The Latest: Trump sending Witkoff and Kushner to Pakistan for talks with Iran's foreign minister
U.S. President Donald Trump is sending envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan for a second round of ceasefire negotiations with Iran, the White House said Friday.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Islamabad on Friday to take part in Pakistani-led mediation efforts, and held a series of meetings with Pakistani officials. He met with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday.
Iran’s government said there would be no direct negotiations with U.S. representatives during Araghchi’s visit to Islamabad.
Pakistan was preparing to receive U.S. special envoys Witkoff and Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, although officials have not specified when they are due in Islamabad. Vice President JD Vance will not attend, the White House said.
Separately, the Trump administration announced it is placing economic sanctions on a major China-based oil refinery and roughly 40 shipping companies and tankers involved in transporting Iranian oil. The move appeared to be part of the administration's threat to impose secondary sanctions on entities doing business with Iran in order to cut off Iran’s oil exports, a key source of its revenue.
Here is the latest:
Lebanon’s Health Ministry said that Israeli airstrikes on the village of Yohmor in southern Lebanon targeted a pickup truck and a motorcycle, killing four people.
Saturday’s airstrikes came despite a 10-day ceasefire in place since April 17.
Since the truce went into effect, it has been repeatedly violated by both sides.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that Lebanon and Israel agreed to extend the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah by three weeks.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday at the prime minister’s office in the capital, Islamabad.
Sharif’s office issued a statement saying the meeting was ongoing.
It said Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir were also present.
No further details were immediately available, and the statement only said the “current regional situation will be discussed.”
Iran’s top diplomat and Pakistan’s army chief have discussed efforts to launch a new round of talks with the United States.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Telegram that he met with Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir Saturday morning in Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital, and explained Iran’s views on ending the war between the Islamic Republic and the U.S.
Araghchi didn’t offer further details, but said Tehran will continue engaging in the Pakistani-led mediation efforts “until a result is achieved.”
Iran’s president has urged people to reduce their use of electricity after American and Israeli strikes damaged the county’s energy infrastructure, state media reported.
President Masoud Pezeshkian said the government aims to “control consumption” of electricity, according to the Iranian state television.
“Instead of turning on 10 lights at home, turn on two lights. What is wrong with that?” he said.
He said the U.S. and Israel “destroyed our infrastructure,” and noted that the U.S. imposed a blockade on Iran’s ports.
Commercial flights resumed Saturday at Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran for the first time since the war with the United States and Israel started about two months ago.
Iran’s state-run television reported the airport has flights to Istanbul in Turkey, Oman’s capital Muscat and the Saudi city of Medina.
Flightradar24, a flight tracking platform, showed at least three Istanbul-bound flights departed Saturday morning.
Iran partly reopened its airspace earlier this month during a ceasefire with the U.S.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said his country plans to deploy minesweeper ships to the Mediterranean, which later could be transferred to the Strait of Hormuz.
“We will deploy a minesweeper to the Mediterranean and provide it with a command and supply ship,” Pistorius told the Rheinische Post newspaper Saturday.
He did not say exactly when the ships are scheduled to depart.
After an end to hostilities between the U.S., Israel and Iran, the German minesweepers could be deployed in the Strait of Hormuz, though such a mission would need to be approved by Germany’s parliament.
“To save time, we have decided to deploy part of the German units to the Mediterranean early on so that — once the mandate is approved — we do not lose any further time,” Pistorius said.
Pakistan’s capital Islamabad appeared to be in a near-lockdown Saturday morning, hours after Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived on a closely watched visit as Pakistan attempts to ease tensions between the United States and Iran.
The weeklong security restrictions have disrupted daily life, with hundreds of thousands of residents struggling to commute even short distances. Checkpoints, road closures and diversions have become routine sights, particularly around sensitive zones.
The usually busy arteries leading to the airport and the heavily fortified Red Zone were largely deserted early Saturday, with movement tightly restricted. Soldiers and police were at key intersections while helicopters circled overhead.
The measures were reinforced over the past 24 hours on the city’s outskirts with additional forces stationed along key airport access routes. Soldiers were visible on rooftops overlooking major approach roads, particularly near the airport where the Iranian delegation arrived late Friday.
Iran hanged a man Saturday over alleged ties to Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency and his participation in anti-government protests in January.
Erfan Kiani was the latest in a series of executions in Iran following the war and nationwide protests.
The Mizan news agency of Iran’s judiciary announced Kiani was convicted of charges including attacks on security forces in the city of Asfahn in January.
The agency claimed he was on a “mission for Mossad” without offering evidence.
Human rights activists long have said Iran convicts people in closed-door trials without allowing defendants to properly defend themselves.
There recently have been multiple executions of alleged spies, as well as protesters and those affiliated with an Iranian exiled opposition group.
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari is expected to travel to Beijing on Saturday to begin a weeklong visit at the invitation of the Chinese government.
Discussions will include economic and trade cooperation and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
China has played a role in facilitating Pakistan as a host for ceasefire talks between the United States and Iran. Zardari is expected to discuss his country’s efforts to host a second round.
The visit is part of a longstanding tradition of high-level exchanges between Pakistan and China and holds special significance as they mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said.
“It reflects the deep commitment of both countries to further strengthening the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership,” the ministry said.
Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met late Friday with Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir shortly after arriving in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, officials said.
On Saturday morning Araghchi met with Munir and Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, officials said.
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said the Iranian delegation will hold talks with Pakistan’s senior leadership on the latest regional developments and efforts to promote peace and stability.
The visit comes as Pakistan is also preparing to receive U.S. envoys, although officials have not specified when Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are due in Islamabad.
Egyptian and Pakistani foreign ministers late Friday discussed efforts to launch a new round of talks between the United States and Iran.
Badr Abdelatty of Egypt spoke by phone with his Pakistani counterpart Mohammad Ishaq Dar.
The Egyptian foreign ministry said the diplomats affirmed that negotiations are the best way to end the war.
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