United News of Bangladesh

Negotiations between the United States and Iran ended early Sunday without any agreement after Tehran declined to accept Washington’s conditions aimed at preventing it from developing nuclear weapons, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance said. The third round of direct, face-to-face discussions concluded after 21 hours of intense bargaining, just days after a fragile two-week ceasefire was announced in the ongoing conflict that has entered its seventh week, claiming thousands of lives and disrupting global markets. Vance said he remained in constant contact with U.S. President Donald Trump and other top officials throughout the negotiations. He stressed that Washington’s primary demand is a clear commitment from Iran not to pursue nuclear weapons or the capability to rapidly develop them. Despite what he described as good-faith efforts, Vance said the US presented its “final and best offer” and is now waiting to see whether Tehran will accept it. While Trump had earlier indicated a pause in military action for two weeks, it remains unclear what will happen after that period or whether the ceasefire will hold. Following the talks, Vance departed Pakistan, although officials said discussions may resume after a break, with technical teams from both sides continuing their engagement. Washington says Iran, Pakistan talks still underway

The death toll in Lebanon from Israeli strikes in the ongoing war between Israel and Hezbollah has risen to 2,020, the Lebanese health ministry said Saturday. The death toll from nearly six weeks of war includes 248 women,165 children and 85 health workers, the ministry said. Another 6,436 people have been wounded. Nearly 100 people were killed in the past 24 hours. The Iran-backed Lebanese militant group fired missiles into Israel on March 2 in retaliation for the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran. A tentative truce is now in place in Iran, but the U.S. and Israel say the agreement does not apply to Lebanon, while Tehran says it does. The question is likely to be one of the thornier points in the U.S.-Iran ceasefire negotiations now underway in Pakistan. Meanwhile, the United States and Iran began historic face-to-face negotiations Saturday in Pakistan, days after a fragile, two-week ceasefire was announced, as the war that has killed thousands of people and shaken global markets entered its seventh week. The White House confirmed the direct nature of the talks, a rare instance of high-level engagement, and said they were ongoing as of 10 p.m. local time. Meanwhile, the U.S. military said two destroyers transited the Iran-gripped Strait of Hormuz ahead of mine-clearing work, a first since the war began. Iran’s state media, however, earlier said Iran forced a U.S. military ship attempting to cross the strait to turn around. The U.S. delegation led by Vice President JD Vance and the Iranian one led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf were discussing with Pakistan how to advance the ceasefire already threatened by deep disagreements and Israel's continued attacks against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, whose health ministry said the death toll has surpassed 2,000. Since the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979, the most direct U.S. contact had been in 2013 when President Barack Obama called newly elected President Hassan Rouhani to discuss Iran’s nuclear program. The most recent highest-level meetings were between Secretary of State John Kerry and counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif during negotiations over the program. Now talks are underway between Vance, a reluctant defender of the war who has little diplomatic experience and warned Iran not to “try and play us,” and Qalibaf, a former commander with Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard who has issued some of Iran's most fiery statements since fighting began. Israel and Lebanon will have direct negotiations Meanwhile, Israel pressed ahead with strikes in Lebanon after saying there is no ceasefire there. Iran and Pakistan have disagreed. The Lebanese state-run news agency reported at least three people killed. Negotiations between Israel and Lebanon are expected to begin Tuesday in Washington, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s office said Friday, after Israel's surprise announcement authorizing talks despite the countries lack of official relations. But as thousands in Lebanon protested the planned negotiations, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said he had postponed a planned trip to Washington “in light of the current internal circumstances.” It was not immediately clear what that meant for talks. Israel wants Lebanon's government to assume responsibility for disarming Hezbollah, much like was envisaged in a November 2024 ceasefire. But it is unclear whether Lebanon's army can confiscate weapons from the militant group, which has survived efforts to curb its strength for decades. Hezbollah joined the war in support of Iran in the opening days. Israel followed with airstrikes and a ground invasion. The day the Iran ceasefire deal was announced, Israel pounded Beirut with airstrikes, killing more than 300 people in the deadliest day in Lebanon since the war began, according to the country's Health Ministry.

Israel’s military on Saturday claimed that its forces carried out attacks on more than 200 Hezbollah sites across Lebanon over the past 24 hours. In its latest operational update, the military said the Israeli Air Force would continue targeting Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon. The ongoing Israeli strikes in Lebanon have emerged as an early point of tension in the ongoing US-Iran talks in Islamabad, where Iran has insisted that any ceasefire between the two countries should also extend to Lebanon. Iran says no US vessel has crossed Strait of Hormuz: State media However, Al Jazeera’s Osama Bin Javaid reported that there appears to have been some progress in efforts to persuade Israel to limit its attacks to southern Lebanon. Source: Al Jazeera

Iran has denied reports that any US naval vessels have crossed the Strait of Hormuz, state media reported, amid escalating claims and counterclaims between Tehran and Washington over the strategic waterway. Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB cited a senior military official as saying that no US vessel has passed through the Strait, rejecting earlier media reports. The denial came after a US news outlet, Axios, cited a US official as claiming that several American naval ships had crossed the waterway. Tensions over the Strait intensified further after US President Donald Trump said on social media that Washington was beginning to “clear out” the Strait of Hormuz. Reiterating his earlier claims, Trump said Iran’s naval, air force and air defence capabilities had been destroyed, and suggested that the remaining threat came from naval mines in the region. Iranian authorities, however, dismissed the claims, insisting that no such US naval movement had taken place in the vital shipping route. The Strait of Hormuz remains a key geopolitical flashpoint, with both sides presenting conflicting accounts amid ongoing regional tensions and maritime security concerns. Source: Al Jazeera

The five-star Serena Hotel in Islamabad — known for its luxury and tight security — has been selected as the venue for high-stakes talks between the United States and Iran, despite concerns given past attacks in the capital. At first glance, the choice may seem unusual, particularly as one of Islamabad’s deadliest militant attacks occurred in 2008 at the nearby Marriott Hotel. However, officials say Serena’s reputation for robust security and strategic location makes it a suitable option, reports Al Jazeera. Trump says US ‘clearing out’ Strait of Hormuz Behind its scenic gardens and distinctive Moorish-style architecture lies a carefully managed security system. Experts and former officials note that the hotel has long experience in hosting high-profile guests under strict protection. Former Islamabad police chief Tahir Alam Khan said many of the hotel’s security personnel are retired professionals, ensuring a high level of expertise. He added that the design — with entry and exit points set away from the main compound — strengthens safety. Its proximity to key government sites, including the prime minister’s residence and parliament, also adds to its appeal. According to a government source, the hotel’s expansive 6-hectare complex, featuring over 400 rooms, conference facilities and office spaces, can comfortably accommodate large delegations such as those from Washington and Tehran, each comprising over 150 members. Another former police chief, Kaleem Imam, highlighted the hotel’s layered security screening and strong coordination with state agencies as key factors behind its selection.

US President Donald Trump has said the United States is beginning to “clear out” the Strait of Hormuz, according to a post on social media. Reiterating claims that Iran’s navy, air force and air defence systems have been destroyed, Trump said the only remaining threat from Tehran was “that a ship may ‘bunk’ into one of their sea mines.” He further claimed that “all 28 of their mine dropper boats are also lying at the bottom of the sea.” “We’re now starting the process of clearing out the Strait of Hormuz as a favour to countries all over the world, including China, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany, and many others,” Trump added. He also criticised other countries, saying they “don’t have the courage or will” to carry out the operation themselves. Source: DAWN

Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported that Israeli airstrikes on several towns in the Nabatieh district have killed at least 10 people and injured nine others. According to the report, an Israeli air attack on the town of Kfar Sir killed four people, including a paramedic, and injured four more. In a separate strike on the town of Zefta, three people were killed, including a member of the Lebanese Civil Defence, while two others were wounded. Israeli blitz stuns Beirut, AP reporter describes scenes of horror A third attack on the town of Toul left three people dead and three others injured, the report added. Source: Al Jazeera

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday met US Vice President JD Vance as the Islamabad talks commenced, according to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). “The US Vice President was assisted by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner,” the PMO said in a statement, reports DAWN. From the Pakistani side, the prime minister was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Interior Minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi. U.S. official denies agreeing to unfreeze Iranian assets Commending what it described as the commitment of both delegations to engage constructively, the prime minister expressed hope that the talks would serve as a stepping stone toward durable peace in the region.

Iran has claimed that the United States agreed to unfreeze its overseas assets held in Qatar and other foreign banks, but Washington has denied any such decision, exposing a clear gap between the two sides. Citing a senior Iranian source, Reuters reported on Saturday that the US had agreed to release Iranian frozen funds as part of ongoing diplomatic engagements. However, a senior US official rejected the claim, saying the White House has not yet agreed to unfreeze Iran’s overseas assets, according to media reports. The conflicting statements come amid heightened diplomatic efforts between the two countries, as they engage in talks aimed at reducing tensions and potentially reaching a broader agreement. The release of frozen assets has long been a key demand for Tehran, which sees access to these funds as crucial for its economy and as a confidence-building step in negotiations.

The Iranian delegation attending talks in Pakistan has adopted the name “Minab 168” to underscore the human cost of the ongoing war and signal its push for a diplomatic resolution. The name refers to an early attack on the first day of the conflict in the city of Minab, where an elementary school was hit, killing more than 168 schoolgirls and teachers, according to accounts cited by officials. The conflict has since placed severe pressure on civilians across Iran, with reports indicating that more than 800 schools, over 30 universities, healthcare facilities and other key infrastructure have been damaged or destroyed in weeks of strikes. Officials say the naming reflects Tehran’s intention to draw attention to the suffering endured by civilians and to emphasise its commitment to ending the violence through dialogue. The delegation’s presence in Islamabad is being viewed as a sign of Iran’s seriousness about pursuing a diplomatic settlement to the conflict.  #From Al Jazeera