U.S. President Donald Trump is sending envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan on Saturday to continue talks with Iran, the White House said Friday.
The pair will meet Iranian Foreign Minister , who was heading to Pakistan on Friday for 鈥渂ilateral consultations,鈥� Iran鈥檚 state-run IRNA news agency confirmed. Vice President JD Vance will not be traveling, the White House said.
The trip to Pakistan comes as officials there have been trying to get the United States and Iran to a second round of ceasefire negotiations.
The Trump administration also announced it is placing on a major China-based oil refinery and roughly 40 shipping companies and tankers involved in transporting Iranian oil. The move, actualizes the administration鈥檚 on entities that do business with Iran, an effort to cut off Iran鈥檚 key source of revenue: its oil exports.
Here is the latest:
US says detained Kuwaiti-American journalist has been released by Kuwait
The State Department says a detained Kuwaiti-American journalist who was arrested in Kuwait has been released after intervention by the Trump administration.
The department said late Friday that Ahmed Shihab-Eldin had been freed and allowed to leave Kuwait. It offered no other details, citing privacy concerns.
Iran says no direct talks with US in Islamabad are planned
Shortly after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi touched down in Pakistan, his government made it clear that there would be no direct negotiations with American government representatives during this visit.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmael Baqaei said on X that 鈥淣o meeting is planned to take place between Iran and the U.S.鈥� Instead, Baqaei said Pakistani officials would convey messages between the delegations.
Baqaei thanked the Pakistani government for its 鈥渙ngoing mediation & good offices for ending American imposed war of aggression.鈥�
The White House said earlier Friday that its envoys would meet Araghchi.
Iranians have long sought work and relative stability in Turkey. The war could force some to return
Sadri Haghshenas spends her days selling borek 鈥� a layered, savory pastry 鈥� at a shop in Istanbul, but her mind is on her daughter in Tehran.
The family had to send her home to Iran after they ran into difficulties renewing her visa, despite fears that a shaky ceasefire .
For years, short-term residency permits have allowed tens of thousands of Iranians to pursue economic opportunities and enjoy relative stability in neighboring Turkey. But it鈥檚 a precarious situation, and the war has raised the stakes.
鈥淚 swear, I cry every day,鈥� Haghshenas said, raising her hands from behind the counter of the pastry shop. 鈥淭here is no life in my country, there is no life here, what shall I do?鈥�
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Bessent rules out renewal of Iranian and Russian oil waivers
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Friday that the U.S. does not plan to renew a waiver allowing the purchase of Russian oil and petroleum products that are currently at sea. He also said a renewal of a one-time waiver for Iranian oil at sea is totally off the table.
鈥淣ot the Iranians,鈥� Bessent told The Associated Press. 鈥淲e have the blockade, and there鈥檚 no oil coming out.鈥�
In an AP interview about the impact of the war on the global energy market and other topics, Bessent also said he had no plans to extend the sanctions relief for Russia.
鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 imagine that we鈥檇 have another extension. I think the Russian oil on the water has been largely sucked up,鈥� he said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives in Islamabad for talks on reviving ceasefire negotiations
Pakistan鈥檚 Foreign Ministry said an Iranian delegation led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Islamabad on Friday.
Araghchi was received by Pakistan鈥檚 Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and other senior officials upon arrival.
In a statement, it said during the visit Araghchi is expected to meet Pakistan鈥檚 senior leadership to discuss the latest regional developments and ongoing efforts to promote regional peace and stability.
US imposes sanctions on a China-based oil refinery and 40 shippers over Iranian oil
The Trump administration 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, announced Friday and first reported by The Associated Press, makes good on the Trump administration鈥檚 on companies and countries that do business with Iran. It鈥檚 also part of the Republican administration鈥檚 overall ramped-up campaign to cut off Iran鈥檚 key source of revenue 鈥� its oil exports.
Concurrently, the U.S. this month imposed a physical blockade on , the Persian Gulf waterway that is crucial to global energy supplies.
These sanctions come just a few weeks before President Donald Trump and China鈥檚 Xi Jinping are due to meet in China.
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Israeli strikes kill at least 11 in Gaza, health officials say
Among those killed in three separate Israeli strikes on Friday across Gaza were a woman and a child, health officials said.
An afternoon drone strike near a police checkpoint in northwestern Gaza City killed two Palestinians and wounded two others, according to officials at Shifa hospital.
The Israeli military acknowledged the strike, saying that it targeted 鈥渢errorists鈥� without providing evidence or further details.
In the evening, another strike targeted a police vehicle in southern Gaza, killing at least seven, according to officials at Nasser hospital. A third strike in northern Gaza killed a woman and a child, health officials at Shifa hospital said.
The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the evening strikes.
Deadly Israeli strikes are a near-daily threat in Gaza, where more than 790 Palestinians have been killed despite a ceasefire with Hamas since October, according to figures from the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.
Leavitt says Vance is willing to go to Pakistan 鈥榠f we feel it鈥檚 a necessary use of his time鈥�
Leavitt told reporters the president decided to send Witkoff and Kushner 鈥渢o hear the Iranians out.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檝e certainly seen some progress from the Iranian side in the last couple of days,鈥� Leavitt said. She did not offer any details about what U.S. officials were hearing.
Witkoff and Kushner dispatched to Pakistan for new talks with Iranian foreign minister
President Donald Trump is sending his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan on Saturday to continue talks with Iran, the White House said Friday.
White House press secretary Karolien Leavitt said in an interview on Fox 草莓传媒 Channel that the two will have talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
鈥淲e鈥檙e hopeful that it will be a productive conversation and hopefully move the ball forward to a deal,鈥� Leavitt said.
She said that Vice President JD Vance would not be traveling but that he remains 鈥渄eeply involved.鈥�
Leavitt said he will be in the U.S., along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the president鈥檚 national security team, on 鈥渟tandby鈥� to fly to Pakistan 鈥渋f necessary.鈥�
Lebanon鈥檚 health ministry raises death toll to 2,491
The ministry included figures released Friday that 7,719 people were wounded in the latest Israel-Hezbollah war that broke out March 2.
It was the first time the ministry has released new figures since April 17, when a ceasefire went into effect.
Despite the ceasefire, the death toll rose by 197 in one week because bodies were apparently recovered from areas that previously had been out of reach.
Israel鈥檚 Benjamin Netanyahu says he was treated for prostate cancer and is now healthy
It鈥檚 his first public acknowledgment of the diagnosis.
He said that roughly a year and a half ago he had prostate surgery. Then two and a half months ago, his doctors discovered and treated a small tumor at Jerusalem鈥檚 Hadassah Hospital with radiation therapy. That was not announced at the time.
鈥淚 requested to delay its publication by two months so that it would not be released at the height of the war鈥� against Iran, the 76-year-old Israeli leader said, to prevent 鈥渕ore false propaganda against Israel.鈥�
He said he was healthy and called the tumor a 鈥渕inor medical issue.鈥�
Netanyahu鈥檚 health was the subject of speculation during the early weeks of the as fake, AI-generated images circulated suggesting he had died, including on Iranian state media.
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Businesses dole out up to $4 million to cross Panama Canal during Strait of Hormuz chokehold
That鈥檚 according to the Panama Canal Authority.
While passage through the waterway usually comes at a flat rate via reservations, companies without reservations can cross by paying an additional fee in an auction for slots, which are awarded to the highest bidder rather than waiting for days off the coast of Panama City.
That price has ballooned in recent weeks as Iran and the United States have bottlenecked the key shipping route, the Strait of Hormuz, and demand for those slots has skyrocketed. Ships have increasingly traveled through the Panama Canal as shipments are rerouted and buyers purchase from other countries to avoid commerce through the now-treacherous Middle Eastern waterway.
鈥淲ith all the bombings, the missiles, the drones … companies are saying it鈥檚 safer and less expensive to cross through the Panama Canal,鈥� said Rodrigo Noriega, a lawyer and analyst in Panama City. 鈥淎ll of this is affecting global supply chains.鈥�
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Netanyahu says Israel and the US are operating in 鈥榝ull cooperation鈥� on Iran
鈥淭he same is true in Lebanon: We have begun a process to achieve a historic peace between Israel and Lebanon, and it is clear to us that Hezbollah is trying to sabotage this,鈥� Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday in a video statement released by his office. He was referring to direct negotiations underway between the two countries 鈥� which don鈥檛 have formal diplomatic relations 鈥� for the first time in decades.
Israel says it struck Hezbollah sites after rocket fire from Lebanon
The Israeli military said it hit sites from which rockets were launched toward the town of Shtula a day earlier.
The strikes targeted the town of Deir Aames, which is outside the border area in Lebanon that Israeli forces have declared a buffer zone and continued to occupy since a 10-day truce was implemented last week. Earlier Friday, the Israeli military issued a warning for residents of Deir Aames to leave.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday announced a three-week extension to the Israel-Hezbollah truce, but both sides have continued to fire at each other.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says meeting in Saudi Arabia was productive
In a Telegram post Friday, Zelenskyy said his meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was productive and that both countries are developing a strategic security agreement.
The agreement includes three elements, he said: exporting Ukraine鈥檚 defense expertise and capabilities, expanding energy cooperation, and strengthening food security.
鈥淲e are working together to strengthen our nations and partners. We have defined tasks for our teams and I expect their prompt and full implementation,鈥� he said.
Saudi Arabia, along with other Mideast countries, has been targeted by missile and drone attacks from Iran since the war began.
Iran鈥檚 top diplomat says purpose of tour is to consult on regional developments
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a social media post that the purpose of his upcoming tour to Islamabad, Pakistan; Muscat, Oman; and Moscow is to 鈥渃losely coordinate with our partners on bilateral matters and consult on regional developments.鈥�
Araghchi鈥檚 comments didn鈥檛 address any possible resumption of talks with the U.S., but Pakistani officials have been intensifying efforts in recent weeks to get the U.S. and Iran to a second round of ceasefire negotiations.
Hezbollah legislator says extension of ceasefire is 鈥榤eaningless鈥�
Ali Fayyadh said in comments Friday that the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah that was extended for three weeks the day before has no meaning as long as Israel continues its attacks, targeted killings and strikes on Lebanese villages.
Since the 10-day ceasefire went into effect last Friday it has been repeatedly violated by both sides.
Fayyadh said every Israeli attack against any Lebanese target, regardless of its nature, gives his group that right to respond appropriately.
He added that any ceasefire that doesn鈥檛 constitute a prelude to an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory affirms the Lebanese people鈥檚 鈥渋nalienable and final right to resist鈥� the occupation and expel it from our land in order to restore full Lebanese sovereignty.
Lebanon鈥檚 president calls on European Union to hold conference for reconstruction of his country
President Joseph Aoun鈥檚 comments Friday came during a visit to the Mediterranean island of Cyprus where he鈥檚 a guest at the European Union summit.
Aoun said in a speech that 鈥淟ebanon鈥檚 stability is part of the region鈥檚 stability.鈥�
He added that Lebanon refuses to be a bargaining chip in regional conflicts. He was apparently referring to Iran, which has put a permanent ceasefire between Israel and the militant Hezbollah group on top of its list in talks with the U.S..
Aoun said Lebanon, like other countries in the region, 鈥減laces great importance on de-escalation, stability, and peace.鈥�
Aoun used World Bank figures, saying the Israel-Hezbollah was has caused damage worth $1.4 billion to Lebanon鈥檚 infrastructure and that 38,000 housing units were destroyed.
He said 150,000 people in Lebanon are without homes.
US protected ships from Iran in Strait of Hormuz during 鈥楾anker war鈥� in the 鈥�80s. Could it again?
Today, offering escorts in the Strait of Hormuz wouldn鈥檛 be so easy. Military technology has advanced since the 鈥淭anker war.鈥�
The U.S. hasn鈥檛 defined the same clear, narrow goals in this war as it did in the 1980s. And it鈥檚 not clear even with an American Navy escort given it鈥檚 a combatant now.
The U.S. Navy has long been familiar with the small boat tactics deployed by Iran鈥檚 paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which has adapted to international sanctions blocking its ability to access military vessels by using smaller civilian ships for military purposes.
For years, the Guard has used vessels the size of small commercial fishing boats to shadow American aircraft carriers whenever they pass through the strait. Instead of bearing fishing poles, most have Soviet-era heavy machine guns bolted to their bows with a small rocket launcher atop.
Using those small boats, Iran seized two cargo ships this week.
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A surge for Intel sends tech stocks higher on Wall Street and crude oil prices swing some more
A surge for Intel following a blowout profit report is leading technology stocks higher, while oil prices keep swinging in the wait for what鈥檚 next with the Iran war.
The S&P 500 rose 0.2% early Friday and pulled near its all-time high set Wednesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 74 points, while the Nasdaq composite jumped a market-leading 0.7%.
The price for a barrel of Brent crude to be delivered in June was down 0.4% at $104.67 after yo-yoing between roughly $103 and $107.
European stock markets were modestly lower and Asian markets closed mixed.
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Pakistan鈥檚 Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov
In a statement in Islamabad, the foreign ministry said Lavrov appreciated Pakistan鈥檚 鈥渃onstructive role鈥� in facilitating dialogue between Iran and the United States.
Dar reaffirmed Islamabad鈥檚 commitment to supporting efforts that promote dialogue and diplomacy to resolve disputes, it said.
Both sides agreed to remain in contact, it added.
Israeli military confirms a drone downed over Lebanon
The army said in a statement Friday that a remotely piloted aircraft was downed in southern Lebanon following the launch of a small surface-to-air missile by the militant group Hezbollah.
The military said the incident is under review.
The statement came after Hezbollah said it shot down an Israeli Hermes 450 drone over the outskirts of the southern city of Tyre.
Malaysia in talks with Iran to let two tankers pass
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Friday that his government is in talks with Iran to allow two Malaysian-owned tankers carrying fuel supplies to pass through.
The vessels have exited the Strait of Hormuz but face severe restrictions despite earlier clearance given by the Iranian government, he was cited as saying by the national Bernama news agency. He didn鈥檛 provide further details.
One Malaysian vessel has earlier reached home and another is expected to enter Malaysian waters soon, he said. Another is stranded at port due to technical problems, he added.
Hegseth says any new Iranian mine laying would violate the ceasefire with the US
Hegseth told reporters at the Pentagon on Friday that the military is prepared to deal with any Iranian ships that 鈥渞ecklessly and irresponsibly鈥� lay more mines.
But he said he wouldn鈥檛 speculate on reports that it will likely take six months to clear mines in the strait. The Associated Press reported that the Pentagon gave that timeline in a classified briefing to lawmakers this week.
Hegseth was responding to statements from President Trump who said Thursday that he has ordered the military to 鈥� 鈥� small Iranian boats deploying mines.
Hegseth said the U.S. is confident it can clear any mines it identifies 鈥渁nd would encourage other countries to be a part of such an effort as well.鈥�
White House didn鈥檛 immediately respond to questions on Iran鈥檚 foreign minister going to Pakistan
And it didn鈥檛 respond to questions on whether the U.S. would send a delegation.
Crews of seized tankers remain in US custody
The crews of all three merchant vessels seized by the U.S. military over the past week are still in U.S. custody, Gen. Dan Caine said at a briefing Friday.
鈥淲e will continue to conduct similar maritime interdiction actions and activities in the Pacific and Indian Oceans against Iranian ships and vessels of the Dark Fleet,鈥� Caine said.
Caine also said the crew of the Tousca, the first merchant ship seized by U.S. forces Sunday, 鈥渞epeatedly ignored U.S. warnings鈥� over a six-hour period. Caine said this behavior prompted the crew of the Navy destroyer following the ship to fire five warning shots.
鈥淭he vessel and her crew continued to ignore warnings and, after exhausting all other measures, CENTCOM authorized disabling fire against the Tousca,鈥� Caine said. Then, according to Caine, the destroyer disabled the ship鈥檚 engine by firing nine inert rounds from the destroyer鈥檚 5-inch guns 鈥減recisely into the engine room and engine space on board the Tousca.鈥�
鈥淣ot surprisingly, the vessel then reported issues with their engine, went dead in the water and began to comply with U.S. directions,鈥� Caine added.
Hegseth criticizes European allies for inaction on the Strait of Hormuz
The U.S. secretary of defense suggested traditional U.S. allies in Europe are 鈥渇ree-riding鈥� and being disloyal by not using their own forces to open the Strait of Hormuz that鈥檚 been closed because of President Trump鈥檚 Iran war.
鈥淲e are not counting on Europe, but they need the Strait of Hormuz much more than we do,鈥� Hegseth insisted. He mocked a recent European confab, saying U.S. allies 鈥渕ight want to start doing less talking鈥� instead of holding 鈥渁 fancy conference鈥� and 鈥渁 silly conference.鈥�
Iran鈥檚 maneuver to choke off the strait has disrupted global energy supplies 鈥� especially in Europe, where many leaders remain frustrated. French President Emmanuel Macron said at one point that the U.S. can鈥檛 鈥渋n an operation they chose to undertake alone.鈥�
Hegseth鈥檚 broadsides echo Trump鈥檚 swipes that other nations should 鈥淕o get your own oil!鈥� and 鈥渟tart learning how to fight for yourself.鈥�
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