Trump says his representatives Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are travelling to Pakistan for peace negotiations with Iran in Islamabad, after issuing a sharp warning to Tehran, placing Pakistan at the centre of a fast-moving diplomatic showdown.
Pakistan’s capital region moved into an unusual state of alert after hotels were reportedly cleared, transport was suspended in Rawalpindi and security tightened across key routes, sharpening speculation that Islamabad could soon host another major diplomatic push tied to the US-Iran crisis.
After the Islamabad Talks, Pakistan reportedly launched a major air operation to escort Iran’s negotiators home amidst an Israeli terror threat, reflecting both the danger hanging over the diplomatic track and Islamabad’s increasingly central role in trying to keep dialogue alive.
Ali Şahin, a prominent Turkish parliamentarian, has called for Pakistan to become a full member of the Organization of Turkic States, saying centuries of cultural links and growing geopolitical cooperation have created a bond deeper than ordinary diplomacy.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said India has remained the principal obstacle to regional cooperation, as Pakistan steps up efforts to build alternative links through travel, trade and tourism while calling for dialogue from Kashmir to Palestine.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met FBI Director Kash Patel at bureau headquarters in Washington, part of Islamabad's push to deepen US security cooperation. Patel called the partnership "critical." The visit comes amid Pakistan's continuing mediation between Washington and Tehran.
US Senator Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally and leading foreign-policy hawk on Iran, has died aged 71 after a brief and sudden illness, his office says.
Afghan Taliban Agriculture Minister Mawlawi Ataullah Omari has said Indians and Afghans "share the same DNA", describing India as feeling "like our own country" during a visit to New Delhi aimed at strengthening trade and economic cooperation.
The US has charged Lawrence Bishnoi, imprisoned in India, and Goldy Brar with directing the 2023 murder of Canadian Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. 37 defendants charged, 24 arrested. The charges renew scrutiny of India-linked transnational repression.
Argentina beat Egypt 3-2 after trailing 2-0 in the 2026 World Cup round of 16. Goals in the 79th, 83rd and 90th minutes completed a stunning comeback. Messi and Argentina are in the quarter-finals.