Pakistani minister in Tehran in fresh bid to restart Iran-US talks

Pakistan’s interior minister Mohsin Naqvi arrived in Tehran to deliver a message from Pakistan’s army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir to Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, seeking to revive stalled negotiations between Iran and the US. The visit follows heightened tensions after the US military shot down two Iranian drones over the Strait of Hormuz, which were threatening international maritime traffic. Naqvi met with Iranian interior minister Eskandar Momeni on Saturday and foreign minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday, according to Iranian state media. Pakistan has been working with regional allies like Qatar, Turkey, and Egypt to mediate between the US and Iran, aiming to reduce tensions and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The US Central Command confirmed it had shot down several Iranian missiles and drones targeting the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf allies, striking Iranian coastal surveillance radars in response. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claimed it had attacked the Ali Al Salem air base in Kuwait and the US Navy’s 5th Fleet in Bahrain, though the US reported no personnel injuries. Separately, Israel and Lebanon exchanged fire on Sunday, with Israel intercepting five projectiles launched from Lebanon and retaliating by striking southern Beirut. Two Israeli soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon on Saturday, where Israeli forces have advanced during their latest ground offensive. The escalations threaten efforts to end the Iran war and stabilize the region, as Iran demands a ceasefire in Lebanon as part of any long-term truce. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated he will continue offensive operations until Hezbollah no longer poses a threat, despite facing elections later this year.