Iran-US war latest: Trump’s envoys leaving for Pakistan as Tehran denies direct talks

Iran says it has executed an Iranian working as an Israeli intelligence official on Saturday after the man is alleged to have engaged in vandalism and violence during nationwide protests in January earlier this year, according to Tasnim news agency.

Erfan Kiani was accused of being a “hired thug of Mossad” and of engaging in the destruction and arson of public and private property, spreading fear and terror across Isfahan while wielding a machete, according to the agency.

He was executed by hanging on Saturday morning shortly after his sentence was confirmed by the Supreme Court.

In case you’re just just joining us, here is a recap of the key developments in the ongoing war between the US, Israel and Iran.

• All eyes are on Pakistan’s capital Islamabad where talks are reportedly set to take place between US and Iranian representatives this weekend. Tehran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi has landed in Pakistan, according to reports, with US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to join. Iran has publicly denied that direct talks are taking place.
• The Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed as the war enters its eighth week. A US blockade nearby also continues with Central Command reporting several interceptions and at least 34 redirections of vessels.
• German chancellor Friedrich Merz floated the idea of easing sanctions against Iran in order to speed up a deal, but the suggestion was rejected by his European counterparts as premature
• US-Kuwaiti journalist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin has left Kuwait on Saturday after being released from prison. He was acquitted of all charges after being accused of spreading false information.

Pakistan is ramping up security in Islamabad as it prepares to host a potential new round of US–Iran talks, with key envoys converging on the capital.

Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi has arrived, while the White House says US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are due to follow – citing Tehran’s interest in meeting “in person”.

Donald Trump’s amplification of a comment describing India and China as “hellhole” has drawn severe criticism from lawmakers and advocacy groups and a rare condemnation from Delhi.

Mr Trump shared on social media a video clip and transcript linked to conservative commentator Michael Savage, who was discussing efforts to end birthright citizenship in the US. Birthright citizenship is the principle under which a child born in a country automatically receives nationality there, regardless of the parents’ immigration status.

Among the remarks reposted by Mr Trump was the statement: “A baby here becomes an instant citizen, and then they bring the entire family in from China or India or some other hellhole on the planet.”

Meanwhile, Iran’s embassy in India voiced its support for Delhi, posting on X: “Maybe someone should book a one-way cultural detox for Mr. #Trump, it might just reduce the random [nonsense].”

Some businesses are paying as much as $4m to secure passage through the Panama Canal as the near-total disruption of the Strait of Hormuz forces global shipping to reroute.

Normally, vessels book transit slots through the canal at fixed rates. But those without reservations can bid for priority access – often paying steep premiums to avoid days-long delays off Panama’s coast.

In recent weeks, those auction prices have surged, driven by escalating tensions between Iran and the United States that have effectively choked traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

As a result, more ships are diverting to alternative routes, including the Panama Canal, while buyers increasingly source goods from elsewhere to bypass the volatile Middle Eastern corridor.

“With all the bombings, the missiles, the drones, companies are saying it’s safer and less expensive to cross through the Panama Canal,” said Rodrigo Noriega, a Panama City-based lawyer and analyst. “All of this is affecting global supply chains.”

The State Department’s top lawyer, Reed Rubinstein, argues the campaign is not a new war but a continuation of a long-running conflict with Iran, driven by decades of what Washington calls Iranian aggression – from proxy attacks to missile strikes and nuclear ambitions.

He laid out the case in a statement issued just days before a 1 May deadline under the War Powers Act, which requires the administration to seek congressional approval or halt military operations.

Rubinstein argued that Washington was acting both in its own defence and in “collective self-defence” of Israel, citing what he described as decades of Iranian aggression since the 1979 revolution – including proxy attacks, missile strikes and nuclear ambitions.

He maintained that US actions fall within accepted interpretations of international law on the use of force.

That position, however, is strongly disputed. Many legal experts say the strikes violate the United Nations Charter, which prohibits the use of force except in cases of self-defence against an imminent threat or with Security Council approval.

Egypt and Pakistan foreign ministers held a phone call to discuss to revive diplomacy between the United States and Iran.

In a phone call, the two countries’ foreign ministers discussed ways to advance a diplomatic track, stressing that dialogue remains the only viable path to de-escalation.

The outreach comes at a delicate moment, with ceasefire efforts under strain and direct US–Iran engagement still uncertain.

Islamabad and Cairo have increasingly positioned themselves as key intermediaries – relaying messages and coordinating regional efforts to keep talks alive.

Bilal Mazhar Khawaja, 44, runs three restaurants in Islamabad. For the past few days his business has been severely hit, with food supply chains disrupted and movement of staff restricted as the Pakistani capital remains in an indefinite lockdown in anticipation of the stalled US-Iran talks.

Sources close to the publication say that Phelan spent Wednesday night in the White House waiting to see if the president, his once close friend and neighbour, would push back against his dismissal. However, he left empty-handed.