Middle East Policy Digest

US-Iran Talks Collapse and Blockade

• 🔥 Islamabad Talks Fail: US and Iran failed to reach a deal after marathon talks in Islamabad on Saturday.
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Pakistan spearheads post-Islamabad revival efforts as US-Iran talks' foundation endures:

• Tripartite push: Pakistani, Egyptian, Turkish mediators...

Weekend marathon (21 hours): Direct talks fail in Pakistan; US demands no nuclear weapon pursuit, Iran cites US "maximalism" and seeks Lebanon...

Turkey's forward-looking bid for regional stability:

• FM Hakan Fidan calls for a Middle East security pact after Iran war's end to build trust.
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US-Iran Ceasefire Talks Collapse in Pakistan

• 🔥 No Deal After 21-Hour Marathon: US-Iran negotiations in Islamabad ended without agreement after...

Key failures in 21-hour US-Iran talks: No deal after marathon session; US demands "affirmative commitment" against nuclear weapons, Iran cites...

Key UNCLOS explainer amid blockade:

• Strait specifics: 21nm wide between Iran/Oman; shared ~6nm commercial channel, with each state's 12nm...

US-Iran Ceasefire Talks Launch in Pakistan

• 🔥 Vice President JD Vance has arrived in Islamabad to lead the US delegation with envoy Steve...

Pakistan hosts pivotal US-Iran ceasefire negotiations amid strong global momentum:

• Global backing: Majority of countries support the talks, pinning...

US intelligence flags China preparing MANPADS air defense systems for Iran in weeks, routing via third countries.

• Provocative timing: Beijing...

US-Iran Ceasefire Talks Advance

• 🔥 Vance-Ghalibaf Meeting Planned: The United States and Iran are planning the most senior meeting since 1979,...

Key angles on high-level US-Iran direct talks:

• Historic senior meeting in Islamabad: VP JD Vance to engage Iran's Mohammed Ghalibaf, first since...

• US convenes DC talks next week with Lebanon and Israel ambassadors to craft ceasefire amid Israeli strikes on Hezbollah
• Spoiler to US-Iran deal:...

Iran's Key Negotiators

• 🔥 Araghchi's Elevated Role: Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is described as the country's most powerful foreign...

Fragile US-Iran ceasefire faces tests from Israeli strikes, Iranian leadership voids, and Pakistan's mediation push ahead of Islamabad talks.

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Key limitations on Trump's ultimatum to destroy Iran's bridges and power in hours:

• Scale infeasible: Iran's size (1/3 continental US) makes wiping...

Faltering Talks Before Trump Deadline

• 🔥 Mediators Push for Ceasefire: Diplomatic negotiations to halt the war appeared to falter a day before...

Key progression in third-party mediation as deadline nears:

• Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey intensify efforts: Relaying messages between Washington and...

• Nuclear scientists hit: US and Israel assassinating experts like Mohammad Reza Kia and Ali Fouladvand to cripple weaponization knowledge.
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Great powers counter US strikes with de-escalation calls:

• China-Russia talks: Wang Yi and Lavrov stress dialogue, ceasefire, and UNSC coordination...