US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner will arrive in Pakistan on Saturday for a fresh round of talks with Iran.
The second round of negotiations comes after Iran reached out to the US for an in-person meeting, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
She told Fox News that JD Vance, who led the American delegation for the high-stakes talks with Iran, will not be in attendance over the weekend, but will be on standby.
“The Iranians want to talk. They want to talk in person. And so the president is, as I’ve said many, many times, always willing to give diplomacy a chance. So Steve and Jared will be heading to Pakistan tomorrow to hear the Iranians out.
“We hope progress will be made. We hope that positive developments will come from this meeting,” she said.
Ms Leavitt said the US had seen progress from the Iranian side in recent days and hopes more will be made in weekend talks.
According to Pakistani sources, Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to arrive in Islamabad on Friday night.
Witkoff and Kushner headed to Pakistan on Saturday for talks requested by Iran, White House says
The White House has confirmed that special envoy Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner will head to Pakistan on Saturday morning for talks with Iran.
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that Iran had reached out to ask for an in-person meeting.
She said JD Vance, who lead the failed first round of talks, will not be in attendance.
Him along with everyone else will be on standby, she added.
Pakistani sources have said Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to arrive in Islamabad on Friday night.
Pictured: IRGC speedboat approaches the cargo ship Epaminondas during seizure of one of two vessels accused of violations in the Strait of Hormuz
Trump to send Witkoff and Kushner to Pakistan for talks but not Vance, sources say
Donald Trump is sending special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner to Pakistan soon for talks with Iran’s foreign minister, US officials have said.
JD Vance, who was at the first round of talks, is not currently planning to attend but will be on standby to travel to Islamabad if negotiations progress, two administration officials told CNN.
Iranian parliamentary speaker, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, who is viewed my White House officials as the head of the Iran delegation and Mr Vance’s counterpart, will also not be in attendance.
Pakistani sources have said Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to arrive in Islamabad on Friday night.
Netanyahu accuses Hezbollah of trying to sabotage peace
Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Hezbollah of trying to “sabotage” peace Israel and Lebanon.
In his first comments on yesterday’s ceasefire extension announcement, the Israeli prime minister said: “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.
“We are maintaining full freedom of action against any threat, including emerging threats.
“We struck yesterday and we struck today. We are determined to restore security to the residents of the north.”
Donald Trump announced on Thursday that Lebanon and Israel agreed to extend their ceasefire by three weeks.
US could challenge UK over Falklands for not backing Iran war
Third US aircraft carrier arrives in Middle East as Washington and Tehran clash over Strait of Hormuz
Our senior foreign affairs reporter James Reynolds writes:
A third US aircraft carrier arrived in the Middle East on Thursday as Washington and Tehran continue to vie for leverage over the Strait of Hormuz.
The USS George H.W. Bush, escorted by a strike group of warships, reached US Central Command’s area of responsibility in the Indian Ocean in a renewed show of force as the US continues its blockade of Iranian ports and vessels.
The arrival of the 1,092ft supercarrier, along with thousands of personnel and dozens of fighter jets, bolsters a growing US military presence in the region as uncertainty surrounds the prospect of peace talks to end the conflict with Iran, now approaching its ninth week.
The carrier was deployed to the region at the end of March, a week before the formal ceasefire was announced, to join the USS Gerald R. Ford and USS Abraham Lincoln.
It was unclear what the role of the Bush would be, with Trump now committed to an indefinite ceasefire extension until a long-term peace deal can be brokered with Iran.
Kuwait says two drones launched from Iran target border posts
Kuwait’s army said two drones launched from Iraq targeted two northern border posts on Friday, causing damage.
It added there were no casualties.
We’re working to bring you more on the incident.
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Kuwait Airways to resume flights as airspace reopens
Kuwait Airways will resume flights after authorities reopened its airspace on Thursday, the state news agency reported.
Kuwait closed its airspace when the Iran war began on February 28, and its international airport and surrounding areas have been struck several times.
The airline will operate from Terminal 4 to 17 destinations, while Jazeera Airways will also restart service to nine destinations from Terminal 5.
The civil aviation authority said the reopening was part of a phased plan to gradually restore air traffic ahead of full operations.
In response to the closure, Jazeera Airways last month had temporarily shifted operations to neighbouring Saudi Arabia, operating from Al Qaisumah and Dammam airports in the kingdom.
Source: independent.co.uk