File Photo- Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif
- Pakistan’s prime minister says his country is ready to “facilitate meaningful and conclusive talks” to end the Iran war. Pakistan is one of the countries pushing diplomatically for talks between Iran and the United States after President Donald Trump said Monday there were ongoing negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
- Trump told reporters Monday that Iran wants “to make a deal” to end the war, claiming U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner had held talks Sunday with an Iranian leader. He did not say who that was, but said the U.S. has not talked to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei. Iran denied that such talks were taking place.
- The death toll from the war has risen to more than 1,500 people in Iran, over 1,000 people in Lebanon, 15 in Israel and 13 U.S. military members, as well as a number of civilians on land and sea in the Gulf region. Millions of people in Lebanon and Iran have been displaced, and U.N. peacekeepers in southern Lebanon report “intense gunfire and explosions” as Israeli ground forces fight Hezbollah militants.
- US is “less and less predictable” as an ally- French Gen. Fabien Mandon made the comments Tuesday at a Paris defense and security forum. The French military chief described France’s relationship with the U.S. as “very strong” but lamented that “they have just decided to intervene in the Near and Middle East without notifying us.”
- Turkey warns against ‘sabotage by Israel– Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan insisted that the war must be brought to an end through dialogue and serious negotiations but suggested that Israel’s position was undermining diplomacy.
- “Israel’s uncompromising, maximalist, radical stance must not be allowed to sabotage diplomatic solutions,” Erdogan, a consistent and outspoken critic of Israel, said in a televised address. “No country that values world peace and stability should continue to add fuel to the fire that Israel has unjustly ignited in our region.”
‘Fluid situation’- When asked about the possibility of the U.S. participating in talks in Pakistan, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement that “these are sensitive diplomatic discussions and the U.S. will not negotiate through the press.” “This is a fluid situation, and speculation about meetings should not be deemed as final until they are formally announced by the White House,” Leavitt said.
China calls for seizing ‘every opportunity for peace– China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said. “Wang called on all parties to seize every opportunity and window for peace and start peace talks as soon as possible,” ministry spokesman Lin Jian said.
Lebanon expels Iranian ambassador Mohammad Reza Sheibani. over interference in ‘internal issues’. Sheibani was ordered to leave Lebanon no later than Sunday, March 29..
