NATO's Rutte Says More Than 20 Countries Plan To Be Involved In Strait Of Hormuz Reopening
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said that more than 20 countries were planning to be involved in the reopening of the key Strait of Hormuz after US President Donald Trump pushed the alliance to increase efforts on the matter.
"I know the president was angry because he feels that European and other allies have been too slow," Rutte told Fox News on March 22. He added that NATO was now looking to work on the issue together with Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain.
"So we are now planning the military people and others amongst this group of 22 nations and with the US," Rutte said.
His comments came amid a heated exchange between US and Iranian officials concerning the Strait of Hormuz. Trump gave Tehran 48 hours to "fully open" the Strait of Hormuz, or the United States would "obliterate" Iran's power plants. The Iranian military command threatened to retaliate.
Backing up Trump's ultimatum, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told NBC it was "the only language the Iranians understand," adding that "sometimes you have to escalate to de-escalate."
Separately, he also addressed Trump's comments about Kharg Island, a major hub for Iran's oil production. Speaking to Fox News, Bessent said that US forces have destroyed Iranian military assets on the island, adding: "We will see what happens with -- whether that eventually becomes a US asset."
Iran Says Some Progress Made In US Talks Under Pakistan Mediation, But Differences Remain
Iran and the United States have made limited progress toward a possible agreement under Pakistan’s mediation, but major differences remain more than halfway through a two-week cease-fire, a senior Iranian official said on April 16.
“The trip of the Pakistani army chief [Asim Munir] to Tehran was effective in reducing differences in some areas, but fundamental disagreements still remain in the nuclear field.... More hopes have been created for extending the cease-fire and holding a second round of talks,” the official said, according to Reuters.
He added that "the fate of Iran’s highly enriched uranium and the duration of Iran’s nuclear restrictions are among the highly disputed issues for which no solution has yet been found.”
Munir visited Tehran on April 15 after Pakistan hosted initial peace talks last weekend that failed to produce a permanent settlement to the war that began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said no date has yet been set for a second round of talks.
Meanwhile, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Qatar on April 16 for talks on Pakistan's "ongoing efforts for regional and global peace” before continuing to Turkey.
With reporting by Reuters and AFP
Lebanon 'Not Aware' Of Trump-Promised Peace Talks With Israel
Talks between several countries around the Middle East are heating up amid a diplomatic push to clinch peace deals around the region.
US President Donald Trump said the leaders of Israel and Lebanon will hold talks on April 16 -- the first such negotiations since 1993 -- as they seek a cease-fire to end more than six weeks of war with Iran-backed Hezbollah. Hezbollah is both a militant group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon. It is considered a terrorist organization by the United States, although the European Union has only blacklisted its armed wing.
Separately, Gila Gamliel, a member of Israel's security cabinet, told Israel's Army Radio that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will speak with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. But AFP and Reuters quoted unnamed Lebanese sources as saying Beirut was "not aware" of any talks and had "no information" about upcoming contact with Israel's leadership.
Amid the Lebanon impasse, Iran and the United States are reportedly looking to arrange a second round of peace talks as a fragile, Pakistani-brokered two-week cease-fire that paused 40 days of fighting expires on April 22.
Attention also turns to Paris on April 16, where a separate but linked crisis will dominate. French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will co-chair a videoconference of around 40 nations aimed at restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
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Iranian Activists Warn Of Unemployment, Mass Layoffs Caused By War
Amid growing concern over rising unemployment -- particularly job losses and worker layoffs caused by the war -- labor and political activists have called for urgent measures to prevent the problem from spreading across the country.
Speaking to the semiofficial labor-focused ILNA news agency, reformist political activist Jalil Sazgarnejad warned that damage to production and industrial infrastructure could trigger business closures or reduced activity, leading to widespread unemployment in Iran.
He said damage to major industrial units such as factories, refineries, and power plants would naturally affect many smaller downstream businesses.
"In such a situation, the first step taken by some enterprises is workforce reduction, the result of which will be higher unemployment and social problems for many families,” he said.
The former lawmaker called on the government, civil society institutions, and the private sector to implement support and compensation measures to manage the economic and social consequences of the conflict.
According to the semiofficial ISNA news agency, the head of the union representing contract and temporary workers also said the war could lead to layoffs and disruption to employment, adding that the government should provide timely support to economic and production enterprises and protect workers.
Fathollah Bayat said some businesses were struggling to obtain raw materials because wartime conditions had made imports -- especially those requiring foreign currency -- extremely difficult.
"This will certainly affect production, employment, and workforce retention," he said. Therefore, the government and authorities must help and remain engaged."
ILNA reported that the war, direct strikes on some production and service units, and the broader economic crisis had led to a “significant increase in the unemployed population, workforce reductions in various sectors, stagnation in businesses, and consequently a multifold rise in applicants for unemployment insurance in different provinces.”
The report identified Tehran Province, Khuzestan Province, and Bushehr Province as the “main economic victims of the war.”
In addition, Iran’s Internet shutdown -- now lasting more than 47 days -- has effectively destroyed many online businesses in the country.
3 Iranian Police Officers Killed In Restive Province
The police information center in Iran's Sistan-Baluchistan Province announced on April 16 that "three patrol officers from the police emergency support unit in Saravan County" were killed in the province following an armed attack.
The center did not release further details about the incident and said only that "efforts to arrest those responsible for the attack" are continuing.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.
Armed assaults on military and law enforcement facilities in Sistan-Baluchistan have occurred previously.
In the most recent case before Iran's war with the United States and Israel, five police officers were killed in August, near the Daman checkpoint in Iranshahr.
The Jaish al-Adl Baluch separatist militant organization claimed responsibility for that attack, as well as several others.
Jaish al-Adl, which is designated a terrorist group by both Iran and the United States, says it is fighting the Islamic republic for the rights of the Baluch minority.
Members of the Baluch minority, many of whom are Sunni Muslims in Shi'a-majority Iran, have long faced disproportionate discrimination and violence at the hands of the authorities. Many live in Sistan-Baluchistan, one of Iran's poorest provinces.
China Urges Iran To Safeguard Shipping In Hormuz Strait
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has urged Iran to ensure freedom and safety of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz during a phone call with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araqhchi, as tensions over the Iran conflict threaten global energy supplies.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Wang described the situation as being at a “critical stage” between conflict and peace, and called for respect for Iran’s sovereignty while maintaining open maritime transit.
Araqchi welcomed China’s role and expressed a willingness to pursue a negotiated solution, according to the Chinese statement.
The call on April 15 comes amid a US naval blockade of Iranian ports and the effective closure of the strait by Tehran following attacks by the US and Israel.
Although recent talks in Islamabad failed to yield an agreement, further negotiations may resume soon as mediators push to extend a fragile cease-fire set to expire on April 22.
China has criticized the blockade as “dangerous” and is seeking de-escalation in the region.
Iran Keeps Schools Closed, Classes To Continue Online
An Iranian Education Ministry spokesperson has announced that school activities across all levels and grades throughout the country will continue to be conducted virtually and remotely until further notice.
The decision follows the suspension of in-person classes on February 28, just hours after the start of joint attacks by Israel and the United States against the Islamic Republic. Classes have since been held online, a measure that has also been extended to universities.
According to the ministry, any changes to this decision and the resumption of in-person schooling will be announced to students and parents three days in advance.
The ministry added that the necessary infrastructure for students’ education has been provided through the SHAD platform -- Iran’s official online learning system -- as well as the country's televised school system.
The announcement of virtual learning comes despite the fact that Internet access in the country has reportedly been cut off for more than 47 days.
Family Warns Nobel Prizewinner’s Life At Risk In Iranian Prison
Imprisoned Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi is in critical condition after suffering a heart attack last month, according to her family and supporters.
Her Iran-based family and legal team were allowed a second in-person visit with Mohammadi on April 11 in her prison in northern Iran where "clear signs of a deterioration in her general condition were observed, and her physical state was described as critical" her foundation said in a statement.
During a recent prison visit in northern Iran, relatives observed severe physical deterioration, including extreme weakness and significant weight loss.
Her brother, Hamidreza Mohammadi, also reported that she is being held with violent offenders and has received death threats from fellow inmates.
Mohammadi, awarded the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize for her long-standing human rights advocacy, was arrested in December in Mashhad and later transferred to Zanjan prison with limited contact with her family.
Her detention conditions, compounded by a recent hunger strike and ongoing political tensions in Iran, have heightened concerns.
Supporters warn that her continued imprisonment poses an immediate and potentially irreversible threat to her life.
With reporting by AFP and dpa
Trump Says Israel, Lebanon Leaders To Hold Discussions; Beirut Says It's 'Not Aware' Of Talks
US President Donald Trump says the leaders of Israel and Lebanon will hold talks on April 16, the first such negotiations since 1993, as they seek a cease-fire to end more than six weeks of war with Iran-backed Hezbollah, a militant group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon. It is considered a terrorist organization by the United States, while the European Union has blacklisted its armed wing.
Lebanon, however, said it had no knowledge of any such discussions.
“We are not aware of any planned contact with the Israeli side, and we have not been informed of any through official channels,” an official Lebanese source told the AFP news agency after Trump’s remarks.
"Trying to get a little breathing room between Israel and Lebanon. It has been a long time since the two leaders have spoken, like 34 years. It will happen tomorrow," Trump wrote in a social media post late on April 15.
He did not give specifics on who would be involved in the talks or offer any other details.
Lebanon’s prime minister is Nawaf Salam and his Israeli counterpart is Benjamin Netanyahu, while the two presidents are Joseph Aoun and Isaac Herzog, respectively.
Ending the fighting in Lebanon, which broke out after US and Israeli air strikes were launched against Iran on February 28, has been a key sticking point in ending that conflict.
FIFA Chief Says 'For Sure' Iran Will Participate In World Cup
FIFA chief Gianni Infantino said on April 15 that Iran will "for sure" participate in the 2026 World Cup despite the Middle East war and advice from US President Donald Trump that the team stay home for the players' "life and safety."
"Iran is coming for sure. We hope that by then the situation will be a peaceful situation, that would definitely help," Infantino told US broadcaster CNBC.
"But Iran has to come, they represent their people, they have qualified, the players want to play," he said of the team's matches scheduled in Los Angeles and Seattle beginning in June.
Iran is scheduled to open against New Zealand on June 15, then meet Belgium on June 21, with both matches in Los Angeles.
On June 26, Iran is scheduled to play against Egypt in Seattle. Should Iran advance to the next round, its following games would also be held in the United States.
Iran requested that FIFA switch its matches to Mexico, which is hosting games along with the US and Canada, but was denied.
Infantino said he recently visited the Iranian team at its training camp in Antalya, Turkey, where he said players indicated they wanted to play.
“They should play -- sports should be outside of politics,” Infantino said.
“Now, OK, we don’t live on the moon; we live on planet Earth, but if there is nobody else that believes in building bridges and in keeping them intact and together, well we are doing that,” he said.
The last time a national team pulled out of a FIFA World Cup was 1950, when several teams did not participate in the first tournament held after World War II.
With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and CNBC
Iranians, Mediators Study US Proposals With Eye On Possible Second Round Of Talks
Iranian officials are set on April 16 to meet with Pakistani mediators to discuss new US proposals and decide on a possible second round of talks a day after US President Donald Trump asserted that the end of the war could come “very soon.”
“After today's meeting of the Pakistani delegation headed by Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir with Iranian officials, the Iranian team will conduct the necessary review and then a decision will be made about the next round of negotiations between Iran and the US,” the semiofficial Tasnim news agency reported.
Pakistan's powerful army chief arrived in Tehran on April 15 and was greeted by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi. A senior Iranian source told Reuters that Munir, who had mediated a first round of talks, was in Iran "to narrow gaps" between the two sides.
Read more here.