https://ift.tt/gto5LDx

A historic meeting, 21 hours of negotiations, and one “final” offer.

Yet, the high-level ‘Islamabad Talks’ between the United States and Iran ended inconclusively early Sunday morning. Although commentators and analysts say the dialogue was unlikely to end any other way, the heart wants what it wants, and the entire world sat on the edge of their seats, hoping for nothing short of a miracle.

After a day and an entire night of talks, US Vice President JD Vance finally addressed journalists at a press briefing at 6:30am, where he announced the “bad news”.

“We have not reached an agreement, and I think that’s bad news for Iran much more than it’s bad news for the United States of America,” he said, elaborating that Iran had chosen “not to accept our terms”.

“We need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon and they will not seek the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon,” Vance added. Shortly after, he flew back to the US.

On the other hand, Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, also the leader of the Iranian delegation in Islamabad, said they raised “forward-looking” initiatives, but the US failed to win their trust during the negotiations.

“The US has understood Iran’s logic and ⁠principles, and it’s time ⁠for them to decide whether they can ⁠earn our trust or not,” ⁠he wrote in ‌a post on X.

In the US, President Donald Trump started his Sunday morning with a barrage of threats directed at Iran. “I could take out Iran in one day […] I could have their entire energy, everything, every one of their plants, their electric generating plants, which is a big deal,” he said, during a phone interview on the Fox News show ‘Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo’.

Trump further announced that the United States Navy would begin the process of blockading vessels entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz, citing concerns over maritime security and alleging that Iran had threatened shipping in the waterway.

Iran has dismissed the warnings, saying that it had complete control of the Strait of Hormuz.

But amid all the minute-by-minute developments, an urgent question remains unanswered: what next? What happened to the two-week ceasefire that pulled the world back from the end of “a whole civilisation”?

Negotiations likely to continue

According to journalist and analyst Zahid Hussain, the ceasefire would hold for now and the negotiations were likely to continue, at least through backchannel talks. “They have failed to reach an agreement but are discussing a number of issues,” he told Dawn.

Hussain pointed out that there were two points where a deadlock persisted between the US and Iran: nuclear weapons and the Strait of Hormuz. “We were expecting the talks to lead to an extension in the ceasefire or some kind of agreement to resume negotiations.”

On the other hand, he continued, was Israel’s position. “Tel Aviv had grudgingly and conditionally accepted the ceasefire,” the journalist recalled, adding that ever since the talks concluded, Israel had escalated the bombardment of Lebanon.

“There are fears that they could do the same with Iran as well, which could lead to a compelling situation,” he said. “But there are signs that backchannel negotiations will continue and Pakistan could still play the role of a negotiator.”

In an Al Jazeera report, Washington-based journalist John Hendren expressed a similar opinion, saying Trump’s decision to send Vance to Islamabad showed the seriousness with which the US was taking these talks.

“The fact that Vance left doesn’t necessarily mean that the talks are over,” he said. “The US has been negotiating with Iran over time. Those talks can continue remotely, and leaving those talks may simply be a hard stance.”

The ‘what if’

Speaking to Dawn over the phone, journalist Baqir Sajjad said that if the ceasefire holds, the immediate phase was likely to be one of “cautious pause rather than visible movement”.

“Both sides appear to have used the Islamabad round to clarify positions, and any follow-up engagement would now depend on internal reassessments in Washington and Tehran. Diplomacy may continue, but in a quieter, more incremental manner, possibly focusing on limited understandings before attempting a wider settlement,” he said.

In case the ceasefire doesn’t hold, Sajjad highlighted, the risk was that of a return to escalation, with both sides seeking to improve leverage before returning to the table.

“Developments around the Strait of Hormuz or in peripheral theatres could become triggers. In such a scenario, the space for diplomacy would narrow, at least in the short term, even though backchannel contacts may remain active,” he added.

A prelude?

Meanwhile, writer and political analyst Trita Parsi, in an interview with CNN, noted that only six days had passed into the two-week ceasefire.

“More rounds may occur since neither side has rejected further talks,” he said. “And perhaps neither side wanted an agreement right away, since it could give the impression that they gave in too quickly.”

“Still, the most likely outcome is no deal, but also no return to a US-Iran war,” he added.

Commenting on Trump’s threat of closing down the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s foreign and security policy expert Hamidreza Azizi said, “One should not forget that in the past 40 days, Iran has been able to ship and sell its oil through the strait, while other oil-producing countries in the region have not.”

“This means Iran is already 40 days ahead of others.”

Similarly, Iranian-American academic Vali Nasr wondered if Trump’s naval blockade was aimed at escalating pressure on Iran as a prelude to another round of talks.

“And Iran’s response? It could be pressure on shipping in the Red Sea? This is now even more than before a test of endurance between the US and Iran,” he wrote in a post on X.

An ‘exposed’ ceasefire

Currently, even though the ceasefire holds, analysts have called it fragile. Fatemeh Aman, Iran-Pakistan expert and senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, told DW that the ceasefire was not based on a political agreement.

“It reflects a temporary pause shaped by caution and short-term calculations. Both sides are managing the situation rather than resolving it.”

And this is why, it is all the more important that the truce holds and mediation channels remain intact, she said, adding that “without a follow-up diplomatic process, the ceasefire remains exposed”.

“Neither side wants to appear as conceding after a failed round. There will likely be a pause as both reassess their position and leverage. If talks resume, they are unlikely to begin with the most difficult issues.

“They will likely start with narrower, technical steps that reduce risk without requiring major concessions,” she added.

---

Header image: Demonstrators flags of Iran and Lebanon during a protest against US military action in Iran near the White House in Washington, DC. — AFP

from Dawn - Home https://ift.tt/Nts9d4l

https://ift.tt/ICpZUzE.

Italy’s Jannik Sinner dethroned defending champion Carlos Alcaraz ​7-6(5) 6-3 in Sunday’s Monte Carlo final to claim his first Masters title on clay and snatch back the world ‌number one ranking from the Spaniard.

The victory capped a remarkable run for Sinner, who became just the second player to win the Sunshine Double and Monte Carlo in the same season — a feat previously achieved only by Novak Djokovic in 2015.

It marked Sinner’s fourth consecutive Masters 1000 crown ​following triumphs in Paris, Indian Wells and Miami, and his eighth Masters title overall.

“We came here just trying to ​get as many matches as possible before other big tournaments coming up. Today was a ⁠very high level from both of us,” Sinner said in an on-court interview.

“It was a bit windy, breezy — completely ​different conditions the tournament has brought until today.

“The result is amazing, getting back to number one means a lot to me. ​At the same time, as I always say, the ranking is secondary. I’m very happy to win at least one big trophy on this surface.”

The last time the pair met was nearly five months ago when Sinner beat Alcaraz in the ATP Finals title clash ​and fans had been eagerly looking forward to the next chapter of the ‘Sincaraz’ rivalry.

Struggle in blustery conditions

Playing in blustery conditions, ​both players struggled initially as they traded early breaks until Alcaraz found his groove first, unleashing winners past Sinner when he caught ‌the ⁠Italian wrong-footed on the baseline on a few occasions.

Alcaraz also used the disguised drop shot to good effect to catch Sinner off guard but breaking serve proved elusive for both as they battled the wind.

Sinner was forced to work hard while trailing 6-5 but he held his nerve to force a tiebreak where his first serve proved decisive, clinching the ​opener when Alcaraz double-faulted on ​set point.

Alcaraz struck early ⁠in the second set, consolidating a break to lead 3-1 with a couple of impressive returns that had the fans leaping to their feet.

However, Sinner found his second wind and ​reeled off four straight games to turn the match on its head and serve ​for the title.

Sinner ⁠made no mistake on serve and as Alcaraz made an error on championship point, the Italian celebrated the biggest claycourt title of his career before embracing his rival at the net.

“It’s impressive what you are achieving right now… Just one man in ⁠the Open ​Era won the Sunshine Double and then Monte Carlo, and you ​are the second one to achieve it,” Alcaraz said.

“It’s something incredible and I just experienced how difficult it is to make that happen. So congratulations ​for everything, for the work you are doing with your team.”

from Dawn - Home https://ift.tt/bRraI8Q

https://ift.tt/vAl3tTD

BEIRUT: Israeli strikes killed more than a dozen people in Lebanon and Gaza on Saturday, while an Israeli settler shot dead a Palestinian man in the occupied West Bank, according to officials.

The widespread violence came a day after plans were announced for potential ceasefire talks between Lebanon, Israel and the United States.

Israeli strikes on a village near Sidon in south Lebanon on Saturday killed eight people and wounded nine others, five of them seriously, the Lebanese health ministry said.

Lebanon’s health ministry also said a total of 10 people were killed by Israeli strikes in the country’s south on Saturday, with state media reporting Israeli raids on more than a dozen locations. Earlier in the day, officials said strikes killed 10 people in the Nabatiyeh district.

The ministry said the dead included a member of the Lebanese civil defence and two paramedics from the Islamic Health Committee, decrying Israel’s “systematic” targeting of emergency workers.

Hezbollah slams planned negotiations with Israel as ‘blatant violation’ of pact

In the coastal city of Sidon, hundreds of people attended a funeral procession for 13 State Security personnel who were killed the day before in Israeli strikes in Nabatiyeh. Loved ones grasped coffins draped in the Lebanese flag while others wept.

The widow of one of those killed screamed, “Who will bring my husband back? Who will give my children their father back?”

Authorities say more than 1,950 people have been killed in Lebanon since the war erupted. The Israeli military said Saturday it had struck more than 200 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon within the past 24 hours, among them rocket launchers.

Strikes in Gaza

Two Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza on Saturday, killing at least seven people and injuring several others, officials from Gaza’s health ministry said.

An airstrike on a police checkpoint in the Bureij camp in the central Gaza Strip early on Saturday killed at least six people, while a second airstrike in Beit Lahiya killed at least one, officials said. It was not immediately clear how many of those killed in the first strike were police members.

The Israeli military said the strike in Bureij was carried out after members of Hamas approached the yellow line demarcating the half of Gaza occupied by Israel. It did not immediately comment on the strike in Beit Lahiya.

Israel and Hamas reached a US-brokered deal last October that was meant to halt violence in the Palestinian territory. Since then, Israeli attacks have killed at least 700 people in Gaza, according to health officials there.

West Bank killing

The Palestinian health ministry said Israeli settlers shot dead a Palestinian man in the West Bank on Saturday. Ali Majed Hamadneh, 23, died after settlers opened fire during a raid on the village of Deir Jarir, northeast of Ramallah, the ministry said.

“He was brought to the Palestine Medical Complex in a critical condition” and later succumbed to his wounds, the ministry said on Telegram.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa also reported the incident. “Armed colonists, under the protection of Israeli forces, attacked Deir Jarir from its western entrance and opened fire toward residents in the area,” Wafa reported.

There was no immediate response from the Israeli police or military.

Violence in the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967, has risen sharply since the Oct 7, 2023, United Nations have said there has also been a spike in deadly attacks by Israeli settlers since the start of a conflict with Iran on Feb 28.

Excluding east Jerusalem, more than 500,000 Israelis now live in West Bank settlements that are illegal under international law. Settlement expansion has accelerated significantly under the current coalition government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Hezbollah slams planned talks

Hezbollah on Saturday renewed its rejection of direct negotiations with Israel, a day after the Lebanese presidency announced a trilateral meeting.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s office said Friday that officials from his country, Israel and the United States would meet next week in Washington “to discuss declaring a ceasefire and the start date for negotiations between Lebanon and Israel under US auspices”.

Hundreds gathered near the government headquarters in central Beirut on Saturday to protest the talks, some waving Hezbollah’s yellow flags or the Iranian standard.

“Whoever wants peace with Israel is not Lebanese,” said demonstrator Ruqaya Msheik, adding, “Those who shake hands with the enemy… are Zionists.”

Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah said the decision to hold direct talks was “a blatant violation of the (national) pact, the constitution and Lebanese laws.” The government “has failed to protect its people and cannot be trusted to safeguard national sovereignty,” he added in a statement.

An adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Akbar Velayati, warned Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam that ignoring Hezbollah “will expose Lebanon to irreparable security risks”.

Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2026

from Dawn - Home https://ift.tt/Nvwo0Rg

https://ift.tt/TQhOoFq

Two US Navy warships transited the Strait of Hormuz at the start of an operation to clear the strategic waterway of mines laid by Iran, US Central Command (Centcom) said on Saturday.

The announcement — which marks the first such transit since the US-Israeli war on Iran began — came shortly after President Donald Trump said Washington had started “clearing out” the strait, through which a fifth of the world’s crude oil passes.

“Today, we began the process of establishing a new passage and we will share this safe pathway with the maritime industry soon to encourage the free flow of commerce,” said Centcom commander Admiral Brad Cooper.

The USS Frank E Peterson and the USS Michael Murphy are the guided-missile destroyers involved in the operation, but Centcom said that “additional US forces including underwater drones” could join the effort in coming days.

Earlier, US media outlet Axios reported that the operation was not coordinated with authorities in Tehran.

“We’re now starting the process of clearing out the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform, calling it “a favour” to countries such as China, Japan and France that “don’t have the Courage or Will to do this work themselves.”

He insisted that Iran is “LOSING BIG!” in the conflict, while acknowledging that Iranian mines in the strategic strait still pose a threat.

“The only thing they have going is the threat that a ship may ‘bunk’ into one of their sea mines,” Trump wrote.

The key shipping lane off the coast of Iran has been virtually blocked by Tehran since the United States and Israel started bombing Iran on February 28, though reopening the strait was ostensibly a condition of the ceasefire put in place earlier this week.

Senior Iranian and American officials held face-to-face negotiations in Islamabad on Saturday in a bid to bring an end to a conflict that has plunged the Middle East into violence and sent shockwaves through the world economy.

In an earlier post, Trump said that empty tankers were headed to the United States from around the world to purchase oil, without providing details.

from Dawn - Home https://ift.tt/pCr2Tkg

https://ift.tt/4e9x0CW

DHAKA: Rocking her baby to soothe his searing pain and gasping breaths, 18-year-old Rubia Akhtar Brishti recounts how her son nearly died in Bangladesh’s deadly measles outbreak.

“The boy had (a) high fever and found it hard to breathe,” Brishti told AFP, mopping the fevered brow of one-year-old Minhaz, cradled in her arms. “His whole body had rashes.”

At least 143 people have died in the outbreak since March 15, the vast majority children, with more than 12,000 suspected cases — the worst in the South Asian nation for 20 years.

Brishti, like dozens of others, rushed from her village seeking help in the capital Dhaka, where the DNCC Hospital in Mohakhali, set up originally for Covid-19, is flooded with cases.

Immunisation drive due in 2024 delayed by uprising that toppled Hasina’s govt

The ward is filled with the sounds of coughing and cries of pain, as mothers hold nebulisers over their children’s mouths to help their little lungs gulp for air, their tiny bodies marked by a searing rash.

Measles is one of the world’s most contagious diseases, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), and spreads via coughs or sneezes.

While it can affect people of any age, it is most common among children and can cause complications, including brain swelling and severe breathing problems.

“Both of my children are sick now,” said Nusrat Jahan, who had lost her vaccination cards and therefore missed getting her infants a shot. “Both the babies are suffering.” Her children were in different wards in the hospital.

“One is admitted on [the] first floor and another is on [the] second floor,” she said. “I am caught in between [them], as both children cry for me.”

Vaccine drive

Bangladesh has made significant advancements in vaccinations to tackle infectious diseases.

But a measles drive due in 2024 was delayed by the deadly uprising that toppled the autocratic government of Sheikh Hasina.

Many of the families with sick children in the ward say they come from areas where vaccine coverage was limited.

Yasmin Khatun, grandmother of one-year-old Safwan, said she had tried to get the baby protected.

“We took him to the centre but there were no vaccines available for measles,” she said.

Health authorities are scrambling to stop the spread and roll out vaccination campaigns.

Health authorities launched an emergency measles-rubella campaign on April 5, alongside UN agencies, aiming to protect more than 1.2 million children.

Vaccines work the best when all are covered.

Government health services spokesperson Zahid Raihan said that among the affected children, 17 per cent had received a single dose, while 11pc had received two doses.

“In the absence of herd immunity, children can still get infected even after vaccination,” Raihan said, saying 95pc coverage of children was needed to ensure that.

Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2026

from Dawn - Home https://ift.tt/7iStK4H

https://ift.tt/LJmrYXF

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasised Pakistan’s strong commitment to expanding its cooperation with Saudi Arabia in all spheres, particularly in trade, investment, and economic development, during a meeting with Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed bin Abdullah al Jadaan, according to a statement issued by the PM’s Office (PMO).

The statement said Jadaan, who was on a one-day visit to Islamabad, called on PM Shehbaz at the PM House on Friday evening.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir also attended the meeting, it added.

“Welcoming the Saudi dignitary, the prime minister conveyed his respectful regards to … King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud.

“The prime minister fondly recalled his recent warm and cordial telephone conversation with the crown prince. He expressed appreciation for the crown prince’s deep affection towards Pakistan as well as for the kingdom’s longstanding economic and financial support to Pakistan over the years, which had played a vital role in Pakistan’s economic stability,” the statement read.

It said PM Shehbaz reiterated that the people and government of Pakistan had “always stood shoulder to shoulder with their Saudi brothers and sisters at all times, and this was an abiding bond between both countries, that had grown stronger under the patronage” of Crown Prince Salman.

“The prime minister emphasised Pakistan’s strong commitment to expanding its cooperation with the kingdom in all spheres, particularly in trade, investment, and economic development,” it added.

The statement said the Saudi finance minister thanked PM Shehbaz and “reaffirmed the resolve of the kingdom to further strengthen the longstanding, deep-rooted fraternal bonds between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, as envisioned by Crown Prince Salman”.

from Dawn - Home https://ift.tt/1xz5wsA

https://ift.tt/Dat3MBS

US First Lady Melania Trump made a surprise statement on Thursday denying any knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse, or that she herself was a victim of the convicted sex offender.

The 55-year-old’s rare on-camera remarks at the White House came out of the blue, in an extraordinary intervention in a scandal that has long haunted her husband President Donald Trump.

“The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today,” she said. “The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility and respect.”

It was not clear why the Slovenian-born former model decided to give the public statement, and she did not detail any specific allegations about her and the late, convicted sex offender.

Melania and Donald Trump had previously been photographed with Epstein, but she said that she had met her husband independently two years prior to meeting Epstein.

“I am not Epstein’s victim. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump,” Melania said.

She said “fake images and statements about Epstein and me” had been circulating on social media “for years now. Be cautious about what you believe: these images and stories are completely false”.

The first lady also urged the US Congress to hold a public hearing for survivors of Epstein’s abuse to “give these victims their opportunity to testify under oath”.

Epstein died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges involving minors, but the scandal has repeatedly overshadowed Trump’s second presidency.

‘Epstein’s abuse’

The US Justice Department has over the past year released huge tranches of files related to Epstein. Trump, 79, has also denied any link to Epstein’s crimes.

One widely-seen picture in the files showed Donald and Melania Trump at their Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida along with Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.

“I have never had any knowledge of Epstein’s abuse of his victims. I was never involved in any capacity. I was not a participant. Was never on Epstein’s plane, and never visited his private island,” Melania Trump said.

“I have never been legally accused or convinced of a crime in connection with Epstein sex trafficking, abuse of minors and other repulsive behaviour.”

Speculation ran riot on social media about why the US first lady had decided to put the Epstein scandal back in the headlines after weeks of relative quiet.

Melania Trump has long been an elusive and often mysterious presence at the White House, who only rarely gives public remarks of the kind she delivered on Thursday.

The last time she was seen with her husband was at an Easter Egg Roll with hundreds of children on Monday.

from Dawn - Home https://ift.tt/fY3NzUC