Overview
- Vice President JD Vance left for Islamabad on Friday for talks slated for Saturday, though Iran has said it will not sit down without a Lebanon‑related ceasefire and access to blocked assets.
- President Trump warned on Friday that oil must flow through the Strait of Hormuz or he may act, as White House officials signaled low expectations for a rapid reopening.
- Kuwait accused Iran and allied groups of drone strikes despite the pause, a charge the Revolutionary Guard denied, highlighting the ceasefire’s fragility.
- Following Wednesday’s mass strikes in Beirut that killed more than 300 people, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved direct talks with Lebanon in Washington next week, while Tehran insists the truce must cover that front.
- The talks must bridge deep gaps over Iran’s uranium stockpile, missiles, sanctions relief, and control of Hormuz, a chokepoint that normally carries about a fifth of seaborne oil but now sees only scant traffic.