US-Iran News LIVE: Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir arrived in Tehran on Friday, as diplomacy to end the Middle East war gathered pace and Iran considered the latest peace proposal even as US media reported Washington was potentially considering new strikes on the Islamic republic.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei cautioned that the visit did not mean “we have reached a turning point or a decisive situation” with “deep and extensive” disagreements remaining, according to Iran’s ISNA news agency.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had earlier voiced hope of progress toward ending the war, which began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran and has led to competing blockades around the strategic Strait of Hormuz, roiling the global economy and pushing up energy prices.
Weeks of negotiations since an April 8 ceasefire — including historic face-to-face talks hosted by Islamabad — have still not produced a permanent agreement or restored full access to the strait, through which a fifth of global oil shipments normally pass.
US President Donald Trump on Friday said he would miss his son’s wedding this weekend due to “circumstances pertaining to government”, as US news outlets Axios and CBS News reported the White House was considering strikes, although both added a final decision had not been made yet.
Pakistan’s military said Field Marshal Asim Munir had “arrived in Tehran as part of ongoing mediation efforts”.
Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran was engaged in the diplomatic process despite what he called “repeated betrayals of diplomacy” by the US and “military aggression against Iran”, according to Iranian news agency Tasnim.
“Despite its strong suspicion of the United States, the Islamic Republic of Iran has entered this diplomatic process with a responsible approach and with all seriousness and is striving to reach a reasonable and fair result,” Araghchi said.
US-Iran News LIVE: US’ “excessive demands” blocking truce: Iran
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told AntOnio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, that Washington’s “excessive demands” are the main obstacle to ongoing peace negotiations, Al Jazeera reported.
Araghchi, in a telephonic conversation with Guterres, said the US had repeatedly undermined diplomacy through broken promises, contradictory positions, and military aggression, but Iran is engaging in the truce talks.
Guterres rejected the use of force against any state’s sovereignty and called for diplomacy to restore stability in the region, according to Al Jazeera’s sources.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump’s administration on Friday (local time) was preparing for a fresh round of military strikes against Iran, sources with direct knowledge of the planning told CBS News.
No final decision on strikes had been reached, the sources told CBS News.
— Inputs from ANI
Petrol, diesel price hiked third time in 10 days: Analysts warn of more hikes ahead— how high can rates go?
Petrol and diesel prices were increased by up to 91 paise per litre on Saturday, the third increase in less than 10 days. In all, rates have gone up by almost ₹5 per litre.
This is the third increase in rates since May 15, when state-owned oil companies started passing on the elevated energy prices arising from the West Asia conflict in a calibrated manner.
Financial services firm Emkay Global has estimated that petrol and diesel prices could rise by as much as ₹10 per litre in the near term, as oil marketing companies (OMCs) try to offset the impact of higher crude oil prices.
In a report released on 15 May, it stated, “We expect hikes of ₹10/lt to cover roughly 50% of under-recoveries, either in one shot or via creeping hikes over 2-3 weeks.”
The report estimated that OMCs are losing ₹17-18 on every litre of fuel sold, even after the Centre cut excise duty on fuel imports by ₹10 per litre on March 27, 2026. As a result, OMCs are expected to post losses of ₹570-580 billion ( ₹57,000-58,000 crore) this quarter, raising concerns over the sustainability of the business.
US-Iran News LIVE: Pakistan army chief holds talks with Iran’s foreign minister in Tehran
Pakistan army chief, Asim Munir, held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in Tehran on Friday as Islamabad steps up diplomatic efforts to help mediate between Iran and the United States, Iran’s state media reported on Saturday.
Both sides exchanged views on the latest diplomatic initiatives aimed at preventing further escalation and ending the Iran war in talks that lasted late into the night, the report said.
— Reuters
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