Representatives of China, Russia and Iran called Friday for an end to U.S. sanctions on Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear program and a restart to multinational talks on the issue. The three countries' meeting was the latest attempt to broach the matter and come after U.S. President Donald Trump wrote to Iran’s supreme leader in an attempt to jumpstart talks. The letter, which hasn’t been published, was offered as Trump levied new sanctions on Iran as part of his “maximum pressure” campaign that holds out the possibility of military action while emphasizing he still believed a new deal could be reached. China, Russia and Iran “emphasized the necessity of terminating all unlawful unilateral sanctions,” China’s Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu read from a joint statement, flanked by Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov Sergey Alexeevich and Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi. “The three countries reiterated that political and diplomatic engagement and dialogue based on the principle of mutual respect remains the only viable and practical option in this regard,” Ma read. In comments to the three representatives, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reinforced China's commitment to a peaceful settlement and opposition to “illegal” sanctions, China's official Xinhua News Agency reported. He added that China remains committed to the framework of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the nuclear deal between Iran and six major countries — the U.S., Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany — as "the basis for new consensus.” Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has mocked Trump, saying he wasn’t interested in talks with a “bullying government,” although Iranian officials have offered conflicting signals over the possibility of negotiations. Trump sent a letter to Khamenei in 2019 with no apparent effect on rising tensions. China and Russia are both permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, along with France and Britain, that took part in the original 2015 Iran nuclear deal preliminary framework agreement. Trump withdrew America from the accord in 2018, setting in motion years of tensions in the wider Middle East. China and Russia have particularly close relations with Iran through energy deals and Iran has provided Russia with bomb-carrying drones in its war against Ukraine. They are also seen as sharing a joint interest in diminishing the role of the U.S. and other liberal democracies in determining world events in favor of their own highly authoritarian systems. Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful. However, its officials increasingly threaten to pursue a nuclear weapon. Iran now enriches uranium to near weapons-grade levels of 60%, the only country in the world without a nuclear weapons program to do so. Under the original 2015 nuclear deal, Iran was allowed to enrich uranium only up to 3.67% purity and to maintain a uranium stockpile of 300 kilograms (661 pounds). The last report by the International Atomic Energy Agency on Iran’s program put its stockpile at 8,294.4 kilograms (18,286 pounds) as it enriches a fraction of it to 60% purity. While Iran has maintained it won’t negotiate under duress, its economy has been savaged by the U.S. sanctions. Protests over women’s rights, the economy and Iran’s theocracy in recent years have shaken its government. China has sought to become more involved in Middle Eastern affairs and a year ago hosted talks leading to the full restoration of diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

A letter from U.S. President Donald Trump to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has arrived in Tehran, aiming to revive talks over Iran’s advancing nuclear program. Though the contents of the letter remain undisclosed, its arrival coincides with Trump imposing new sanctions as part of his “maximum pressure” strategy. While keeping military action on the table, he has also expressed confidence in the possibility of a new agreement. Khamenei, 85, has publicly dismissed Trump, but Iranian officials have sent mixed signals on the prospect of negotiations. Why Did Trump Send the Letter? Trump confirmed in a televised interview on March 6 that he had written to Khamenei, stating, “I hope you’re going to negotiate because if we have to go in militarily, it’s going to be a terrible thing.” Since returning to office, he has pushed for dialogue while simultaneously increasing sanctions and hinting at a potential military strike by the U.S. or Israel on Iran’s nuclear facilities. This is not the first time Trump has reached out to Khamenei—his earlier letter during his first term was met with a harsh rebuke. However, he successfully initiated direct talks with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un through a similar approach, though no formal agreement was reached. Iran’s Response: Mixed Signals Iran’s reaction has been contradictory. Khamenei has rejected talks with what he calls a “bullying government.” Yet, Iranian diplomats, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, previously suggested discussions on security guarantees could be possible. However, Araghchi later hardened his stance, stating negotiations would not happen under U.S. pressure—aligning with Khamenei’s position. Iranian, Azerbaijani FMs hold phone talk over ties, regional issues Despite this, Araghchi met with the Emirati diplomat who delivered Trump’s letter. Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Ministry summoned envoys from France, Germany, and the U.K. to protest their support for a U.N. Security Council meeting on Iran’s nuclear program. Why Is Iran’s Nuclear Program a Concern? Iran has long insisted its nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes. However, recent threats to pursue nuclear weapons have raised alarm. Iran is currently enriching uranium to 60% purity—dangerously close to weapons-grade—making it the only country without a declared nuclear weapons program to do so. Under the 2015 nuclear deal, Iran was limited to enriching uranium up to 3.67% purity with a stockpile cap of 300 kilograms (661 pounds). The latest International Atomic Energy Agency report states Iran now has a stockpile of 8,294.4 kilograms (18,286 pounds), with some enriched at 60%. U.S. intelligence agencies have not confirmed that Iran has begun an official weapons program but acknowledge Tehran is positioning itself to develop a nuclear device if it chooses. The Longstanding U.S.-Iran Rivalry Before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran was a key U.S. ally under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, purchasing American military equipment and hosting CIA surveillance operations against the Soviet Union. The CIA-backed 1953 coup helped solidify the shah’s power. However, the shah fled Iran in January 1979 amid mass protests. The revolution, led by Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, established Iran’s theocratic government. Later that year, Iranian students stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, demanding the shah’s extradition, sparking the 444-day hostage crisis that severed diplomatic ties between the two nations. Iran open to talks on nuclear militarization concerns Tensions escalated further during the 1980s Iran-Iraq War, when the U.S. supported Saddam Hussein. This period included the “Tanker War,” where the U.S. launched a major attack on Iran’s navy and later mistakenly shot down an Iranian passenger plane. Relations have since fluctuated between hostility and cautious diplomacy, peaking with the 2015 nuclear deal. However, Trump’s unilateral withdrawal from the accord in 2018 reignited hostilities—tensions that continue to shape the Middle East today. Source: With input from agency

Prominent Pakistani architect Yasmeen Lari has rejected the prestigious 2025 Wolf Prize in architecture, citing the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza as her reason. The Wolf Prize, awarded in Israel since 1978, honors outstanding contributions in science and the arts, aiming to promote global achievements and international goodwill. It is presented in six categories: agriculture, chemistry, mathematics, medicine, physics, and an arts award that alternates among architecture, music, painting, and sculpture. Lari, known for her work at the intersection of architecture and social justice, expressed her gratitude for the recognition but declined it due to what she described as the "continuing genocide in Gaza." “I made it clear in my response to them that I could not accept the award given the situation in Gaza,” she told Arab News. Her decision comes amid continued Israeli attacks in Gaza, which have killed eight people in the past 24 hours, according to Palestinian officials. Despite a fragile ceasefire, Israel has suspended essential supplies to the territory, pressing Hamas to extend the truce. While Israel demands the release of half the remaining hostages in exchange for further negotiations, Hamas insists on addressing issues like the withdrawal of Israeli forces and a lasting peace agreement. The conflict, which erupted after Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, has claimed over 48,000 Palestinian lives, mostly women and children, and left Gaza’s infrastructure in ruins. Lari, a champion of sustainable and humanitarian architecture, has dedicated her career to addressing the needs of marginalized communities. She co-founded the Heritage Foundation of Pakistan in 1980 with her husband, Suhail Zaheer Lari, and has since contributed to constructing over 50,000 self-built shelters and 80,000 eco-friendly stoves using natural materials. Her commitment to sustainable, low-carbon architecture earned her the Royal Institute of British Architects’ Royal Gold Medal in 2023. “Declining the award was the least I could do,” Lari said, emphasizing her stance on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Source: Arab News  

Pakistan’s Prime Minister traveled to southwestern Balochistan on Thursday to meet survivors of a deadly train attack and the commandos who successfully rescued over 300 passengers from insurgents responsible for killing 21 civilians and four security personnel. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a banned militant group behind several recent attacks, claimed responsibility for the assault, which began on Tuesday and ended Wednesday when security forces killed all 33 insurgents. The military reported no additional passenger casualties during the operation. The Jafer Express, en route from Quetta to Peshawar, was forced to stop partially inside a tunnel after militants detonated explosives on the track, derailing nine coaches and the engine. While the BLA has frequently targeted Pakistani security forces and infrastructure, this was the first instance in which they successfully took control of a train. The group has also targeted foreign workers, particularly Chinese nationals involved in large-scale infrastructure projects in Balochistan. Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest and most resource-rich yet sparsely populated province, has long been a center of ethnic tensions, with Baloch nationalists accusing the federal government of economic exploitation and discrimination. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was scheduled to visit Quetta on Thursday. Authorities confirmed that arrangements were being made to transport the victims' bodies to their hometowns, while those injured were receiving medical care. In a statement issued overnight, the military claimed it had “confirmed intelligence” that the attack was orchestrated by terrorist leaders operating from Afghanistan, who remained in direct communication with the assailants throughout the incident. Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government of providing safe haven to the Pakistani Taliban and BLA, allegations that Kabul denies. However, the Pakistani military urged the Afghan authorities to prevent the use of their territory for militant activities against Pakistan. According to the military, the insurgents took control of the train after sabotaging the tracks, using passengers—including women, children, and the elderly—as human shields. Survivors reported that the attackers fired on train windows, entered the carriages, and killed or injured passengers before taking hostages. Military spokesman Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif confirmed that three soldiers guarding the railway track were also killed during the assault.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rejected the United States’ proposal for negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear programme, calling it a ploy to manipulate global opinion. His remarks came as a letter from US President Donald Trump, urging Iran to enter talks, was delivered to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.  Trump recently confirmed that he had sent a letter seeking negotiations over a new nuclear agreement aimed at restricting Iran’s advancing programme. The letter was handed over on Wednesday by Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates.  During a meeting with university students, Khamenei dismissed the offer, arguing that past negotiations had already resulted in a comprehensive deal that the US later abandoned.  “We negotiated for years, reached a complete and signed agreement, and then this individual tore it up,” Khamenei stated, referring to the 2015 nuclear accord between Tehran and world powers. “How can one negotiate under such circumstances? When we know they won’t honour their commitments, what is the point?”  Trump says Ireland cheats the US as its leader joins him to celebrate St Patrick's Day The 2015 deal limited Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. However, in 2018, during his first term in office, Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from the agreement and imposed new economic sanctions. A year later, Iran began scaling back its compliance with the accord.  Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has expressed interest in renewed talks while reinstating his policy of “maximum pressure” on Iran.  Khamenei said negotiating with the Trump administration, which he said has excessive demands, “will tighten the knot of sanctions and increase pressure on Iran”. Iran has consistently denied pursuing nuclear weapons.  “If we wanted to build nuclear weapons, the US would not be able to stop us. We ourselves do not want it,” Khamenei added.  However, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported last month that Iran’s uranium stockpile enriched to 60% purity—just short of weapons-grade levels—has increased significantly. With inputs from Al Jazeera

High-level discussions between Ukraine and the United States commenced in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, signaling a renewed diplomatic effort to address the ongoing war with Russia. The meeting took place at a luxury hotel in the Red Sea port city on Tuesday, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Ukrainian officials seated across from each other. While Rubio offered a smile for the cameras, Ukrainian representatives remained expressionless. Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister was also present, with the flags of the three nations displayed in the background. Officials refrained from responding to reporters’ questions. The discussions follow a tense exchange between Ukraine and the U.S. during President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s February 28 visit to the White House. Ukrainian representatives told The Associated Press that they plan to propose a ceasefire in the Black Sea to ensure safer shipping, limit long-range missile strikes affecting civilians, and discuss a potential prisoner exchange. Meanwhile, hours before the talks, Russian air defenses intercepted 337 Ukrainian drones across 10 Russian regions in what appeared to be Ukraine’s most extensive drone attack on Russia since the war began. The assault left two people dead and 18 injured, including three children. Moscow faces ‘massive’ drone attack ahead of US-Ukraine peace talks The Kremlin has made no new concessions, maintaining its stance that hostilities could end if Ukraine abandons its NATO aspirations and recognizes Russian-occupied territories as part of Russia. As the conflict continues, Russian forces have maintained battlefield momentum, particularly in the eastern Donetsk region. Moscow also reported a significant drone attack targeting the Russian capital, with over 70 drones shot down en route. Damage was reported to residential buildings, vehicles, and infrastructure across multiple regions. In addition to the war negotiations, Kyiv is expected to sign a deal granting the U.S. access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals, a resource crucial to American industry. However, Secretary of State Rubio emphasized that the agreement is not a precondition for further discussions and could require more time to finalize. What to know ahead of the talks between the US and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia While the U.S. has not outlined specific proposals for ending the war, Rubio stated that the delegation aims to gauge Ukraine’s position and compare it with Russian demands to assess the possibility of diplomatic progress.

Dozens of Tibetan protesters clashed with police outside the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi on Monday as Tibetans living in exile marked the 66th anniversary of their uprising against China that was crushed by Chinese forces. As in past years, police blocked the protesters from entering the embassy and briefly detained some of them after wrestling them to the ground. Hundreds also marched in the north Indian town of Dharamsala, the seat of the exiled Tibetan government and home of Dalai Lama, their 89-year-old spiritual leader. Separately, about a hundred Tibetan women gathered at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, an area designated for protests close to Parliament. The protesters shouted anti-China slogans, carried Tibetan flags and played the national anthems of Tibet and India. India considers Tibet to be part of China, although it hosts the Tibetan exiles. The 1959 independence uprising was quelled by the Chinese army, forcing Dalai Lama and his followers into exile in India. Many had their faces painted in colors of the Tibetan national flag. The demonstrators observed a minute of silence to remember Tibetans who lost their lives in the struggle against China. Monks, activists, nuns and schoolchildren marched across the town with banners reading, “Free Tibet” and “Remember, Resist, Return.” Penpa Tsering — the president of the Central Tibetan Administration, as the exiled Tibetan government calls itself — accused China's leadership of carrying out a "deliberate and dangerous strategy to eliminate the very identity of the Tibetan people.” Tibetans say the Dalai Lama should choose his successor “This marks the darkest and most critical period in the history of Tibet," Tsering told the gathering. “As we commemorate the Tibetan National Uprising Day, we honor our brave martyrs, and express solidarity with our brothers and sisters inside Tibet who continue to languish under the oppressive Chinese government.” The Tibetan government-in-exile in India accuses China of denying the most fundamental human rights to people in Tibet and trying to expunge the Tibetan identity. China claims Tibet has been part of its territory for centuries, but the Tibetans say the Himalayan region was virtually independent until China occupied it in 1950. The Dalai Lama denies China’s claim that he is a separatist and says he only advocates substantial autonomy and protection of Tibet’s native Buddhist culture.

Israel says it is cutting off its electricity supply to Gaza. The full effects of that are not immediately clear, but the territory's desalination plants receive power for producing drinking water. Sunday’s announcement comes a week after Israel cut off all supplies of goods to the territory to over 2 million people. It has sought to press Hamas to accept an extension of the first phase of their ceasefire. That phase ended last weekend. Israel wants Hamas to release half of the remaining hostages in return for a promise to negotiate a lasting truce. Hamas has pressed to start negotiations on the ceasefire’s more difficult second phase instead. The militant group on Sunday said it wrapped up the latest round of ceasefire talks with Egyptian mediators without changes to its position, calling for an immediate start of the ceasefire's second phase. The new letter from Israel's energy minister to the Israel Electric Corporation tells it to stop selling power to Gaza. Gaza has been largely devastated by the war, and generators and solar panels are used for some of the power supply. The ceasefire has paused the deadliest and most destructive fighting ever between Israel and Hamas, sparked by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The first phase allowed the return of 25 living hostages and the remains of eight others in exchange for the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israeli forces have withdrawn to buffer zones inside Gaza, hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have returned to northern Gaza for the first time since early in the war and hundreds of trucks of aid entered per day until Israel suspended supplies.

Russian special forces walked kilometers (miles) inside of a gas pipeline to strike Ukrainian units from the rear in the Kursk region, Ukraine’s military and Russian war bloggers reported, as Moscow moves to recapture parts of its border province that Kyiv seized in a shock offensive. Ukraine launched a daring cross-border incursion into Kursk i n August, in what marked the largest attack on Russian territory since World War II. Within days, Ukrainian units had captured 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles) of territory, including the strategic border town of Sudzha, and taken hundreds of Russian prisoners of war. According to Kyiv, the operation aimed to gain a bargaining chip in future peace talks, and force Russia to divert troops away from its grinding offensive in eastern Ukraine. But months after Ukraine’s thunder run, its soldiers in Kursk are weary and bloodied by relentless assaults of more than 50,000 troops, including some from Russia's ally North Korea. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers run the risk of being encircled, open source maps of the battlefield show. More than 1,000 people dead in clashes between Syrian govt forces and Asad loyalists According to Telegram posts by a Ukrainian-born, pro-Kremlin blogger, Russian operatives walked about 15 kilometers (9 miles) inside the pipeline, which Moscow had until recently used to send gas to Europe. Some Russian troops had spent several days in the pipe before striking Ukrainian units from the rear near the town of Sudzha, blogger Yuri Podolyaka claimed. The town had some 5,000 residents before the February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, and houses major gas transfer and measuring stations along the pipeline, once a major outlet for Russian natural gas exports through Ukrainian territory. Another war blogger, who uses the alias Two Majors, said fierce fighting was underway for Sudzha, and that Russian forces managed to enter the town through a gas pipeline. Russian Telegram channels showed photos of what they said were special forces operatives, wearing gas masks and moving along what looked like the inside of a large pipe. Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed on Saturday evening that Russian “sabotage and assault groups” used the pipeline in a bid to gain a foothold outside Sudzha. In a Telegram post, it said the Russian troops were “detected in a timely manner” and that Ukraine responded with rockets and artillery. “At present, Russian special forces are being detected, blocked and destroyed. The enemy’s losses in Sudzha are very high,” the General Staff reported.

A man who climbed the Big Ben tower in London holding a Palestinian flag was arrested after a 16-hour standoff on Saturday. The man, who wore a keffiyeh, a traditional Middle Eastern headscarf, and draped the Palestinian flag over the decorative stonework of the tower, filmed the entire incident on Instagram. He remained perched on the ledge throughout the day, vowing to climb higher if approached, and asserting his protest against "police repression and state violence." The man explained that he was protesting the imprisonment of activists and the government's failure to stop arms sales to Israel, which he referred to as a "terrorist state." South Korea's impeached President Yoon released from prison He was heard chanting, "Free, free Palestine" during the incident. Photos showed him bleeding but refusing to come down, insisting that he would only descend on his own terms. Westminster Police stated that they arrested the man once he safely reached the ground after the lengthy standoff. They explained the prolonged operation was due to the difficult location and the need to ensure the safety of officers, the individual, and the public. The police worked alongside other agencies, including the London Fire Brigade, to resolve the situation as quickly as possible while minimizing risk. The protest led to disruptions in the area, with the Metropolitan Police arriving around 7:20 AM local time, closing Westminster Bridge, and canceling parliamentary tours. Negotiations with the man continued throughout the day and into the night. Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty raised questions on social media about the lack of security at the scene, given the presence of armed officers regularly patrolling Parliament. He demanded a full explanation from security authorities on how the protester managed to scale the tower despite the heavy security measures. Source: NDTV