No Date Set for Next Round of Iran-U.S. Talks: Iran Deputy FM

This is Beirut 18/04 15:10 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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No date has been set for the next round of Iran–U.S. peace talks brokered by Pakistan following the failure of an initial round, Iran's deputy foreign minister said on Saturday. "Until we agree on the framework, we cannot set a date," Saeed Khatibzadeh told journalists on the sidelines of an annual diplomatic forum in Turkey's southern Antalya ...

Trump Says Deal Is Days Away, Iran Accuses Him of ‘Lies’

This is Beirut 18/04 13:20 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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U.S. President Donald Trump said that a deal with Iran could be reached “within days” and that negotiations have “no sticking points,” while Iranian officials on Saturday rejected his claims and said key issues remain unresolved. Trump said talks with Iran could resume as early as this weekend, possibly in Islamabad, and ...

Turkey Hosts Latest Diplomatic Push on Middle East War

This is Beirut 17/04 08:40 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Turkey Lebanon Israel United States Iran

Turkey hosts a high-stakes forum Friday bringing together the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, as Islamabad pushes diplomatic efforts to end the Middle East war. Pakistan's powerful army chief met senior negotiators in Tehran on Thursday as Washington and Iran considered a fresh round of talks to end the six-week ...

Unified Message from Beirut MPs: Exclusive State Control and "weapons-Free" City

This is Beirut 16/04 13:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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  In a show of cross-sectarian unity, Beirut MPs on Wednesday called for the capital to be placed fully under state control and declared a “weapons-free city” under the exclusive authority of the Lebanese Armed Forces and security agencies. “Beirut must be free of weapons, and we want to see the Lebanese army deployed in all the streets ...

Iran Says Won't Reopen Hormuz as Long as U.S. Blockade Remains

This is Beirut 23/04 08:05 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

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Iran's vow not to reopen the Strait of Hormuz -- so long as a U.S. naval blockade remained in place -- was held into Thursday despite a ceasefire extension, as the Gulf nation announced the seizure of two ships trying to cross the strategic waterway. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said late Wednesday that it had also "directed 31 vessels ...

U.S. Says Ball in Iran's Court as Push Grows to End War

This is Beirut 14/04 12:20 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

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The United States said "the ball is in the Iranian court" on ending the Mideast war, as diplomats accelerated efforts on Tuesday towards a new round of peace talks after weekend negotiations failed to produce a deal. US Vice President JD Vance had left talks hosted by Pakistan on Sunday, saying he had handed Tehran the "final and best offer".Iran ...

Lebanon Charts a Separate Path from Tehran in Israel Talks

Samar El-Kadi 14/04 09:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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Lebanon is set to begin talks with Israel in Washington on Tuesday, the first direct negotiations since 1983, as Beirut seeks to reassert its role in regional affairs and prevent the country from becoming a bargaining chip in broader international negotiations. Political activist and former MP Fares Souaid described the move as a historic break. ...

After Islamabad

David Hale 13/04 10:20 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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Whatever different people may think about the Trump Administration's approach to Iran, 21 hours of talks led by the American vice president demonstrated a seriousness of diplomatic purpose.  However, it was never likely that the wide gap between the goals of Washington and those of Tehran would be bridged in a day.  Eight American presidents ...

Vance Arrives in Pakistan for Iran Talks

This is Beirut 11/04 12:10 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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US Vice President JD Vance arrived in Islamabad on Saturday for talks with Iran that the Pakistani premier hosting the warring sides called a "make or break" effort to permanently halt weeks of fighting in the Middle East. An Iranian delegation led by parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf is also in the city, having arrived ...

Iran Delegation Arrives in Pakistan Capital Ahead of U.S. Talks

This is Beirut 11/04 01:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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A delegation of top Iranian officials has arrived in Islamabad ahead of ceasefire talks with the United States in the Pakistani capital, Iranian state television reported Friday. The delegation was led by Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, along with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and other security and economic officials, ...

Lebanon Says Israel Talks Set for Tuesday in U.S.

This is Beirut 11/04 01:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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Lebanon's presidency said Friday that a meeting would be held with Israel in Washington next week to discuss a ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war and the start of negotiations between the neighbours. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has repeatedly expressed readiness for direct talks with Israel since Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle ...

Hezbollah’s Qassem Urges Lebanon to Halt “Concessions” Ahead of Talks

This is Beirut 10/04 15:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem on Friday urged the Lebanese government to halt what he described as “free concessions” to Israel, ahead of anticipated negotiations between the two sides in Washington scheduled for next week.  In a written statement broadcast on the group’s Al-Manar television channel, Qassem said ...

Al-Akhbar Journalist Killed in Airstrike in Southern Lebanon

This is Beirut 23/04 01:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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A Lebanese journalist working for the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Akhbar News was killed in an Israeli airstrike and another was wounded on Wednesday while they were working near the border with Israel, according to their employer and rescuers. The civil defence agency's press office said rescuers were "able to recover the body of martyred journalist ...

U.S. Offers $10 Million Reward for Leader of Iraqi Armed Group

This is Beirut 24/04 09:20 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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The US State Department is offering up to $10 million for information on the leader of the Tehran-backed Iraqi armed group Kataeb Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS), which Washington designates as a terrorist organization. US officials said in a social media post Thursday they were seeking information on KSS leader Hashim Finyan Rahim al-Saraji, also known ...

Lebanese Cabinet Issues Orders to Remove Non-State Weapons From Beirut

This is Beirut 09/04 14:45 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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The Lebanese government decided on Thursday to ban weapons held by non-state groups in Beirut, a day after deadly Israeli strikes on the capital. “Out of concern for citizens’ safety,” the government “requests that the army and security forces immediately extend state control over the Beirut area and restrict the carrying of weapons there ...

Hezbollah Signals Openness to Indirect Talks with Israel

This is Beirut 04/05 12:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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In a notable shift in tone, Hezbollah’s Secretary General Naim Qassem signaled for the first time openness to indirect negotiations with Israel, framing diplomacy as a viable path—while firmly rejecting any form of direct talks. “We support diplomacy that stops the aggression and enforces agreements,” Qassem said in a statement on Monday, ...

U.S. Announces $10 Million Reward for Iraqi Militia Leader

This is Beirut 05/05 20:10 - Reading : less than a minute

The U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice program announced on Tuesday a reward of up to $10 million for information on Akram ‘Abbas al-Kabi, identified as the founder and leader of the Iraqi militia group Harakat al-Nujaba (HAN). In its official statement the program said, “Akram ‘Abbas al-Kabi is the founder and leader of ...

Hegseth warns of ‘overwhelming’ response as Hormuz tensions rise despite ceasefire

This is Beirut 05/05 16:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday a ceasefire with Iran remains in place despite rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, where Washington has deployed forces to protect commercial shipping. Speaking at the Pentagon alongside Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine, Hegseth said the United States is “not seeking a wider conflict” in ...

U.S.-Iran Ceasefire on Brink as UAE Reports Attacks

This is Beirut 05/05 04:00 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

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A ceasefire between Iran and the United States was teetering Monday as the two countries traded fire over the strategic Strait of Hormuz and the United Arab Emirates reported attacks for the first time since the truce was declared nearly a month ago. A day after President Donald Trump announced an operation to escort trapped vessels through the ...

U.S. Downs Iran Missiles and Drones, Destroys Six of Tehran's Boats

This is Beirut 04/05 22:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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The United States shot down multiple Iranian missiles and drones fired at U.S. Navy and commercial vessels and destroyed six of Tehran's small boats, a top U.S. admiral said on Monday. The hostilities occurred as American forces sought to facilitate the transit of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz in an effort dubbed "Project ...

Trump Threatens Iran with “Total Destruction” if It Targets U.S. Forces in Hormuz Operation

This is Beirut 04/05 20:50 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday issued a stark warning to Iran, vowing it would be “blown off the face of the Earth” if it attacks American vessels involved in the ongoing “Project Freedom” operation in the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Trump escalated his rhetoric as tensions deepen around the strategic ...

Iran Fires 'Warning Shots' as U.S. Navy Says Its Ships Entered Gulf Via Hormuz

This is Beirut 04/05 17:50 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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Iran's navy fired 'warning shots' at U.S. warships in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, state media said, after the American military sent cruisers into the Gulf as part of a plan to help trapped commercial vessels leave. Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump had announced a plan to guide ships from neutral countries out of the Gulf, saying it was a ...

U.S. Military: U.S. Destroyers Cross Strait of Hormuz, Enter Gulf

This is Beirut 04/05 17:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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U.S. Navy-guided missile destroyers have passed through the Strait of Hormuz and entered the Gulf as part of a new mission to restore maritime traffic in the vital waterway, the U.S. military said Monday. The warships "are currently operating in the Arabian Gulf after transiting the Strait of Hormuz in support of Project Freedom," U.S. Central ...

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent: “We Are Strangling the Regime”

This is Beirut 03/05 19:20 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated on Sunday that Washington has intensified its crackdown on all entities attempting to financially support Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). He stressed that the United States is “strangling the Iranian regime” economically, claiming that Tehran is now struggling to pay its ...

Netanyahu Lauds Opportunity for 'Historic Peace' Between Israel, Lebanon

This is Beirut 24/04 18:20 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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A day after the second meeting of direct negotiations between Lebanese and Israeli Ambassadors in Washington, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had “begun a process to achieve a historic peace” between the two countries. The Prime Minister’s pre-recorded video on ‘X’ comes after talks in ...

'Angry Birds'-Style Video Caricaturing Hezbollah Draws Rebuke

This is Beirut 03/05 05:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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A video published by a Lebanese TV outlet caricaturing Hezbollah's leaders and fighters as characters from the "Angry Birds" mobile phone games drew a rebuke from the group, which called the clip "offensive" on Saturday. On social media, Hezbollah's supporters condemned what they considered the ridiculing of leader ...

MP Makhzoumi Backs State Sovereignty and Direct Talks with Israel

This is Beirut 02/05 19:45 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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Parliamentarian and founder of the National Dialogue Party Fouad Makhzoumi on Saturday stressed the primacy of state sovereignty and endorsed direct negotiations with Israel as key to ending the country’s current crisis, saying “the exclusive right of the state to decide on war and peace” must be upheld.  Speaking at a ...

Iran Offers New Proposal Amid Stalled U.S. Peace Talks

This is Beirut 01/05 17:20 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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According to Iranian state media reporting on Friday, Iran delivered a new proposal for peace talks with the U.S. via mediator Pakistan, with negotiations between the two sides frozen despite a weeks-long ceasefire. The text of the proposal was handed to Islamabad on Thursday evening, the IRNA news agency reported. The war, launched by the ...

Trump Weighs Military Options on Iran as U.S. Drafts Strike Plans and Hormuz Strategy

This is Beirut 30/04 21:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Senior U.S. military commanders will brief President Donald Trump on Thursday on potential military action against Iran, including strike scenarios and options related to the Strait of Hormuz, a U.S. official told Reuters. The briefing, expected at the White House, will include Central Command chief Brad Cooper, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, ...

Lebanese President: Lebanon Waiting for U.S. to Set Date for Negotiations

This is Beirut 29/04 17:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Lebanon is waiting for the United States to set a start date for delegation-level direct negotiations with Israel, according to remarks by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Wednesday. Speaking before a gathering of economic bodies, the President discussed ongoing progress toward ending the war, reiterating the sovereignty and unity of the ...