Tag: thepakistantimes.net

New York, 29 September, 2026 (Kamran Raja): US and Iranian officials held separate discussions with mediators on Monday as part of renewed diplomatic efforts to end seven months of war, according to officials from both countries. A source briefed on the negotiations said further talks are expected to focus on an amended version of a seven-day ceasefire proposal presented by Iran last week on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. The conflict began in late February with US and Israeli attacks on Iran and has continued for seven months, causing thousands of deaths and disrupting global markets as key waterways for oil shipments remained affected. The United States and Iran have previously reached two ceasefire agreements through mediated talks in April and June, but both arra...

 Baghdad, 29 September, 2026 (Nosheen): The administration of US President Donald Trump is set to grant a limited one-month waiver to its Iran sanctions program to allow Iraqi Airways to resume flights between Iran and the Iraqi city of Najaf for Shi’ite Muslim religious pilgrims, according to a person familiar with the matter. The source said the US Treasury Department waiver would permit Iraqi Airways to operate flights between Iran and Najaf for one month, with the possibility of a more permanent exemption later. Iraq suspended flights to and from Iran on Friday in line with US sanctions, while Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s government has sought an exemption for travel between the two countries for medical treatment, education and religious pilgrimages. An Iraqi official said B...

 Baghdad, 29 September, 2026 (Ghufran): US forces are set to leave their last bases in Iraq by Wednesday, ending a military presence of more than two decades and raising concerns over Iran’s influence and potential security gaps that could be exploited by Islamic State militants. The withdrawal was agreed between Washington and Baghdad in 2024 and is being completed under President Donald Trump’s administration. Iran and its allied armed groups in Iraq have described the departure as a victory. Iraqi security analysts have warned that Iran could gain greater strategic influence following the US withdrawal, while Iran-backed militia groups may seek a larger role in Iraq’s security and political decision-making. Some Iraqi officials and security figures have also expressed concerns ...

 Cairo, 29 September, 2026 (Kamran Raja): An Israeli airstrike killed Izz al-Din Al-Beik, head of Hamas’ armed wing in the northern Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, according to Israeli and Palestinian officials. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz said the military targeted and killed Beik, alleging that he was involved in planning attacks and recruiting militants. Hamas confirmed Beik’s death in the strike, which medics said hit an apartment building in Gaza City’s Nasr neighbourhood around dawn. Health officials said another person later died from injuries sustained in the attack. Israel has intensified strikes on Hamas in recent weeks, with the Israeli military saying it has killed at least 20 Hamas figures this month. Hamas has denied allegations...