares for more fighting as talks fail
A sense of dread spread across West Asia after talks between the U.S. and Iran collapsed, as fears of renewed fighting rattled an already tense region, with Donald Trump ordering a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Following more than 20 hours of talks in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance admitted the yawning differences between the U.S. and Iran proved to be insurmountable for the moment.
Questions about what would come next and whether the two sides would continue to respect a two-week ceasefire were anybody’s guess as both the Iranian and American delegations departed Pakistan without a deal.
- AFP
April 12, 2026 22:58
Saudi Arabia summons Iraq envoy over drone threats from Iraqi territory
Saudi Arabia said on Sunday it had summoned Iraq’s ambassador over what it described as threats targeting the kingdom and other Gulf states from drones launched from Iraqi territory.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it had “emphasised the importance of Iraq dealing responsibly with these threats and attacks”.
- Reuters
April 12, 2026 22:49
At U.S.-Iran talks, Pakistan's field marshal takes centre stage
When U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance disembarked his plane ahead of high-stakes talks with Iran in Islamabad on Saturday, he was greeted by the powerful Pakistani Army Chief, his civilian attire blending in with those around him.
The image illustrated what many experts say is Field Marshal Asim Munir’s growing role at the centre of Pakistan’s foreign relations.
“He is a soldier, a statesman and a diplomat,” Islamabad-based political analyst Qamar Cheema told AFP. “Munir has created a momentum for Pakistan at a global level to change Pakistan’s perception,” he said
Pakistan’s push to get Iran and the United States to the negotiating table for their highest-level face-to-face talks in decades to end weeks of war has garnered international praise - and some surprise.
- AFP
April 12, 2026 22:31
Russia and Iran's leaders discussed collapsed U.S. talks with Iran
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian discussed the latest developments in West Asia st in a phone call on Sunday, the Kremlin said.
Mr. Pezeshkian briefed Mr. Putin on the U.S.-Iran talks held in Pakistan and thanked Moscow for its position “aimed at de-escalating the situation,” the Kremlin said in a statement.
It also said Mr. Putin had “emphasised his readiness” to help bring about a diplomatic settlement to the hostilities and “establish a just and lasting peace in West Asia.”
Mr. Pezheskian said that “reaching an agreement is not far off, if the U.S. returns to the framework of international law,” according to Iranian State media.
“The Strait of Hormuz is under the control and smart management of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Navy,” he said.
“Military vessels approaching the Strait of Hormuz will be considered a ceasefire breach and will be dealt with strongly,” he added.
- AP, Reuters
April 12, 2026 21:26
Trump threatens China with 50% tariff if it helps Iran
President Donald Trump on Sunday threatened China with “staggering” new tariffs on its goods entering the United States if Beijing provides military assistance to Iran during the West Asia war.
“If we catch them doing that, they get a 50% tariff, which is a staggering -- that’s a staggering amount,” Mr. Trump told Fox News show “Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo.”
The U.S. leader is scheduled to visit Beijing next month for talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, after delaying an earlier summit because of the war against Iran.
- AFP
April 12, 2026 21:06
Iran authorities say 3,375 killed in U.S.-Israel war: State media
The head of the Iranian Legal Medicine Organisation, which sits under the country’s judiciary, said on Sunday that 3,375 people in Iran had been killed in the war with the United States and Israel, state news agency IRNA reported.
“During the recent imposed war, the bodies of 3,375 martyrs were identified by the Legal Medicine Organisation using scientific and specialised methods,” said Abbas Masjedi, head of the Iranian Legal Medicine Organisation.
He said the toll included 2,875 males and 496 females, without specifying if they were adults or children, according to the agency.
Due to reporting restrictions, AFP is not able to access the sites of strikes nor to independently verify tolls in Iran.
- AFP
April 12, 2026 20:48
Iran Guards threaten to trap enemies in 'deadly vortex' of Hormuz
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Sunday said that Iranian security forces had the Strait of Hormuz key shipping bottleneck under full control, warning that enemies would be trapped in its “deadly vortex” in case of any miscalculation.
“All traffic... is under the full control of the armed forces,” the Guards Naval Command said in a Persian language post on X after President Donald Trump ordered a U.S. naval blockade of the Strait.
“The enemy will become trapped in a deadly vortex in the Strait if it makes the wrong move,” it added, posting a video showing vessels in crosshairs.
- AFP
April 12, 2026 20:30
U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz will be 'all or none,' with no passage for any ship until Iran relents: Trump
The prospect of a U.S. blockade could further rattle global energy markets and prices for oil, natural gas and related products. It was not immediately clear how a blockade might be carried out, but Donald Trump said the goal of the blockade was to ensure all ships could transit.\
“It’s going to be all or none, and that’s the way it is.” Mr. Trump said he has “instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran. No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas.” Other nations would be involved in the blockade, he said, but did not name them.
Mr. Trump stressed that Tehran’s nuclear ambitions were at the core of the failure to end the war, and the U.S. was ready to “finish up” Iran at the “appropriate moment.”
- AP
April 12, 2026 20:26
Will take a little while for U.S. to blockade the Strait of Hormuz: Trump as he repeats threat to destroy Iran energy infrastructure
Implementing a newly announced U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz will take a little while, President Donald Trump said in an interview with Fox News’“Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo”.
Mr. Trump also reiterated his threat to destroy Iran’s power plants and other civilian energy infrastructure if no deal is reached to end the conflict in West Asia.
“I could take out Iran in one day,” Mr. Trump said on the Fox News show. “I could have their entire energy, everything, every one of their plants, their electric generating plants, which is a big deal.”
- Reuters, AFP
April 12, 2026 19:55
War has cost Israel $11.5 billion in budgetary expenses: Iran Finance Ministry
Israel’s war with Iran incurred 35 billion shekels ($11.52 billion) in budgetary expenses, with 22 billion shekels of that going to defence, the Finance Ministry said on Sunday, citing a preliminary estimate.
The amount has already been added to the 2026 budget, it said.
- Reuters
April 12, 2026 19:54
Kuwait says 24 arrested over 'financing of terror'
Kuwait has arrested 24 people as part of an investigation into the “financing of terrorist entities”, authorities said, including five former lawmakers.
Since Iran began attacking Kuwait and other Gulf states last month as part of the West Asia war, authorities across the region have moved against individuals and organisations suspected of links to or supporting Tehran.
In a statement late on Saturday, Kuwait’s Interior Ministry did not mention any particular country or organisation, but said it had “thwarted a plot targeting the undermining of the homeland’s security and the financing of terrorist entities and organisations”.
- AFP
April 12, 2026 19:51
UKMTO says sailing vessel was approached by skiff carrying armed men off Yemen's Hodeidah
A sailing vessel was approached by a skiff with armed men on board 54 nautical miles southwest of Yemen’s Hodeidah, United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Sunday.
UKMTO said the skiff was turned away after the master deployed a flare.
- Reuters
April 12, 2026 19:07
U.S. to start blockading the Strait of Hormuz: Trump
President Donald Trump on Sunday said the U.S. Navy would immediately start blockading the Strait of Hormuz and would also interdict every vessel in international waters that had paid a toll to Iran.
Mr. Trump made his remarks in a Truth Social post hours after U.S.-Iran peace talks ended without a deal. Mr. Trump said the meeting “went well, most points were agreed,” but added the two sides had not agreed on Iran’s nuclear program.
“Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz,” said Mr. Trump, who is strongly opposed to the idea of Iran charging ships a toll to pass through the strait.
“I have also instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran. No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas,” he said.
Trump says U.S. to start blockading the Strait of Hormuz immediately
Trump announces immediate U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, targeting vessels paying tolls to Iran.
April 12, 2026 19:04
World urges more negotiation after U.S.-Iran talks end without deal
World figures urged the United States and Iran to keep negotiating after marathon Washington-Tehran talks in Islamabad ended on Sunday without a deal to end the war in West Asia.
- AFP
April 12, 2026 19:03
Diplomacy 'essential' to resolve West Asia war: EU
Diplomacy is “essential” to resolve the war in the West Asia, a European Union spokesman said on Sunday.
Noting failed U.S.-Iranian talks hosted by Pakistan, EU foreign affairs spokesman Anouar El Anouni said, “we salute Pakistan for its mediation efforts,” and added Brussels would contribute to further efforts to reach a settlement in coordination with its partners.
- AFP
April 12, 2026 19:02
All U.S. negotiators left failed Iran talks in Islamabad: U.S. official
The entire U.S. negotiating team has left the failed Iran talks in Islamabad, a U.S. official said on Sunday, leaving nobody in the Pakistani capital to pursue back-channel discussions.
During a refuelling stop in Germany’s Ramstein Air Base for Air Force 2, carrying Vice-President J.D. Vance back from negotiations on ending the West Asia war, a U.S. official told reporters that no team members stayed behind in Islamabad, including chief negotiators Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Speculation had risen that one or both of Mr. Trump’s envoys might stay behind to pursue further discussions, after the marathon talks failed to produce any substantive progress over the conflict with Iran.
- AFP
April 12, 2026 19:01
Russia’s Putin holds phone call with Iran’s Pezeshkian: reports
Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, to discuss the Iran-U.S. talks in Islamabad, Russian news agency Interfax reported on Sunday.
Mr. Putin was reported as saying that Russia is ready to continue facilitating a settlement in West Asia.
- Reuters
April 12, 2026 19:00
Pakistan's first container vessel reaches Karachi port after reopening of Strait of Hormuz
MV Selen has become Pakistan’s first container vessel to reach Karachi Port after the Strait of Hormuz was reopened in the wake of the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran.
The vessel MV Selen, arriving from Jebel Ali in the UAE, docked at the Karachi Port on Saturday night, the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) said.
The arrival of MV SELEN, operated by NLC (AP Line), signalled the resumption of containerised trade and reinforced confidence in maritime supply chains, the KPT said in a statement.
Weeks after the conflict started in West Asia, Iran and the U.S. on April 8 agreed on a conditional ceasefire that included the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, the strategically located key waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, handling roughly 20% of global energy supply.
- PTI
April 12, 2026 18:58
U.S. sending forces to help with mine-clearing in Strait of Hormuz
The U.S. military said two of its destroyers transited the critical waterway in the Strait of Hormuz ahead of mine-clearing work, a first since the war began.
“We’re sweeping the strait. Whether we make a deal or not makes no difference to me,” Mr. Trump said as talks extended into early Sunday morning.
Iran’s state media, however, reported that the country’s joint military command denied that.
Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz has proved to be its biggest strategic advantage in the war. Around a fifth of the world’s traded oil had typically passed through on over 100 ships a day. Only 12 have been recorded to have transited since the ceasefire.
On Saturday, Mr. Trump said on social media that the U.S. had begun “clearing out” the strait.
- AP
April 12, 2026 18:36
U.S.-Iran peace talks collapse in Pakistan after 21-hour negotiations
The U.S. and Iran failed to reach a peace deal at their historic 21-hour talks in Pakistan, leaving the fate of a tenuous two-week ceasefire in doubt, with both sides attempting to hold each other responsible for the collapse of the negotiations.
Vice-President J.D. Vance, who led the U.S. delegation at the negotiations in Islamabad, said the Iranian side did not accept Washington’s terms for ending the war even as the U.S. presented its “final and best offer”. He indicated that Tehran’s reluctance to abandon its nuclear programme was one of the key sticking points.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the head of the Iranian team, said it is for the U.S. to decide whether it can “earn our trust or not”.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry, without elaborating, said the U.S. side resorted to “excessive” and “illegal demands” The failure to reach an agreement has dimmed the prospect of reopening the Strait of Hormuz to stabilise the global energy market. It is unclear whether the U.S. will resume military operations against Iran.
- PTI
April 12, 2026 18:34
Israeli strike kills infant girl in south Lebanon during father's funeral
Aline Saeed, seven, barely survived the Israeli strike on her home in south Lebanon last week. She was there to bury her father as hopes of a truce spread across the region, but a new strike killed her infant sister and other relatives.
The strike on the Saeed family home in the village of Srifa took place on Wednesday, the first day of a U.S.-Iran ceasefire that many in Lebanon hoped would apply to their country, too. Instead, Israeli strikes killed more than 350 across Lebanon and left the Saeed family with four more relatives to bury.
“They said it was a ceasefire. Like all these people, we went up to the village. We went to the casket to read the prayers and walk home... suddenly we felt like a storm was landing right on us,” said Nasser Saeed, Aline’s 64-year-old grandfather, who also survived.
- Reuters
April 12, 2026 18:29
Iran's 44-day internet blackout breaks global records as peace talks with U.S. stall
Amidst the stalling of high-level peace talks between Tehran and Washington, Iran continues to endure severe digital isolation as the nationwide internet blackout reached its 44th day on Sunday.
According to data provided by internet watchdog NetBlocks, the ongoing disruption has now surpassed all previous global benchmarks for connectivity interference.
Earlier this month, the monitor officially classified the current situation as the longest nationwide internet shutdown ever recorded in a sovereign state.
Highlighting the severe fallout of this policy, NetBlocks stated on social media platform X that the “human and economic impacts of the extended censorship measure continue to pile up, breaking global records for shutdowns in a connected society.”
The blackout was initiated by the Iranian regime shortly after the first military strikes by the United States and Israel against the country. Since the onset of that kinetic conflict, authorities have maintained a near-total block on external digital access for the population.
- ANI
April 12, 2026 18:24
Iran took 'principled stand', resolution cannot happen overnight: Mehbooba Mufti on peace talks
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday said the talks between Iran and the United States have not failed as it would take time to resolve their problems, and asserted that Tehran had taken a principled stand.
“I do not think the dialogue has failed. It is a complicated matter for which such a huge war was fought. If you think that this issue will be resolved overnight, it does not work like that,” Ms. Mufti told reporters after a party rally in Pulwama.
The U.S. and Iranian delegations left Pakistan on Sunday after the two sides were unable to reach an agreement during their 21-hour talks in Islamabad to end the West Asia conflict, with U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance citing Tehran not forgoing its nuclear programme as one of the key sticking points.
The PDP leader said Iran has once again “shown courage and stuck to its principled stand”.
- PTI
April 12, 2026 16:11
Hezbollah denies link to cell accused of planning Damascus attack
Hezbollah denied any link to a cell accused by Syrian authorities of planning an attack on a religious figure in Damascus, saying it conducts no activity in the country.
Syria’s Interior Ministry said that security forces had arrested a woman attempting to plant an explosive device in front of a house belonging to an unidentified religious figure in the Bab Touma area of the Syrian capital.
Security forces dismantled the device and arrested five members of the cell, a ministry statement said.
According to initial investigations, the cell was linked to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and “its members received specialised military training abroad”, the Ministry added.
But the Iran-backed movement denied the Ministry’s claims today, saying they were “false and fabricated”.
Hezbollah said it has “no activity, no ties and no relationship with any party in Syria, and has no presence on Syrian soil”.
The group called on Syrian authorities “to conduct a thorough investigation before making accusations without evidence”.
It blamed “the presence of intelligence services” on Syrian soil that it said were “seeking to inflame tensions between Lebanon and Syria”.
- AFP
April 12, 2026 15:15
Iran Parliament Speaker says US 'unable' to gain Tehran's trust in talks
Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who was part of peace talks with the United States this weekend, said that Washington was “unable” to win Tehran’s trust during the discussions.
“My colleagues in the Iranian delegation... put forward constructive initiatives but ultimately the other side was unable to gain the trust of the Iranian delegation in this round of negotiations,” Mr. Ghalibaf said in a post on X.
- AFP
April 12, 2026 13:42
Key Saudi pipeline back
Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry said that its key east-west oil pipeline and other facilities had been restored following attacks by Iran on infrastructure across the Gulf.
Citing an energy ministry statement, the official Saudi Press Agency reported that the attacks had led to a “loss of approximately 7,00,000 barrels per day of pumping capacity through the east-west pipeline” and work was under way to restore full production capacity at the kingdom’s Khurais oil field.
- AFP
April 12, 2026 13:32
Iran aims to restore majority of refining capability within two months, Oil Ministry official says
Iran expects to restore most damaged refining and distribution facilities to 70–80% of their pre-attack capacity within one to two months, a senior oil official said, as authorities work to recover from a wave of strikes on energy infrastructure.
Deputy Minister of Oil Mohammad Sadeq Azimifar told the Student News Network that repair work had begun and that part of the Lavan refinery is expected to resume operations within about 10 days, with other units coming back online gradually.
- Reuters
April 12, 2026 13:24
U.K. Minister says 'disappointing' no breakthrough in Iran war talks
U.K. Government minister Wes Streeting on Sunday said it was “disappointing” that negotiations between the United States and Iran in Islamabad had stalled, adding that U.S. President Donald Trump’s earlier social media comments had been “incendiary”.
“It’s obviously disappointing that we haven’t yet seen a breakthrough in negotiations and an end to this war in Iran that is a sustainable one,” Mr. Streeting told Sky News.
“As ever in diplomacy, you’re failing, until you succeed. So while these talks may not have ended in success, that doesn’t mean there isn’t merit in continuing to try,” the Health Minister added.
Mr. Streeting also criticised Mr. Trump’s rhetoric during the crisis. “Over the course of the past week, President Trump has said some pretty bold... incendiary, provocative, outrageous things on social media,” he said.
- AFP
April 12, 2026 12:17
Iran nuclear programme crushed: Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the joint U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran had succeeded in “crushing” the Islamic republic’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.
“They wanted to strangle us, and [now] we are strangling them. They threatened us with annihilation, and now they are fighting for survival,” he said, adding that the war against Tehran had also weakened Iran’s leadership and its regional allies.
He agreed to Lebanese requests for peace talks on two conditions, he added: “We want the dismantling of Hezbollah’s weapons, and we want a real peace agreement that will last for generations.”
- AFP
April 12, 2026 11:57
Iran-U.S. talks in Islamabad held via indirect, direct channels: sources
The Iran-U.S. peace talks were conducted first indirectly through Pakistan and later through direct negotiations between the two sides, official sources said.
Pakistan remained involved at every stage of the process, with the talks beginning with separate meetings of the US and Iranian delegations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
This was followed by an exchange of messages between the two sides through Pakistani interlocutors, the sources said.
According to sources, the negotiations then moved to direct talks between the visiting delegations, which continued for about two-and-a-half hours in the presence of Pakistani officials.
In the next phase, a one-hour break was taken and technical aspects of the demands presented by the two sides were discussed at the expert level. The exchange of messages on technical aspects continued until late at night.
- PTI
April 12, 2026 11:34
How was the U.S.-Iran ceasefire deal reached?
How did the two-week ceasefire come about and how did Pakistan become involved in mediation? Why has Israel reacted negatively to the U.S.-Iran ceasefire negotiations? What is happening in Islamabad now, and what are the chances of the talks succeeding?
Click below to know more:
How was the U.S.-Iran ceasefire deal reached?
Explore the U.S.-Iran ceasefire negotiations, Pakistan's mediation role, and Israel's opposition to the talks.
April 12, 2026 11:24
Iran and Strait of Hormuz: A lone battle for control
In the negotiations that began on Saturday (April 11, 2026) in Pakistan, a key U.S. demand from Iran will be free passage—both unrestricted and cost-free—for merchant ships through the Strait of Hormuz. Although Iran has often threatened to control the strait and use it as leverage, including during the Iran-Iraq war, this is the first time the issue has been formally raised at the international negotiating table.
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Iran and Strait of Hormuz: A lone battle for control
Explore Iran's struggle for control over the Strait of Hormuz amid international negotiations and historical maritime precedents.
April 12, 2026 10:25
Watch: J.D. Vance says U.S. leaving negotiations after giving Tehran the "final and best offer"
April 12, 2026 10:16
Australia urges West Asia ceasefire continuation after U.S.-Iran talks end
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong urged a continuation of the Middle East ceasefire after U.S.-Iran talks ended with no deal.
“The priority now must be to continue the ceasefire and return to negotiations,” Ms. Wong said in a statement, adding it was “disappointing that the Islamabad talks between the United States and Iran have ended without agreement”.
- AFP
April 12, 2026 10:13
Tehran says no one had expectation of reaching agreement with U.S. in one session: state TV
Iran’s foreign ministry said no one had held any expectation that talks with the United States could have reached an agreement within one session after the negotiations in Islamabad stalled.
“Naturally, from the beginning we should not have expected to reach an agreement in a single session. No one had such an expectation,” Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said, according to state broadcaster IRIB.
He said Tehran was “confident that contacts between us and Pakistan, as well as our other friends in the region, will continue”.
- AFP
April 12, 2026 09:06
Pakistan Foreign Minister says 'imperative' for U.S., Iran to uphold ceasefire
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister insisted that Washington and Tehran must uphold a ceasefire agreement, after marathon talks between the two sides to end the war in the West Asia ended without an agreement.
“It is imperative that the parties continue to uphold their commitment to ceasefire,” said Ishaq Dar, whose government hosted the talks and acted as a mediator.
“Pakistan has been and will continue to play its role to facilitate engagement and dialogue between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America in the days to come,” he said in a brief statement broadcast by state media.
- AFP
April 12, 2026 08:07
Iran state media says talks failed over 'unreasonable' U.S. demands
“Unreasonable demands” by the United States scuppered talks in Islamabad to end the war in the West Asia, Iranian state broadcaster IRIB said.
“The Iranian delegation negotiated continuously and intensively for 21 hours in order to protect the national interests of the Iranian people; despite various initiatives from the Iranian delegation, the unreasonable demands of the American side prevented the progress of the negotiations. Thus the negotiations ended,” IRIB said on Telegram.
- AFP
April 12, 2026 08:05
Washington seeking a "fundamental commitment" from Iran that it would not develop a nuclear weapon: Vance
Iran and the United States failed to reach an agreement to end the war in the West Asia, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance said after marathon talks in Islamabad, adding that he was leaving negotiations after giving Tehran the “final and best offer”.
Mr. Vance said Washington was seeking a “fundamental commitment” from Iran that it would not develop a nuclear weapon, but that “we haven’t seen that” after holding the highest-level meeting between the two sides since the 1979 Islamic revolution.
However, he signalled that he was still giving time to Iran to consider the offer from the United States, which on Tuesday said it would pause attacks with Israel for two weeks pending negotiations.
- AFP
April 12, 2026 07:26
Vance says talks failed to reach agreement with Iran
U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Sunday that talks with Iran failed to reach an agreement, saying he was leaving after putting forward a “final and best offer”.
“We leave here with a very simple proposal, a method of understanding that is our final and best offer. We’ll see if the Iranians accept it,” Mr. Vance told reporters after 21 hours of talks in the Pakistani capital Islamabad.
- AFP
April 12, 2026 06:50
US-Iran talks hinge on refraining from 'excessive demands': Iran Foreign Ministry
The success of peace talks between the United States and Iran depends on Washington avoiding “excessive demands” and “unlawful requests,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s spokesman said early on Sunday (April 12, 2026) after marathon talks in Islamabad.
“The success of this diplomatic process depends on the seriousness and good faith of the opposing side, refraining from excessive demands and unlawful requests, and the acceptance of Iran’s legitimate rights and interests,” Esmaeil Baqaei wrote on X.
He added that the two sides had discussed a range of issues including the strategic “Strait of Hormuz, the nuclear issue, war reparations, the lifting of sanctions, and the complete end of the war against Iran.”
- AFP
April 12, 2026 06:29
U.S., Iran to resume talks later Sunday after marathon negotiations: Iranian media
The United States and Iran were set to resume top-level peace talks in Pakistan later Sunday (April 12, 2026), Iranian media reported, following marathon negotiations that lasted nearly 15 hours.
“End of 15-hour marathon talks on first day of Iran-US talks in Islamabad,” Tasnim news agency reported, with another media outlet Mehr saying the next round of negotiations will be held after sunrise.
- AFP
April 12, 2026 06:26
U.S., Iran talks extend into second day as strait showdown deepens
Top-level peace talks between the United States and Iran entered a second day early Sunday (April 12, 2026), as Washington piled pressure by saying it had sent minesweeping ships through the vital Strait of Hormuz.
In the Pakistani capital Islamabad, Vice President J.D. Vance on Saturday (April 11, 2026) became the highest-ranking American to meet directly with Iranian officials since the 1979 Islamic revolution, days after the United States and Israel halted their war that had plunged West Asia and global economy into tumult.
Published - April 12, 2026 06:23 am IST
