Pakistan to Host US-Iran Talks

Pakistan announced its intention to host peace talks between the United States and Iran, aiming to mediate an end to the month-long war. However, Iran's parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, dismissed these talks as a cover, issuing threats against United States ground troops and regional partners. Meanwhile, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared an expansion of the invasion into Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah. The conflict has already resulted in thousands of casualties across Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Iraq, and Gulf states, and has severely impacted global supplies of oil, natural gas, and fertilizer. Iran has also threatened to target Israeli and United States universities in retaliation for Israeli airstrikes on Iranian universities. The United States has proposed a 15-point ceasefire plan, which Iran has rejected, instead drafting its own five-point proposal that includes demands for reparations and sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. Despite the tensions, Iran has eased some restrictions on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, allowing more Pakistani-flagged vessels to pass through.