Star Metro - Iran minister expected back in Pakistan despite US cancellation

According to the Iranian news agency ISNA, Abbas Araghchi would again meet Pakistani officials to convey "Iran's positions and views on the framework of any understanding to completely end the war".

The minister had been in Islamabad only the day before, after which he travelled to Oman, while other Iranian envoys had headed back to Tehran "to consult and obtain the necessary instructions on issues related to ending the war", according to ISNA.

Before Saturday's Iran-Pakistan meetings in Islamabad, the White House had announced that Trump's peace envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner were planning to leave for Pakistan to engage in further negotiations.

But Trump later told Fox News he had scrapped the trip, saying there was no point "sitting around talking about nothing". He dismissed Tehran's negotiating position, but added that it had revised its proposal within minutes of his decision.

"They gave us a paper that should have been better and -- interestingly -- immediately when I cancelled it, within 10 minutes, we got a new paper that was much better," he told reporters, without elaborating.

- 'Very fruitful' -

Asked separately whether halting the trip meant a return to open hostilities, Trump said: "No, it doesn't mean that. We haven't thought about it yet."

Later, after a gunman was arrested at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington, Trump said he did not think the incident was related to Iran but that it would not deter him "from winning the war".

On Saturday, Araghchi met Pakistan's military chief Asim Munir, a key mediator, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, before flying on to Muscat.

He is expected to go to Moscow after the talks in Islamabad.

Araghchi described his initial Pakistan trip as "very fruitful" but signalled scepticism over Washington's intentions. "Have yet to see if the US is truly serious about diplomacy," he said.

- Hormuz blockade deepens -

Pressure to end the war has intensified as the Strait of Hormuz -- a vital oil and gas route -- remains closed.

Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards said they had no intention of lifting their blockade, which has roiled energy markets.

"Controlling the Strait of Hormuz and maintaining the shadow of its deterrent effects over America and the White House's supporters in the region is the definitive strategy of Islamic Iran," the Guards said on their official Telegram channel.

The United States has imposed a blockade of Iranian ports in retaliation.

In a statement carried by state media, Iran's military warned that continued US "blockading, banditry and piracy" would draw a response.

- Israel strikes Lebanon -

On the war's Lebanese front, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered strikes on Hezbollah after accusing the Iran-backed group of violating a ceasefire extended this week.

Lebanese state media reported Israeli attacks in at least four locations in the south -- a pair of strikes in quick succession in a town in Bint Jbeil district, another on a town in Tyre district, and strikes on two more towns in Nabatieh district.

The strikes in Nabatieh and Bint Jbeil killed six people, according to Lebanon's health ministry.

Israel's military said it "eliminated" three Hezbollah operatives who were driving "a vehicle loaded with weapons", as well as another one riding a motorcycle, and two more armed members of the group elsewhere.

Trump had announced the three-week truce extension on Thursday and voiced optimism about peace after meeting Israeli and Lebanese envoys.

But Mohammed Raad, the head of the parliamentary bloc for Hezbollah, urged Lebanon to withdraw from talks and warned any deal would lack national consensus.

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P.Beaulieu--SMC