Iran-Israel War

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi holds discussions with Pakistan’s Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, in the specified location of Islamabad, Pakistan, on April 25, 2026. S Seyed Abbas Araghchi/Telegram/Reuters

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Pakistani army chief Asim Munir in Islamabad early Saturday, as reported by Iranian state media, during a diplomatic visit aimed at addressing ongoing tensions with the US.

Araghchi and Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesperson for the Iranian foreign ministry, were present with Field Marshal Munir, according to IRNA. Munir has established himself as the primary intermediary between Tehran and Washington.

The Iranian foreign minister has engaged with Pakistan’s political leaders at least twice since arriving in Islamabad late Friday, after which he plans to travel to Oman and Russia.

The departure time of the Iranian delegation from Islamabad remains uncertain.

A traveler exits the terminal area following the resumption of flights at Imam Khomeini International Airport, during a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, in Tehran, Iran, on Saturday. Majid Asgaripour/Wana News Agency/Reuters

International flights from Tehran have restarted for the first time since the onset of Iran’s conflict with the US and Israel in late February.

Flight-tracking websites indicated that four flights departed from Tehran’s Imam Khomeini airport to Istanbul early Saturday, all operated by Iranian airlines.

“Thanks to the efforts of local airlines, the initial group of travelers was dispatched to Medina, Muscat, and Istanbul,” stated the semi-official Mehr news agency, which anticipated an increase in flights in the upcoming days.

Nonetheless, flight information revealed that there were no flights to Medina, Saudi Arabia, or Muscat, Oman.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar greets Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi as he arrives at Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on Friday. Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs/AP

Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Islamabad with the powerful rumble of Pakistani fighter jets accompanying his sizable civilian plane to a military base near the capital.

Just after midnight, he was welcomed by Pakistan’s leading negotiators, the influential Field Marshal Asim Munir, along with the foreign and interior ministers of Pakistan.

What occurred next was atypical according to the usual standards of diplomacy.

They engaged in extensive discussions throughout the night, which concluded just as the sun began to rise nearly five hours later.

US President Donald Trump stated he is “not in a hurry” for an agreement, yet the appearance of this meeting implies a different message.

For a number of days during the past week, the visible aspect of the peace initiatives had been moving at a sluggish pace. Events that occurred in the early hours of this morning suggest a heightened sense of urgency.

The reason the delegations didn’t gather at a more reasonable time remains uncertain, but it seems they felt the need to finish their initial in-person conversation before Trump and other US representatives ended their day.

Pakistan is nine hours ahead of Washington, DC, meaning that as the sun rose here this morning, it was only 8 p.m. there. ET at Mar-a-Lago.

It’s unclear how the discussions here will influence the decisions Trump makes overnight.

Simultaneously, the pace of travel to Pakistan for Trump’s chief envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner now seems to have been delayed slightly.

Their arrival in Pakistan is now anticipated for Sunday. The timing of their eventual arrival, if it occurs at all, will reveal more about whether a breakthrough is likely.

According to an internet monitoring organization, residents in Iran have endured an internet blackout for 57 days.

NetBlocks reported on Saturday that precisely eight weeks have gone by since the Iranian regime restricted the country’s internet access.

“The ongoing disruption, now in its 57th day after 1344 hours, suppresses the voices of Iranians, disconnects friends and family, and harms the economy,” stated the watchdog.

The blackout has been ongoing since the US and Israel struck Tehran on February 28.

In January, the Iranian regime implemented a distinct internet and communications blackout to hide evidence of the most lethal crackdown enforced by the state on its citizens since the establishment of the Islamic Republic nearly 47 years ago.

Earlier this month, NetBlocks referred to the ongoing blackout as the “longest nationwide internet outage recorded in any country.”

On April 25, 2026, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi holds discussions with Pakistani officials in Pakistan. Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The US and Iran are still providing contradictory signals regarding the potential for discussions this weekend, while Israel and Hezbollah persist in exchanging attacks despite a prolonged ceasefire.

Here are the most recent updates regarding the second round of peace negotiations:

What the US has announced: On Friday, the White House declared that US representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will travel to Pakistan on Saturday for direct peace discussions with Iran, while Vice President JD Vance is ready to fly to Islamabad if the negotiations advance. The press secretary stated that the White House has observed “some progress” from the Iranians.

What Trump has stated: During the week, President Donald Trump provided minimal insight into a timeframe for the conclusion of the conflict. He mentioned on Friday that Iran will propose something to the US, but he was not aware of the specifics yet. Merely a day prior, Trump indicated that uncertainty about Iran’s leadership was making negotiations more challenging.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Pakistan on Friday for discussions with mediators, although his ministry rejected claims of a scheduled direct meeting with the US. Semi-official state media in Iran also stated “there are no discussions with the Americans scheduled.”

Observe the CEO of the International Rescue Committee address the humanitarian crisis impacting the most at-risk populations following the Iran war

In Lebanon, Israeli soldiers and Hezbollah militants persisted in attacking one another on Friday, following the announcement of a three-week extension of the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. Both sides have since accused one another of breaching the ceasefire.

US destroyer: On Friday, US Central Command shared a photo of a destroyer ship seemingly intercepting a vessel flagged by Iran close to the Strait of Hormuz. On Friday morning, a US-sanctioned ship flying the Curaçao flag navigated the congested vital waterway, per an Iranian news agency, while Tehran continues to assert its control over it.

Imprisonment in Iraq: American reporter Shelly Kittleson — who was taken hostage in Baghdad, Iraq, the previous month — informed Xenix News that she was struck “fairly brutally,” blindfolded, and zip-tied during her capture by a pro-Iranian militia.

A review of satellite images by Xenix News highlights the extent of Israel’s devastation in southern Lebanon, reflecting strategies employed in Gaza.

Bulldozers have destroyed countless structures, and demolitions have wiped out entire towns. Even with a ceasefire in effect between Israel and Hezbollah, the Israeli military’s ground activities persist.

Access the complete narrative here along with a report from Xenix News by Jeremy Diamond below.

Jared Kushner, on the left, and Steve Witkoff, Special Envoy for Peace Missions, listen as Vice President JD Vance addresses the media following a meeting with delegates from Pakistan and Iran on April 12 in Islamabad, Pakistan. Jacquelyn Martin/Pool/Getty Images

The White House announced yesterday that special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will depart for Pakistan today to engage in discussions with Iran.

Here’s what you should be aware of:

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the Iranians made contact, “as the president urged them to,” and asked for the face-to-face discussion.

Leavitt mentioned that the White House has noticed “some progress” from the Iranians, but she did not specify whether the US has gotten a proposal from Iran.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Pakistan yesterday, while Iranian semi-official state media refuted claims that he would engage in discussions with the Americans.

The Tasnim news agency, a semi-official Iranian media outlet, stated that Araghchi’s visit was “not aimed at negotiations with the Americans, but instead to talk about Iran’s views regarding the conclusion of the war with the Pakistani side.”

Vice President JD Vance is ready to travel to Islamabad if the discussions advance, Leavitt stated.

Smoke ascends from the town of Al-Khiyam in southern Lebanon while Israeli forces persist in destroying houses, even with a temporary ceasefire in place. Anadolu/Getty Images

Hezbollah stated that the ceasefire in Lebanon “holds no significance given the ongoing Israeli aggressive actions,” marking the first comments from the militant group following the White House’s announcement of a continuation of the delicate truce overnight.

Any ceasefire not “directly connected to the Israeli exit from Lebanese territory reinforces the definite and ultimate right of the Lebanese people to oppose the occupation and remove it from our land,” stated the Iran-supported group.

Israel’s envoy to the US, Yechiel Leiter, stated Thursday that the military will maintain a “defensive stance” in southern Lebanon, despite the UN cautioning that the presence of Israeli forces breaches a longstanding resolution aimed at permanently halting assaults by all parties.

In another statement, Mohammad Raad, leader of the Hezbollah parliamentary bloc, blamed mediators for creating a “deceptive plan” and “offering protection for Israeli aggression,” following a series of lethal Israeli military strikes in recent days.

“Any alleged ceasefire that allows the occupying enemy in Lebanon a unique exception to engage in combat… is not a ceasefire whatsoever,” Raad reiterated.

The initial six-point ceasefire plan facilitated by the US indicated that Israel would “maintain its right to execute all essential actions in self-defense.” The White House urged the Lebanese government then to stop Hezbollah “from executing attacks, operations, or hostile actions against Israeli targets.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel will keep targeting “any threat” in Lebanon, the day after the US revealed a three-week extension of a ceasefire.

The Israeli leader accused Hezbollah of attempting to interfere with the peace negotiations between Israel and Lebanon.

“We have initiated a journey to establish a historic peace between Israel and Lebanon, and it is evident to us that Hezbollah is attempting to undermine this,” he stated.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that it targeted Hezbollah facilities in the Deir Aames region of southern Lebanon on Friday following a “ceasefire violation” by the Iran-supported militant group a day prior.

The IDF also reported that it engaged in gunfire with and ultimately killed six Hezbollah operatives in Bint Jbeil, southern Lebanon, on Friday.

“We are preserving complete freedom to act against any threat, including new ones.” “We attacked yesterday and we attacked today,” Netanyahu stated. “We are committed to reinstating safety for the inhabitants of the north.”

The ceasefire terms, negotiated with US assistance, specify that Israel is permitted to take “all necessary measures in self-defense.”

Hezbollah stated that the ceasefire in Lebanon “is meaningless” because of the ongoing assaults from Israel.