By BEN FINLEY, FARNOUSH AMIRI, SAMY MAGDY and MUNIR AHMED Associated Press
Fighting between the U.S. and Iran has intensified. But hopes for a possible diplomatic solution have shown stubborn signs of life. Vice President JD Vance told podcaster Joe Rogan that the U.S. will not indefinitely bomb Iran and that "you've got to actually be willing to talk and to try to figure out the problem." Mediators from countries that include Pakistan, Qatar and Egypt also have been working to resume talks. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesman said Thursday that the parties eventually "will have to come to the negotiating table to settle all outstanding issues."
By MUNIR AHMED, MICHELLE L. PRICE and RUSS BYNUM Associated Press
Pakistan's prime minister says the United State and Iran have agreed to wording of an agreement aimed at ending their war in the Middle East. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a social media post Friday that mediators are working with both sides to finalize a deal. He wrote: "Peace has never been this close." No details were given. But three regional officials who spoke Friday to The Associated Press said they expect the deal to pave the way for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. A senior U.S. official said terms include removal or destruction of nuclear material from Iran. All four officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive negotiations.
By ABDUL QAHAR AFGHAN and MUNIR AHMED Associated Press
Pakistan has launched new airstrikes on Afghanistan, ending a month of calm and escalating what Islamabad previously called "open war" between the neighbors. The strikes hit the eastern provinces of Khost, Kunar, and Paktika, killing 13 people, including 11 children. Pakistan confirmed the strikes and said 26 militants were killed as it targeted hideouts linked to recent attacks inside Pakistan. Fighting between the two countries has been ongoing since February. Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of harboring militants, while Kabul denies the charge. The border has been closed since October, disrupting trade and transportation. Efforts for peace talks have failed to produce a lasting truce.
By ADAM SCHRECK, DAVID MCHUGH and RUSS BYNUM Associated Press
Iran has created a government agency to control and tax vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz. That's according to the shipping data company Lloyd's List Intelligence, which reported the move Thursday. The Iranian effort to formalize control over the channel raised new concerns about international shipping as hundreds of commercial ships remained bottled up in the Persian Gulf, unable to reach the open sea. A spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry said officials in Tehran are still reviewing messages from Pakistan, which is mediating peace proposals between the Islamic Republic with the U.S.
By TOQA EZZIDIN, MUNIR AHMED and COLLIN BINKLEY Associated Press
U.S. President Donald Trump says that he's "not satisfied" with Iran's latest proposal in negotiations to end war between the countries. Trump told reporters Friday at the White House that Iran wants to make a deal but he says they are asking for things he can't agree to. Trump did not elaborate on what he sees as the proposal's shortcomings. The president said negotiations have continued by phone after he called off his envoys' trip to Pakistan last week. He expressed frustration with Iran's leadership, describing it as fractured. The shaky three-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran appears to be still holding.
By SAMY MAGDY, SAM METZ, MUNIR AHMED and MIKE CORDER Associated Press
Pakistan's army chief has arrived for talks in Tehran in the latest diplomatic move to ease tensions in the region and arrange a second round of negotiations between the United States and Iran. That's according to the Pakistani military, which said Wednesday that the delegation included the country's interior minister and other senior security officials. The military said the visit was "part of the ongoing mediation efforts," but gave no further details. Pakistan has emerged as a key mediator in the conflict. Meanwhile, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that the U.S. will ramp up its infliction of economic pain on Iran. Bessent said the effort would be the "financial equivalent" of a bombing campaign.
By MICHELLE L. PRICE and AAMER MADHANI Associated Press
President Donald Trump says the only reason the Iranians are alive today "is to negotiate," as he sends Vice President JD Vance overseas to work on a resolution to the war. Vance is warning Iran not to "play" the U.S. as he heads to Pakistan for talks aimed at ending the 6-week-old conflict. The Republican vice president set off Friday to lead mediated talks with Iran in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad. Vance says he's "looking forward to the negotiation" and thinks it'll be positive. Vance's trip comes as a temporary ceasefire appears to be on the precipice of collapsing.
By MUNIR AHMED and ABDUL QAHAR AFGHAN Associated Press
Pakistan and Afghanistan have traded attacks in a dramatic escalation of tensions between the countries. Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif said Friday the two countries are now in "open war." Afghanistan launched a cross-border attack on Pakistan late Thursday, saying it was in retaliation for earlier Pakistani airstrikes. Pakistan then carried out airstrikes in Kabul and two other Afghan provinces Friday. Tensions have been high between the neighbors for months. Pakistan accuses Afghanistan's Taliban government of harboring militant groups that then stage attacks across the border and also of allying with its archrival India. A ceasefire ended intense fighting in October, although the two sides have occasionally traded fire since then.
Pakistani officials say a suicide bomber targeted a Shiite mosque on the outskirts of Islamabad during Friday prayers, killing 31 people and wounding at least 169 others. It was a rare attack in the capital of Pakistan as its Western-allied government struggles to rein in a surge in militant attacks across the country. Some of the wounded in the attack on the sprawling mosque of Khadija Al-Kubra were reported to be in critical condition. Television footage and social media images showed police and residents transporting the wounded to nearby hospitals. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Militant groups across Pakistan often target security forces and civilians.
By ABDUL QAHAR AFGHAN and SIDDIQULLAH ALIZAI Associated Press
A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake has shaken northern Afghanistan, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 640 others. The quake struck before dawn on Monday, damaging the historic Blue Mosque in Mazar-e-Sharif. In the town of Khulm, near the epicenter, residents have been digging through the rubble of collapsed homes. The impoverished country often struggles to respond to natural disasters, especially in remote regions. The Ministry of Defense announced that rescue and emergency teams have reached the affected areas. The United Nations in Afghanistan said its teams are on the ground assessing needs and delivering urgent aid.
