Key facts
- Pakistan and Turkiye foreign ministers discussed US-Iran peace talks progress.
- US President Donald Trump suggested a peace deal could be signed as early as Sunday.
- Iran stated it has not yet made a final decision on the framework agreement.
- Oxfam reported a sharp rise in Palestinian casualties and displacement in the West Bank.
- A cyberattack affected services at four Iranian banks.
Foreign ministers of Pakistan and Turkiye held a phone call to discuss the evolving regional situation and welcomed progress towards an understanding between the United States and Iran. This development occurs amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East and reports that a peace deal to end the war between the US and Iran could be signed soon.
US President Donald Trump indicated that a deal to stop the war on Iran could be signed as early as Sunday, his 80th birthday. However, Iranian media, citing an informed source, stated that Tehran has not yet made a final decision on the framework agreement, with a review of its aspects still ongoing. Reports also suggest Qatari negotiators have traveled to Iran to help conclude the deal.
Pakistan has been a key mediator in the US-Iran talks, while Turkiye is among the countries consulted by President Trump. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait have previously welcomed progress in the negotiations, expressing hope for an agreement and regional stability.
Meanwhile, the conflict in the region continues. Hostile aircraft sirens were activated in northern Israel. In southern Lebanon, displacement orders were issued for towns and villages, signaling potential Israeli military activity, with the Lebanese army withdrawing from a village near Nabatiyeh. The Israeli military has also continued raids and demolitions across the occupied West Bank, with Oxfam reporting a significant increase in Palestinian casualties and displacement over the past three years. Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for attacks on Hezbollah's stronghold in southern Beirut following drone crashes into northern Israel.
Separately, a cyberattack reportedly disrupted services at four key Iranian banks, though the country's banking coordination council stated no customer data was compromised.