by Theleaders | April 25, 2026 5:18 pm
PARIS, April 25 — The latest developments in the Middle East war:
US envoys head to Islamabad
US envoys headed to the Pakistani capital today in a bid to kickstart a new round of peace negotiations with Iran amid a fragile ceasefire, though the prospect of direct talks remained uncertain.
The White House said emissaries Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would engage in an “in-person conversation” with Iranian representatives, but Iranian state media said that direct negotiations were not in the cards.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has already arrived in Islamabad.
Spain ‘reliable’ Nato member
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez stressed Spain was a “reliable member” of Nato, after a report the United States was considering trying to suspend it over its refusal to support military operations against Iran.
The Reuters news agency cited an anonymous US official as telling it that the Pentagon had outlined the suspension option in an email looking at ways to punish Nato allies that steered clear of the US-Israeli war against Iran.
Kuwait frees journalist
An American-Kuwaiti journalist has been released after being held for weeks in Kuwait during a crackdown on sharing footage of the US-Iran war, a US State Department official said.
Ahmed Shihab-Eldin, who has contributed to The New York Times, PBS, and Al Jazeera English, was arrested on March 3 for allegedly spreading false information, harming national security and misusing his mobile phone.
US freezes US$344 million in cryptocurrency
The United States has frozen US$344 million (RM1.36 billion) in cryptocurrency assets over ties to Iran, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says, as Washington seeks to raise pressure on Tehran amid energy supply disruptions due to the war.
Six killed in Lebanon
Israeli strikes in Lebanon killed six people yesterday, the Lebanese health ministry said, despite an ongoing ceasefire in the more than six-week war between Israel and Hezbollah.
“The Israeli enemy’s airstrikes on southern Lebanon today, April 24, resulted in the martyrdom of six citizens and the injury of two others,” the ministry said in a statement.
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