ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan is pressing ahead with the groundwork for a second round of talks between Iran and the United States in Islamabad. A fragile ceasefire hung in the balance on Tuesday even though it remains unclear whether Tehran will send a delegation. Both sides remain dug in rhetorically with U.S. President Donald Trump warning that “lots of bombs” will “start going off” if there’s no agreement before the ceasefire deadline. And Iranian’s chief negotiator says that Tehran has “new cards on the battlefield” that haven’t yet been revealed. The two-week ceasefire is due to expire Wednesday.
Driven by the pressures of war, Iran gives its field commanders more power over militias in Iraq
BAGHDAD (AP) — Iran has granted its commanders more autonomy over militias in Iraq, allowing some to act without Tehran’s approval. Three militia members and two other officials described the shift to The Associated Press, on condition of anonymity to speak freely about sensitive matters. It comes amid the pressures of the Iran war. Many Iran-backed militias are funded through Iraq’s state budget and embedded within Iraq’s security apparatus. The conflict in the Middle East has exposed the fragility of Iraq’s institutions. Baghdad has struggled to control the militias. Officials and experts say that even if a fragile ceasefire deal holds, the U.S. is expected to intensify efforts against them. A decentralized structure allows factions to operate independently, complicating efforts to rein them in.
Oil prices slip and world shares mostly gain as US-Iran talks still in doubt
Oil prices have slipped and shares are mostly higher in Europe and Asia with the future of U.S.-Iran talks aimed at ending the war in doubt. The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil dipped slightly below $95. On Monday, the S&P 500 slipped 0.2% from its all-time high and the Dow industrials edged less than 0.1% lower. The Nasdaq composite fell 0.3%. U.S. President Donald Trump said Vice President JD Vance would be going to Pakistan’s capital Islamabad for talks. But after the U.S. Navy’s seizure of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship, the Iranian side made no commitment to more negotiations.
