(Photo credit: REUTERS/Denis Balibouse) Despite Iran's sports minister stating that the country cannot participate amid the war with the United States, along with President Donald Trump voicing concerns for the players' 'life and safety,' FIFA president Gianni Infantino is confident Iran will play in the FIFA World Cup this summer in North America.
Moscow remains open to reviving the proposal if it helps ease Middle East tensions, Dmitry Peskov says Russia's proposal to host Iran's enriched uranium remains on the table despite having been previously rejected by the US, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said. The issue of Tehran's nuclear program has long been a sticking point in talks with Washington.
Moscow remains open to reviving the proposal if it helps ease Middle East tensions, Dmitry Peskov says Russia's proposal to host Iran's enriched uranium remains on the table despite having been previously rejected by the US, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.
Tehran [Iran], April 16 (ANI): Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday (local time) welcomed Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir in Tehran, expressing appreciation for Pakistan's role in facilitating dialogue and underscoring the shared commitment to regional peace and stability amid West Asia tensions. In a post on X, Araghchi said, 'Delighted to welcome Field Marshal Munir to Iran.
The BBC's chief international correspondent reports from Iran as diplomatic efforts to avoid a return to war intensify.
Qatar emir, Trump discuss Hormuz tensions and regional escalation Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, received a phone call from US President Donald Trump to discuss the latest regional and international developments, the emir's office said, as reported by Al Jazeera. The talks focused on maritime security and the stability of energy markets and global supply chains amid competing blockades of the Strait of Hormuz. The emir stressed the need to intensify international efforts to prevent further escalation.
The diplomacy came as the U. S. Navy locked down trade to Iranian ports, and Iran responded by threatening critical shipping routes across the region.
Jeddah [Saudi Arabia], April 16 (ANI): Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Jeddah on Wednesday (local time) on an official visit to Saudi Arabia, accompanied by a high-level delegation, according to Pakistan's Prime Minister's Office (PMO). Sharif's arrival comes amid escalating tensions in West Asia and ongoing diplomatic efforts to revive US-Iran peace talks.
Despite no immediate deal, the first round signaled something more important Following the talks that took place in Islamabad between Iran and the United States, several experts and commentators were quick to declare the negotiations a failure. However, such assessments are rather unfounded and overlook the complexities of multi-layered diplomatic processes.
Washington DC [US], April 16 (ANI): The White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Wednesday said that the next round of peace talks between the United States and Iran is likely to be held in Pakistan. Responding to a question on the venue of the upcoming talks, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the discussions would 'very likely' take place at the same location as the previous round.
WASHINGTON, 15th April, 2026 (WAM) -- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on Wednesday that the United States is currently in discussions regarding the possibility of holding a second round of negotiations with Iran in Pakistan.
Washington DC [US], April 16 (ANI): White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Wednesday (local time) clarified that reports suggesting the United States had formally sought an extension of the ongoing ceasefire were incorrect, even as high-level diplomatic engagements with Iran remain active and 'productive and ongoing.
White House feels ‘good about the prospects of a deal’ as Pakistani officials launch new round of diplomacy The US and Iran have been in indirect talks aimed at extending the two-week ceasefire beyond its expiry on 22 April, as Pakistan’s army chief arrived in Tehran to continue mediation efforts. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, denied on Wednesday that the US had “formally” requested to extend the two-week ceasefire but added that Washington remained “very much engaged in these negotiations”. Continue reading...
Low turnout and heckling dominate JD Vance's Turning Point USA appearance Submitted by MEE staff on Wed, 04/15/2026 - 18:17 The vice president sparred with a heckler and defended Erika Kirk, who skipped the event, citing threats US Vice President JD Vance, right, speaks with Turning Point USA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet during an event at the Akins Ford Arena in Athens, Georgia, on 14 April 2026 (Chip Somodevilla/Pool/AFP) Off US Vice President JD Vance's address at an event on Tuesday drew widespread ridicule after images of sparsely filled seating circulated, with critics saying voters were increasingly unwilling to support politicians they see as backers of Israel’s wars on Iran and Palestine . Vance was also heckled at the event by what should have been a supportive and friendly crowd. Posts shared across multiple platforms showed wide sections of empty seats at a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) event inside the Akins Ford Arena in Athens, Georgia, fuelling commentary that attendance was far lower than expected.
Abu Dhabi [UAE], April 15 (ANI): In a major diplomatic pivot, the United Arab Emirates and Iran have established their first high-level contact since the outbreak of hostilities in February.
US president will need to show heavy costs of war were worthwhile while Iran must choose between instant and delayed gratification Middle East crisis – live updates If talks between Iran and the US reconvene within the next few days in Islamabad, Donald Trump will have two major political hurdles to overcome – first showing that any deal he secures is better than the one signed by Barack Obama in 2015 and from which he withdraw in 2018, and secondly proving the deal is more favourable than the one on offer in Geneva in February before he launched his war. Otherwise he will have inflicted massive damage on the world economy when alternatives were available that were less costly in blood and treasure. He will also have to show that Iran has made no permanent gain by taking control of shipping passing through the strait of Hormuz.
Keir Starmer can’t be blamed for the crisis in the Middle East, but he has to reassure people that he is prepared for its long-term consequences Public reassurance is one of the first duties of the government in difficult times. The early months of the Covid pandemic offer a case study in how to get this wrong. Boris Johnson was paralysed by indecision and denial of the severity of what was unfolding.
Tehran [Iran], April 15 (ANI): Amidst a fragile two-week ceasefire and a looming naval blockade, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff arrived in Tehran on Wednesday. His high-stakes visit is seen as a final-hour attempt to resuscitate peace negotiations between Washington and Tehran after the 'Islamabad Talks' ended without a breakthrough.
New Delhi [India], April 15 (ANI): As tensions simmer in West Asia, New Delhi is increasingly viewed not just as a concerned bystander, but as a uniquely positioned mediator capable of cooling the region's geopolitical temperature.
The decline of US hegemony. Plus: Hungary’s new dawn Get the Guardian Weekly delivered to your home address At the end of 2025, Patrick Wintour wrote a compelling essay for Guardian Weekly in which he described an interregnum in global history, where the rules-based order had been eroded and great powers once again jostled for control and influence. This week’s edition sees Patrick return to a key aspect of that theme, the deteriorating global standing of the United States after a period of high-stakes brinkmanship with Iran.
