Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi walks with Pakistan's Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Field Marshal Asim Munir in Islamabad, Pakistan, on April 24, 2026 [Reuters]By Elizabeth Melimopoulos and AFPPublished On 25 Apr 202625 Apr 2026
United States envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will travel to Pakistan on Saturday for talks with Iran, the White House has said, while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has arrived in Islamabad.
The visit comes amid deadlocked negotiations between the US and Iran, with uncertainty lingering for days over whether Tehran will return to the table.
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said Iran still had an “open window” to strike a deal and abandon its pursuit of a nuclear weapon in “meaningful and verifiable ways”.
In Israel
- Netanyahu ‘sabotage’ claim: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hezbollah of trying to “sabotage” efforts to reach a “historic” peace deal with Lebanon.
In Lebanon and Gaza
- Israel kills six: The Israeli military said it had killed six Hezbollah fighters in a southern Lebanese town “during an exchange of fire.”
- Hezbollah downs drone: The Israeli military confirmed a statement by Hezbollah that it used a missile to shoot down an Israeli drone in southern Lebanon.
- Israeli attacks kill at least 12 in Gaza: At least 12 Palestinians, including six police officers, were killed, according to medics and officials in Gaza.
Oil and gas
- ‘Tight’ gas markets: The market for liquefied natural gas (LNG), which has been strained by the war, will remain “tight” through 2026 and 2027, the International Energy Agency said.
- Oil mixed, stocks at record highs: Oil prices had a mixed day, with Brent oil futures edging higher to finish above $105 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate, the US benchmark, dropped 1.5 percent to $94.40 a barrel. The S&P 500 rose 0.8 percent, taking the benchmark for US stocks to an all-time high.
