Jason Burke International security correspondent    Diplomatic efforts continue despite fighting in and around contested strait of Hormuz in recent daysThe US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, has said...

Jason Burke, Shah Meer Baloch in Islamabad and Hannah Ellis-Petersen in Delhi    President tells Iran to accept deal to end war or face new wave of bombing at much higher level and intensity’The US military fired on an Iranian...

Mark Saunokonoko and agencies    US president says he is pausing US effort to guide stranded vessels out of the strait of Hormuz but blockade remainsDonald Trump announced he is...

Saeed Shah in Islamabad and Patrick Wintour in London    Tehran reportedly passed proposal to mediators in Pakistan on Thursday night, though its contents are not yet clearIran has passed a new proposal to...

Agencies    Pakistan officials dismiss Afghan media reports and official statements about strikes on university in Kunar province as blatant lie’Mortars and...

Associated Press    Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were to travel to Islamabad to attempt to revive ceasefire negotiationsDonald Trump said he has told US envoys not to...

Patrick Wintour in London and Andrew Roth in Washington    White House says its Middle East envoys will meet Tehran’s foreign minister in IslamabadDonald Trump is sending his Middle East envoys Steve Witkoff...

Shah Meer Baloch in Islamabad    Pakistani capital in pandemic-style limbo as people work from home, public transport is closed and businesses shutAcross Islamabad, there is lockdown...

Robert Tait, Jason Burke and Shah Meer Baloch    Declaration comes amid intense efforts to bring two sides together in Pakistan for new round of talksMiddle East crisis live: latest news...

Hugo Lowell and Joseph Gedeon in Washington    US president says on Truth Social attacks are on hold until Iran submits proposal and talks reach endSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter...

Sina Toossi    The US has failed to bomb Iran into submission. Now, from the strait of Hormuz to nuclear concessions, Tehran senses its position strengtheningIran’s...

Dan Sabbagh and Hannah Ellis-Petersen    US vice-president to travel to Islamabad with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner as deadline for current ceasefire loomsMiddle east crisis - live...

Saeed Shah in Islamabad    Islamabad has seized chance to act as mediator in Iran war and hopes to reap diplomatic and economic benefitsAs Pakistan works frantically to narrow...

Angela Giuffrida and agencies    Reported response comes hours after Trump announced delegation to Islamabad, having earlier threatened to raze Iran’s infrastructureTehran is not...

Hannah Ellis-Petersen South Asia correspondent    Trump’s favourite field marshal’ has been a key figure in mediation efforts and now much rides for Asim Munir on the success of talks Middle East...

Julian Borger, and Saeed Shah in Islamabad    US president says negotiations could restart in Islamabad under fantastic’ Pakistani army chief Asim Munir Middle East crisis - live updatesDonald...

Adam Fulton, Victoria Bekiempis, Olivia Lee, Aneesa Ahmed, Vivian Ho and Fran Singh    This blog is now closed - our live coverage continues hereCircling back to Donald Trump’s coming naval blockade, the US military said it would block...

Adam Fulton, Marina Dunbar, Yohannes Lowe, Hayden Vernon and Imogen Dewey    This blog is now closed. Our live coverage continues hereA post about an hour ago on the Israel Defense Forces Telegram channel claimed that...

Sam Jones and agencies    Iranian delegates in Islamabad say Washington needs to do more to win their trust if talks to resolve US-Iran conflict are to be successfulMiddle...

Dan Sabbagh in Jerusalem, Shah Meer Baloch in Islamabad, William Christou in Beirut and Hannah Ellis-Petersen in Delhi    JD Vance leads American delegation while Iran’s negotiators headed up by Iran’s parliamentary speakerPeace talks between Iran and the US began in...