Joseph Aoun

Saudi Arabia shut its East-West oil pipeline after drones launched from Iraq struck the system, with Baghdad firing a military commander and ordering an investigation. The Houthis completed their seizure of Yemen's Red Sea coast, capturing Perim Island and halving ship traffic through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Israel-Lebanon talks scheduled for Rome next week were postponed to October, with ambassadors to meet in Washington instead. US officials linked Chinese satellite imagery to Iran's July attack on a US base in Jordan that killed three American troops.

An Israeli airstrike killed Gaza police chief Jamal Abu Kamil in Gaza City, the second strike in a day after a weeklong lull, while the settler siege of Qusra entered a fourth day with the UN human rights office calling it a new low. Iran's military rejected US claims of normal Hormuz transit, asserting no ship can pass without its authorization, as an oil spill from a tanker attacked near Qeshm Island reached Oman's coast.

The US and Israel are reportedly preparing large-scale strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure, with President Trump having authorized the operation, while Iran threatens to retaliate by targeting Israeli and US energy assets. In Gaza, Israeli strikes continue despite a Hamas disarmament agreement, and the UKMTO reports an incident northeast of Khasab, Oman.

The IDF demolished key Hezbollah tunnels beneath Beaufort Ridge in southern Lebanon using 700 tons of explosives. President Trump announced a Gaza disarmament agreement under which Hamas would gradually disarm and a technocratic government would assume security control, though both sides express deep mistrust. Iran held funerals for IRGC members killed in US strikes, with officials vowing retaliation.

US strikes across southern Iran killed a family of three on Qeshm Island, while Iran claimed retaliatory missile strikes destroyed three F-35s at a Jordanian airbase and hit a US base in Kuwait. Hezbollah reported Israeli artillery and drone activity in southern Lebanon, and the IDF struck Hamas weapons depots in Gaza. Israel and Hamas are reportedly nearing a Phase II agreement involving Hamas disarmament.

Prime Minister Netanyahu secretly departed for Washington to meet President Trump, with Iran topping the agenda, as the US-Iran strike pause extended past 48 hours. Israeli forces killed a Hamas internal security chief and an Islamic Jihad operative in Gaza, while conducting controlled detonations in south Lebanon. Houthi drones targeted Saudi oil infrastructure, and Iran rejected renewed US talks while asserting control over the Strait of Hormuz.

The IDF is preparing a major counterterrorism operation in the West Bank after a deadly clash near Tell left two Israelis and four Palestinians dead. The IRGC claimed attacks on US bases in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain, while Iran’s foreign minister met with Russian and Pakistani counterparts at an SCO meeting. Lebanon’s prime minister oversaw a controlled return of residents to Zawtar al-Gharbiya under a ceasefire framework. The US completed a 13th night of strikes on Iran, and Brent crude remained above $100 per barrel.

The US completed a 13th consecutive night of strikes on Iran, while Tehran rejected a US ceasefire proposal mediated by Iraq’s prime minister and threatened to attack Tel Aviv if the war expands. Brent crude surged past $100 per barrel as Houthi attacks in the Red Sea continued to disrupt shipping. Israel conducted controlled blasts in south Lebanon despite a ceasefire framework, and a shooting near the West Bank settlement of Havat Gilad injured an Israeli man.

Mossad thwarted an Iranian plot to infiltrate a foreign cell to assassinate senior Israeli officials. The US Senate rejected a resolution to limit President Trump's war powers on Iran, while the House passed a similar measure. Brent crude surged past $100 after Houthi strikes on Saudi tankers. Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir led thousands of settlers into the Al-Aqsa compound, drawing condemnation. The IRGC claimed a retaliatory strike on the US electronic warfare unit at Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar.

President Trump threatened to destroy Iranian bridges and power plants for each attack on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, while the IRGC claimed a new strike on US bases in Jordan. The US is expected to sign a 30-year civilian nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia, drawing sharp Israeli objections. In Lebanon, the army deployed to a pilot zone as the prime minister visited a southern village, calling for a full Israeli withdrawal.

The US completed an 11th consecutive night of strikes on Iran, expanding the target set to new provinces, while the IRGC claimed it disabled multiple radar systems in Kuwait and the Iranian Army asserted drone attacks on US equipment there. President Trump approved a 30-year civilian nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia without major safeguards, and the Netherlands announced a ban on imports from Israeli settlements effective September 22.

The US launched a ninth consecutive night of strikes on Iran, targeting military command centers and air defense sites, while the IRGC claimed ballistic missile strikes on US military aircraft in Jordan and renewed missile attacks on Bahrain. The IRGC also asserted that two oil tankers exploded in the Strait of Hormuz. A third US service member was confirmed killed in Iraq, and mediators proposed a 10-day US-Iran truce.

Iran launched ballistic missiles at the Jordanian city of Aqaba; US air defenses intercepted three, while a fourth landed in an open area. Israel fired Iron Dome interceptors at falling fragments near Eilat, with no damage or injuries. The attack came as the US completed an eighth night of strikes on Iran and Iran retaliated with drone and missile attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain, causing a fire at a Kuwaiti power plant. Israeli ministers joined a far-right march toward Gaza calling for resettlement, and the IDF declared the area a closed military zone.

The US launched a seventh consecutive night of strikes on Iran, targeting bridges, energy infrastructure, and a port surveillance tower, while Iran’s IRGC and army claimed retaliatory drone and missile attacks on US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. Kuwait reported intercepting drones and missiles, and the IRGC declared the Strait of Hormuz “completely closed” after halting vessels. A Palestinian teenager died from wounds sustained in a settler attack in the West Bank, and Israeli forces destroyed three schools in southern Lebanon.

The US launched a sixth consecutive night of strikes on Iran, hitting bridges, a port, and energy sites, while Iran’s IRGC claimed retaliatory attacks on US bases in Syria, Kuwait, Jordan, Oman, and Qatar. Hezbollah denied reports of a shift in its stance on Gaza and negotiations with Israel. Israeli forces continued operations in Lebanon and the West Bank, and satellite images revealed damage inside Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant.

The US launched a sixth consecutive night of strikes on Iran, expanding targets to areas near Tehran for the first time, while Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks on US military facilities in Kuwait, Jordan, and Bahrain. Iran instructed Yemen’s Houthis to prepare to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait if US strikes hit Iranian power infrastructure. Israel postponed Prime Minister Netanyahu’s trip to Washington after Senator Lindsey Graham’s funeral was delayed.

The US launched a fifth day of strikes on Iranian military targets and reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports, while the IRGC seized at least two ships in the Strait of Hormuz and threatened regional oil routes. Iran reported seven soldiers killed in a US missile strike on an army base in Bampur. US, Israeli, and Lebanese officials agreed to move to expanded technical talks on a Lebanon framework, as Israeli artillery and airstrikes continued in southern Lebanon. In Gaza, the IDF eliminated a Hamas terrorist involved in the October 7 abduction of three soldiers and killed two Nukhba commanders in the north.

President Trump declared the US the 'guardian' of the Strait of Hormuz and announced a 20% toll on all cargo traversing the waterway, as US forces struck an Iranian naval base and submarine maintenance facility. The UK proscribed the IRGC as a terrorist organization over an antisemitic arson campaign, and Yemen's Saudi-backed government bombed Sanaa airport to block an Iranian plane. The IDF killed a Hamas weapons smuggler in southern Gaza, and the UN accused Hamas of obstructing aid distribution.

Iran attacked a Saudi oil tanker near the Strait of Hormuz, the second such strike in hours, while the funeral procession for Supreme Leader Khamenei reached Qom. President Trump arrived in Ankara for a NATO summit and signaled support for F-35 sales to Turkey, drawing sharp Israeli criticism. Explosions in Damascus wounded 18 near French President Macron’s hotel during his visit. The IDF killed two Hamas commanders in Gaza and continued operations in southern Lebanon.

Funeral ceremonies for Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei continued in Tehran with foreign dignitaries from over 100 countries attending, while US-Iran indirect talks in Doha reportedly made progress with President Trump claiming Iran agreed to almost all US demands. The IDF struck approximately 10 Hezbollah infrastructure sites in southern Lebanon in response to attacks on soldiers, and eliminated a Hamas terrorist involved in the October 7 abduction of Captain Daniel Perez. Settler violence injured Palestinians and foreign volunteers in the West Bank, and an Iranian spying case was uncovered in Jerusalem.

Iran prepares for Ayatollah Khamenei’s funeral with up to 20 million mourners expected and dignitaries from 100 countries attending, while Tehran warns the US and Israel against any attacks. A bomb blast at a Damascus cafe killed at least five and wounded 16. In Lebanon, Hezbollah and Amal ministers reiterated their rejection of direct talks with Israel, and the IDF killed a Hezbollah operative at the Ali al-Taher ridge. Syrian Foreign Minister al-Shaibani visited Beirut, expressing openness to meeting Hezbollah.

US and Iranian negotiators opened technical talks in Doha to implement the bilateral MoU, while Israel signaled it will not withdraw from southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed. Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi warned that any threat against Iran’s leadership would be met with an “immediate and decisive response.” In Gaza, Israeli strikes killed a Palestinian goalkeeper and injured civilians in Gaza City.

The IDF struck three Hezbollah command centers in southern Lebanon overnight in response to continued attacks on Israeli forces, while Defense Minister Katz said Israel will not withdraw “a millimeter” until Hezbollah is disarmed. The US and Iran agreed to halt strikes and will hold talks in Doha on Tuesday, though Iran denied technical meetings are planned. Israel confirmed the killing of Hamas’s head of military security in Rafah last week, and an IDF assessment warned Hamas is preparing to resume fighting.

The IDF struck Hezbollah operatives in southern Lebanon as new Jerusalem-Beirut talks began in Washington, while President Trump claimed Iran agreed to nuclear inspections—a statement Tehran immediately denied. Netanyahu called for independence from US arms, and a UN inquiry accused Israel of genocide against Gaza children.

Israel and Hezbollah renewed a ceasefire brokered by the US and Qatar through Tehran after a night of fighting that killed four IDF soldiers and 47 Lebanese. The IDF will remain in southern Lebanon while US-Iran MoU implementation faces hurdles, including a still-closed Strait of Hormuz and Iranian demands for US restraint on Israel. Gaza peace plan talks in Cairo made slow progress on disarmament and security, while Norway moved to ban trade with Israeli settlements.

Prime Minister Netanyahu publicly defied the US-Iran memorandum of understanding, insisting Israeli forces will maintain a permanent security zone in southern Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza. The IDF reported multiple Hezbollah attacks on troops in south Lebanon, including rockets, anti-tank missiles, and mortars, with no Israeli injuries. The US-Iran deal, signed electronically on Saturday and set for formal signing Friday in Geneva, has drawn mixed reactions internationally and on Capitol Hill, while oil prices fell and stock markets rose on hopes of normalized energy supplies.

Israel has publicly rejected the US-Iran memorandum of understanding, with Defense Minister Israel Katz declaring the IDF will remain indefinitely in security zones in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza. The deal, set for formal signing on Friday in Switzerland, includes a comprehensive ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon, and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. International reactions have been largely positive, but Israel faces isolation as tensions with Washington escalate.

US President Donald Trump threatened to strike Iran “very hard” again, saying Tehran had taken too long to negotiate a nuclear deal and would “pay the price.” The IDF confirmed that the Ramat David airbase sustained minor damage from falling fragments during Iran’s ballistic missile attack earlier this week, with no injuries or operational impact. Hezbollah continued to target Israeli forces in southern Lebanon with drones, missiles, and artillery, while Israeli airstrikes killed at least 17 people across the south, including two in a drone strike on a car in Sidon.

Israel and Iran announced a mutual halt to direct attacks on June 8 after US President Trump warned Prime Minister Netanyahu that Israel would be 'on its own' if it continued strikes. The IDF intercepted a Houthi drone over Eilat and continued operations in southern Lebanon, where strikes killed at least 14 people. The ICC suspended its chief prosecutor over sexual misconduct allegations.

Israel and Iran announced a mutual halt to direct attacks on June 8, following a night of ballistic missile exchanges and Israeli airstrikes on Iranian air defense and petrochemical targets. US President Trump pressed both sides to de-escalate. Israel stressed operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon will continue. Houthi rebels declared a renewed Red Sea blockade and fired missiles at Israel.

US forces struck Iranian coastal radar sites after shooting down four Iranian drones launched toward the Strait of Hormuz. Iran retaliated by firing seven ballistic missiles at US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain, with CENTCOM intercepting six. In Lebanon, an Israeli airstrike killed several Lebanese Army troops, including an officer, while Hezbollah claimed 32 attacks on Israeli forces. In the West Bank, the IDF killed a seven-month-old Palestinian baby in Hebron, prompting an investigation.

A seven-month-old Palestinian baby was killed and his parents wounded when IDF troops fired on their vehicle in Hebron. Hezbollah rejected the US-brokered ceasefire, launching rockets and surface-to-air missiles at northern Israel, while the IDF killed two Hezbollah operatives in southern Lebanon. France opened a war crimes probe into Israel's treatment of flotilla activists, and Ireland banned Israeli ministers Smotrich and Ben Gvir.

Two IDF officers were wounded in a firefight with Hezbollah operatives in southern Lebanon, and another was injured by an explosive drone, as Prime Minister Netanyahu stated the IDF would not withdraw from southern Lebanon in the near future. The IDF also announced the killing of Hezbollah's chief engineer, Abed Harb, in a strike last week. Meanwhile, the IAEA reported it has been unable to inspect Iranian nuclear facilities, and Iran claimed its navy fired warning shots at US destroyers in the Oman Sea.

Prime Minister Netanyahu ordered IDF strikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut's southern suburbs after a day of rocket and drone attacks on northern Israel, including a deadly drone strike that killed an IDF soldier near Beaufort Castle. Iran suspended indirect talks with the US, conditioning their resumption on a ceasefire in Lebanon and Gaza, while the US and Iran exchanged military strikes in the Gulf. The IDF withdrew its 146th Division from southern Lebanon after three months of operations, leaving two divisions in place.

Israeli ground forces advanced to the outskirts of Nabatieh, one of southern Lebanon’s largest cities, marking the deepest IDF push since 2006. Hezbollah responded with rocket barrages targeting Safed, Nahariya, and Kiryat Shmona, causing damage but no injuries. The IDF warned of potential increased rocket fire as operations expand. In Gaza, Hamas warned of a ‘dangerous escalation’ after Prime Minister Netanyahu ordered the seizure of 70% of the Strip, while Egypt raced to salvage the ceasefire. The US-Iran deal remained unresolved, with Defense Secretary Hegseth stating the US is ready to restart strikes if no agreement is reached.

Prime Minister Netanyahu confirmed IDF troops of the 36th Division crossed the Litani River and advanced to strategic points in southern Lebanon, while the IDF struck Hezbollah targets across the south and in the Bekaa Valley. The US and Iran reached a tentative 60-day ceasefire memorandum of understanding, pending President Trump's approval, though both sides publicly disputed its contents. In Gaza, Netanyahu ordered the IDF to expand control to 70% of the Strip, violating the October ceasefire, and the IDF eliminated the deputy commander of Hamas's Gaza City Brigade. The UN added Israel to its sexual-violence-in-conflict blacklist, drawing sharp Israeli condemnation.

Hezbollah explosive drones killed an IDF soldier and seriously wounded another in southern Lebanon, as President Trump declared it 'mandatory' for six Muslim nations to join the Abraham Accords as part of an Iran deal. The US and Iran voiced cautious optimism but tempered expectations of an imminent breakthrough, while Israeli opposition leaders accused Netanyahu of being sidelined.

A Hezbollah explosive drone killed an IDF soldier and seriously wounded another in southern Lebanon, while the US and Iran continued to negotiate a ceasefire deal that Israeli officials warn ignores Israel's security interests. The British navy is preparing to clear mines from the Strait of Hormuz once a deal is signed, though a US official says no mines have been found. Northern Israeli mayors say the emerging deal would be a 'death blow' if Hezbollah remains intact.

Iran submitted a new 14-point proposal via Pakistan, which a senior US official dismissed as containing only 'cosmetic improvements.' The IDF killed a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander in Baalbek, Lebanon, and intercepted a Gaza-bound flotilla off Cyprus. Hezbollah launched rockets and drones at Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, triggering sirens in northern Israel.

US President Donald Trump is seriously considering resuming combat operations against Iran after rejecting Tehran’s latest ceasefire proposal as “unacceptable,” while reports reveal the UAE secretly struck an Iranian oil refinery during the war. In Lebanon, an Israeli airstrike killed six civilians in Kafr Dounine, and Hezbollah claimed a guided-missile hit on an IDF Merkava tank. The Knesset passed a law establishing a special tribunal and allowing the death penalty for October 7 perpetrators, and EU foreign ministers approved sanctions on violent Israeli settlers and Hamas leaders after Hungary lifted its veto.

Iran launched a second day of missile and drone attacks on the UAE on Tuesday, striking a Fujairah oil facility and wounding three, while the US and Israel are reportedly coordinating potential new strikes on Iranian energy sites and senior officials. The US-led Project Freedom escort operation transited two destroyers through the Strait of Hormuz under fire, and Defense Secretary Hegseth said the ceasefire is “not over” despite Iran’s attacks. Hezbollah escalated with drone and missile attacks on IDF positions in southern Lebanon, and the IDF eliminated a Nukhba commander who participated in the October 7 Nova festival massacre.

President Trump rejected Iran's latest peace proposal, saying he is 'not satisfied' and is considering the option to 'blast the hell out of' Iran if talks fail. The rejection came as the White House notified Congress that hostilities with Iran have 'terminated,' a claim disputed by ongoing Israeli strikes in Lebanon and a collapsed Strait of Hormuz transit. Hezbollah drone attacks wounded four Israeli troops, prompting the IDF to tighten security restrictions in northern Israel and issue evacuation orders for a south Lebanon town. The US approved $8.6 billion in arms sales to Israel and Gulf allies, and the Pentagon announced the withdrawal of 5,000 troops from Germany amid tensions with European allies over the Iran war.

Israel is preparing for a potential resumption of hostilities with Iran, as CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Cain briefed President Trump on new operational strike plans. The briefing came hours before the War Powers Resolution deadline, with the administration claiming hostilities have 'terminated' amid the ceasefire. Meanwhile, Iran is reportedly digging out buried missiles and weapons in anticipation of a truce collapse, and Hezbollah continues to amass explosive drones, posing a persistent threat to Israeli forces in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah conducted 10 attacks against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon on April 30, the highest single-day total since the April 16 ceasefire, killing one IDF soldier and wounding two others. The escalation coincided with a US War Powers Resolution deadline on May 1 requiring congressional authorization for the Iran conflict, which the Trump administration argues is paused by the ceasefire. Israeli strikes in Lebanon killed at least 15 people, including a Lebanese Army soldier and his family, while the IDF reduced artillery fire in Gaza under US pressure. The UK raised its terror threat level to 'severe' after an antisemitic stabbing in London, and the US delivered 6,500 tons of military equipment to Israel.

President Trump told Iran to 'just give up' and vowed to maintain the naval blockade until a nuclear deal is reached, as Brent crude surged past $117 per barrel and the UAE confirmed its exit from OPEC effective May 1. The IDF intercepted a Gaza-bound flotilla in international waters near Crete, while Hezbollah continued loitering-glider attacks on Israeli armor in southern Lebanon and the IDF struck over 30 Hezbollah sites. In London, police declared the stabbing of two Jewish men a terrorist incident, with an Iran-linked group claiming responsibility.

The IDF launched airstrikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in the Beqaa Valley and southern Lebanon for the first time in three weeks, while Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem rejected negotiations and vowed to continue confrontation. Iran's foreign minister arrived in Moscow for talks as Tehran reportedly proposed a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the war.

Hezbollah shot down an Israeli Hermes 450 drone over Tyre and attacked IDF troops in Al-Qantara with loitering gliders, marking the most significant kinetic escalation since the ceasefire extension. The US authorized its Navy to target Iranian fast boats in the Strait of Hormuz as Iran's foreign minister prepared to visit Pakistan for talks.

Trump announced a three-week extension of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire following White House talks between Israeli and Lebanese delegations, even as Hezbollah fired a rocket salvo at the northern Israeli community of Shtula — its sixth claimed operation of the day — minutes before the extension was declared. The IDF intercepted the rockets and struck the launcher and a second loaded launcher in Lebanon.

President Trump publicly ordered the US Navy to shoot and kill any vessel mining the Strait of Hormuz, while Israeli Defense Minister Katz declared Israel is prepared to resume war against Iran and is awaiting a US 'green light' to strike Iranian energy infrastructure and the new supreme leader. Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ghalibaf resigned from the negotiating team amid reported IRGC interference, further complicating ceasefire diplomacy.

Since the prior SITREP, the IDF has confirmed launching an interceptor at a suspicious aerial target over southern Lebanon — corroborating earlier Hezbollah claims of a drone attack near Al-Qantara — while Lebanese President Aoun and regional figures have condemned the IDF strike that killed journalist Amal Khalil in Al-Tiri. Iran's senior officials are publicly conditioning Strait of Hormuz reopening on ceasefire compliance, and a Saudi envoy has arrived in Beirut.

Since the prior SITREP, the IDF has confirmed the capture of a Hezbollah Radwan Force operative in southern Lebanon who was planning an imminent attack on Israeli forces — the first confirmed Radwan detention under the ceasefire. President Trump has publicly dismissed reports of a 3–5 day ceasefire extension deadline, stating there is 'no time pressure.'

Since the prior SITREP, Iran has executed a former nuclear agency employee convicted of spying for Israel, and Trump announced that eight women protesters facing execution in Iran will be spared. Separately, dozens of Israeli settler activists breached the Syrian border before being escorted out by the IDF, while Lebanon's ceasefire talks Thursday carry a new Israeli demand to repeal the anti-normalisation law.

Since the prior SITREP, a second French UNIFIL peacekeeper has died from wounds sustained in a weekend Hezbollah ambush, confirmed by President Macron — the most significant new development on the Lebanon front. Separately, the IRGC's Strait of Hormuz blockade is now confirmed kinetic, with Iran International SITREP reporting fire on three vessels and seizure of two foreign ships, while Trump has narrowed the US-Iran ceasefire extension to 3–5 days and signalled a second round of talks could occur within 36–72 hours.

Since the prior SITREP, Israeli settlers opened fire on a school in Ramallah killing two people — the most significant new lethal development in the West Bank this cycle. Separately, Hezbollah claimed a drone strike on an Israeli artillery emplacement in Al-Bayyada, and Israeli aircraft conducted a second strike on Al-Tiri in southern Lebanon with reported casualties.

Trump announced an open-ended ceasefire extension hours before the Wednesday deadline, conditioned on Iran producing a 'unified proposal,' while explicitly maintaining the naval blockade of Hormuz. Simultaneously, Hezbollah launched rockets and drones at an IDF position in Kfar Giladi — the first confirmed kinetic exchange on the Lebanon front since the prior SITREP — and the US issued fresh sanctions on 14 Iran-linked arms entities.

Since the prior SITREP, a cluster of covert Iranian operations has come into focus: 40 Israelis were detained at Moscow's airport in an apparent Russia-Iran alignment signal, a foiled IRGC assassination network in Azerbaijan reportedly resulted in senior IRGC commanders being killed, and the UAE dismantled an Iran-linked cell while the US charged an Iranian national with arms trafficking to Sudan. On the diplomatic track, Iranian sources now indicate Tehran will attend Islamabad talks, a partial reversal from the prior 'no decision' posture.

The US Navy seized the Iranian cargo vessel MV Touska in the Sea of Oman/Strait of Hormuz area, prompting the IRGC to threaten retaliation and Iran's Foreign Ministry to accuse Washington of ceasefire violations. Simultaneously, Iran has not confirmed participation in the next round of US-Iran talks in Islamabad despite Vance's arrival in Pakistan, placing the diplomatic track in acute uncertainty.