United News of Bangladesh

Lebanon’s Culture Minister Ghassan Salame has warned that continued Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon are placing several important heritage sites at “serious danger,” including landmarks in the ancient city of Tyre. Salame said bombardments had fallen very close to the archaeological ruins of Tyre, a site recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. He also reported that the medieval Beaufort Castle, which overlooks the southern city of Nabatieh, was directly struck in an Israeli attack. According to Salame, the historic fortress dates back to the 12th century. The minister expressed concern that the ongoing strikes could cause significant damage to Lebanon’s cultural and historical heritage. Source: Al Jazeera 

US and Iranian negotiators have reached a tentative agreement to extend the ceasefire in the three-month-long conflict by another 60 days and begin a fresh round of discussions on Iran’s nuclear programme, according to a US official familiar with the negotiations. Iran has not immediately confirmed the agreement. US Vice President JD Vance acknowledged on Thursday evening that a tentative deal had been reached but said it remained uncertain whether President Donald Trump would approve it. “It’s hard to say exactly when or if the president’s going to sign,” Vance told reporters. He added: “We’re going back and forth on a couple of language points.” The proposed memorandum of understanding comes as the fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran appeared increasingly unstable. The latest escalation occurred less than a day earlier when Kuwait intercepted missiles launched from Iran, according to US Central Command. Proposal focuses on Strait of Hormuz According to the US official, the memorandum stipulates that Iran would not be permitted to impose tolls in the Strait of Hormuz and would be required to clear all mines from the strategic waterway within 30 days. During the conflict, Iran effectively shut down the strait, through which nearly one-fifth of the world’s traded oil and natural gas passes. The disruption triggered sharp increases in global oil prices. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said at a news briefing on Thursday that oil prices could “come down very quickly” once an agreement is finalized. Iran has allowed limited commercial shipping through the strait in recent days, with around two dozen vessels passing daily compared with more than 100 per day before the war. However, Tehran has also imposed tolls on some ships and established a gatekeeper agency earlier this month, prompting another round of US sanctions this week. Under the tentative arrangement, the US would gradually ease its naval blockade on Iranian ports and relax sanctions, enabling Iran to increase oil exports. Despite progress toward a deal, the US Treasury Department announced additional sanctions targeting the Iranian military’s oil sales network. The sanctions, first reported by AP, are part of the Trump administration’s continued economic pressure campaign against Tehran. Nuclear issue still unresolved One of the key issues expected to be negotiated during the 60-day ceasefire concerns Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran possesses 440.9 kilograms (972 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60 percent purity, close to weapons-grade level. Vance suggested that negotiators were attempting to settle broad terms concerning the uranium stockpile in the tentative agreement, while specific details would be discussed during follow-up talks. He said discussions were continuing over “a couple of issues on the nuclear stuff, the highly enriched stockpile, and also the question of enrichment.” Iran has not publicly agreed to surrender the uranium stockpile, which is believed to be stored beneath three nuclear sites heavily damaged in US airstrikes last year. Nuclear experts have suggested Iran could consider transferring the uranium to China or Russia, both of which maintain close ties with Tehran. However, Trump said on Wednesday that he “wouldn’t be comfortable” with such an arrangement. Although Trump and his administration have repeatedly stated that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon remains a key objective, Vance described the results of the war in more limited terms. “We’re in a position where we could substantially set back their nuclear program, not just during the term of this president but over the long term,” Vance said. “That’s a very very good thing for the American people.” Iran, which has consistently maintained that its nuclear programme is peaceful, has insisted that any agreement must also include an end to Israel’s military operations in Lebanon against the Iran-backed Hezbollah group. Tensions escalated further in Lebanon on Thursday after Israel launched an airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs and carried out additional strikes in the southern coastal city of Tyre. At least 14 people were killed across southern Lebanon.

Russia has urged the United States and Iran to continue diplomatic engagement and avoid a return to military conflict, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. Zakharova said Moscow is calling on both Washington and Tehran to maintain dialogue and prevent the situation from sliding back into military confrontation. She also reiterated Russia’s readiness to assist in the removal of enriched uranium from Iran, though she stressed that Moscow “is not imposing its initiative”. The remarks came as US President Donald Trump said Washington would not allow Iran to retain its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. The fate of the estimated 440 kilograms (970 pounds) of uranium enriched to 60 percent, which Iran is believed to possess, remains a major sticking point in ongoing peace negotiations. Meanwhile, a Democratic senator criticised Trump’s handling of the conflict, warning that the US president was making “mistake after mistake”. Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut said Trump’s apparent threat to “blow up” Oman was “just one more sign of why this war has gone off the rails”. “They are in constant panic mode making mistake after mistake,” Murphy wrote on X. Trump has faced mounting criticism in recent days from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers over his management of the conflict involving Iran.

Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, says a return to war would benefit no one. “They are right now in between this very dangerous zone of war and peace, and it is not in anybody’s interest that this war continues,” she told reporters during a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Cyprus today. #From Al Jazeera 

Foreign Ministry spokesman ⁠Esmaeil Baghaei says Iran stands in solidarity with Oman following what he described as “US officials’ threats”. His remarks came after Trump threatened to “blow up” Oman if it did not “behave ⁠just like everybody ⁠else” regarding control over the Strait of Hormuz. Baghaei also condemned the recent US attack on areas in Iran’s Bandar Abbas. #From Al Jazeera 

Kuwait said it came under a missile and drone attack on Thursday, raising fresh concerns over the already fragile ceasefire in the ongoing Iran conflict. The Kuwaiti military confirmed the attack but did not provide details about the targets or damage. Kuwait has been repeatedly targeted during the conflict, including earlier strikes by Iran and Iran-backed militias based in Iraq. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the latest attack. The incident comes at a tense time in the Middle East, where uncertainty remains over the ceasefire and ongoing negotiations between the United States and Iran. Talks have yet to result in the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz a key global shipping route. The strait, which connects the Persian Gulf to the open sea, once carried about 20% of the world’s oil and natural gas supplies. Its closure has already triggered a global energy shortage, with experts warning the situation could worsen in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, Washington is pressuring Tehran to give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, while Iran is demanding relief from economic sanctions and access to frozen assets to help its struggling economy. Earlier on Thursday, US officials said American forces shot down four Iranian attack drones near the Strait of Hormuz. The US military also struck a drone control facility in Bandar Abbas that was preparing to launch another drone. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard later confirmed the strike near Bandar Abbas International Airport and said it had carried out a retaliatory attack on the base responsible. However, it did not give details, and it remains unclear whether the attack on Kuwait is directly linked to that retaliation.

Israel has ordered residents to evacuate the southern Lebanese city of Tyre as tensions with the Iran-backed group Hezbollah continue to intensify amid renewed cross-border fighting. The Israeli military said it was launching fresh operations in Tyre and nearby areas, accusing Hezbollah of violating a US-mediated ceasefire that took effect five weeks ago. Israeli forces warned civilians to leave the area, saying they were “compelled to act forcefully” against Hezbollah positions. Lebanese media reported that Israeli air strikes targeted several locations in southern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley on Wednesday. An Israeli strike in the town of Burj al-Shamali, near Tyre, killed at least 15 people, while three others were reportedly killed in Choukine. Meanwhile, Hezbollah claimed it was engaged in clashes with Israeli troops north of the Litani River, around 30 kilometres from the Israeli border. The group has also accused Israel of repeatedly violating the ceasefire agreement. The latest escalation follows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement of an expanded ground operation after Hezbollah launched drone attacks targeting Israeli troops in southern Lebanon and civilians in northern Israel. The renewed fighting has raised concerns over ongoing diplomatic efforts involving the US, Israel and Iran to end the wider regional conflict. Iran has insisted that any agreement should also address the situation in Lebanon, while Israel says it will continue military operations against Hezbollah threats. The conflict intensified on 2 March after Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel following an Israeli strike that reportedly killed Iran’s supreme leader. Israel subsequently launched extensive air strikes across Lebanon and began a ground offensive. Despite the ceasefire that began on 16 April and was extended twice, both sides have continued exchanging fire. According to Lebanon’s health ministry, at least 3,213 people have been killed in Lebanon since the conflict began, although the figures do not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Israel says 23 soldiers and four civilians have been killed during the same period. Source: BBC

Iran has condemned fresh US air strikes in southern Iran as a “gross violation” of the ceasefire, warning that Washington will face consequences for what Tehran described as “aggressive and unjustified actions” in the Hormozgan region along the Strait of Hormuz. The reaction came after the US Central Command (Centcom) said American forces carried out “self-defence strikes” on Monday targeting Iranian missile sites and boats allegedly attempting to place naval mines in the strategic waterway. Iran’s foreign ministry said the Islamic Republic “will not leave any evil unanswered” and vowed to defend the country against further attacks. According to US officials cited by American media, the strikes targeted areas near Bandar Abbas, a key southern port city and home to an Iranian naval base overlooking the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state media earlier reported explosions in the area, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) later claimed it had shot down a US drone and fired on a fighter jet that entered Iranian airspace. The latest escalation has raised uncertainty over ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at extending the ceasefire reached on April 8 after weeks of conflict between Iran, the US and Israel. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said negotiations were continuing and a deal remained possible, although it could “take a few days.” Meanwhile, President Donald Trump signalled mixed messages over the talks, first suggesting an agreement was near before later urging negotiators not to rush. US media reports said discussions are centred on a possible memorandum of understanding that could include a 60-day extension of the ceasefire, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and further negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme. Iran acknowledged some progress in the talks but said an agreement was “not imminent.” One of the major sticking points reportedly involves Tehran’s demand for the release of frozen Iranian funds held abroad. The negotiations have largely been mediated by Pakistan, while Iranian officials have also been engaged in discussions with Qatari mediators in Doha. Reuters reported that Iran’s central bank governor joined Monday’s meetings, where talks focused on frozen assets, Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium and the future of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has restricted access through the crucial shipping route since the conflict began on February 28. The Strait of Hormuz carries around one-fifth of the world’s oil supply, and disruptions there have contributed to rising global energy prices. The US, Israel and Western allies accuse Iran of enriching uranium to develop nuclear weapons, an allegation Tehran denies, insisting its nuclear activities are solely for peaceful purposes. Source: BBC

Fierce clashes erupted Tuesday between Israeli forces and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group along Lebanon’s strategic Litani River as Israeli troops attempted to advance farther north, days before Lebanese and Israeli military officials are scheduled to hold direct talks in Washington. The renewed fighting has further weakened an already fragile ceasefire brokered by Washington more than a month ago. The situation also threatens wider regional peace efforts linked to the ongoing Iran conflict, with Tehran insisting that any broader truce must also include Lebanon. The Litani River has long served as an unofficial dividing line in southern Lebanon, where Israeli troops still control large areas despite the ceasefire agreement. Tensions escalated after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu authorized intensified military operations against Hezbollah targets across Lebanon. The Israeli military said it carried out overnight strikes on more than 100 Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley, targeting what it described as weapons storage facilities, command centers and observation posts used in attacks on Israeli troops and northern Israeli communities. According to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency, one Israeli airstrike on the eastern village of Mashghara killed at least 12 people, including several members of the same family. An Israeli security official, speaking anonymously in line with military regulations, said an additional battalion had been deployed to Lebanon. Meanwhile, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for multiple rocket, artillery and explosive drone attacks targeting Israeli troops and military vehicles near the Litani River, particularly around the Nabatieh-area villages of Yohmor al-Shaqif and Zawtar al-Sharqieh. Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Manar TV reported that the group had repelled Israeli advances along the riverbanks. Israel has also intensified strikes in and around Nabatieh city, located north of the Litani River, and on Tuesday warned residents to evacuate the area. Although Beirut has largely avoided direct strikes since the ceasefire began, the latest escalation has heightened fears among residents. “Just a few words from Netanyahu on television are enough to make people panic and flee their homes,” said Tony Aboud, a resident of Beirut’s Hamra district. “We don’t know what will happen or how long we can continue living like this.”

Rashid Al-Mohanadi, vice president of the Center for International Policy Research, says there are signs that negotiations are moving in a “positive direction” to end the US-Israel war on Iran. However, he warned that “anything can go wrong” as tensions remain high. Speaking to Al Jazeera, Al-Mohanadi said the discussions are centred on a memorandum of understanding (MOU), which would establish a framework and open the door for 60 days of negotiations. “I do believe they might even need more than 60 days because many of these topics are highly technical,” he said. He also noted that post-conflict dynamics could complicate the process, as both sides are portraying themselves as victims, making longer negotiations more difficult. #By Al Jazeera