Pakistan

Will a new Sunni axis reshape the Middle East? - opinion

“Sunni axis” is a term that is gaining currency. It refers to a new security alliance of Sunni states that seems to be emerging, with the SMDA at its heart. Turkey and Qatar will probably join.

Map of the Middle East 370
 Trucks transporting Afghan nationals, who were expelled from Pakistan, are parked as refugees wait for registration at the Omari refugee camp in Mohmand Dara, Torkham border, Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, April 15, 2025.

Twenty-two dead, dozens injured in crash involving Afghan returnees from Pakistan

A man rides his motorbike past a billboard installed alongside a road as Pakistan prepares to host the U.S. and Iran for peace talks, in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 10, 2026.

Trump’s Abraham Accords push faces resistance from Pakistan and Muslim world - opinion

Iranians attend the 46th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Iran, February 10, 2025.

US-Iran deal: A decisive victory for generations or another agreement with metastases? - opinion


Vance to travel to Islamabad, Iranian delegation gets reported approval from supreme leader - Axios

According to a source with knowledge, cited by Axios, the Iranian negotiating team hesitated under pressure from the IRGC to take a stronger line and refuse talks without an end to the US blockade.

US Vice President JD Vance waves as he boards Air Force Two, after peace talks with Iran in Islamabad, Pakistan, Sunday, April 12, 2026.

Taliban arrests senior co-founder Mullah Mutasim Agha Jan amid deepening internal rifts

Agha Jan, a close associate of the late Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar, served as finance minister in the group’s first government prior to the 9/11 attacks.

Mutasim Agha Jan.

Trump threatens to bomb Iran if ceasefire breaks down as Vance reportedly en route to Islamabad

Trumps told PBS News that he is unsure if the Iranians will attend the talks in Pakistan, while insisting that Tehran will not achieve nuclear weapon capability.

Vice President JD Vance disembarks Air Force Two after attending talks on Iran in Islamabad, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, US, April 12, 2026.

Iran rejects second round of talks with US

Two sources told The Jerusalem Post that Washington aims to first reach a framework agreement before negotiating the details.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif meets with Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, as delegations from the United States and Iran are expected to hold peace talks, in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 11, 2026.

'No more Mr. Nice Guy!': Trump says Iran committed 'serious' ceasefire violation, still wants deal

A White House official later confirmed that US Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner would be among those heading to Pakistan.

 US President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office after signing an Executive Order April 18, 2026 in Washington, DC.

Israel's Somaliland envoy sparks regional backlash from 15 Arab, Muslim states

Several Arab and Muslim states condemned Israel's decision to send a diplomatic envoy to Somaliland, while the Republic of Somaliland responded, accusing them of hypocrisy.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar meets with Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi in first diplomatic visit to Somaliland on January 6, 2026.

Iran negotiators, citing possible Israeli attack, got Pakistan escort home from peace talks

Two dozen jets, along with Pakistan's Airborne Warning and Control System for aerial surveillance, were deployed to escort the Iranian delegation back from Islamabad.

A convoy heads toward the Serena Hotel, as delegations from the United States and Iran are expected to hold peace talks, in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 11, 2026.

My Word: The ‘I-P Test’ of hypocrisy - opinion

Why does the world turn a blind eye to Israel's real challenges? From Pakistan’s hypocrisy to Spain’s anti-Israel actions, peace talks must address these double standards for true progress.

 The Israeli flag.

What happened to Imran Khan? - opinion

Khan’s detention has coincided with broader crackdowns on his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

 Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan pauses as he speaks with Reuters during an interview, in Lahore, Pakistan March 17, 2023.

Pakistan's role in advancing US-Iran talks watched by Gulf nations amid rising tensions - analysis

Meanwhile, at sea, US Central Command says the US blockade of Iran is working. Iran claims that at least one Iranian supertanker had crossed the blockade line and made it to Iran’s Imam Khomeini port

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif meets with Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, as delegations from the United States and Iran are expected to hold peace talks, in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 11, 2026.