MIDDLE EAST
Stories, live pages and rolling coverage gathered into one clear regional desk.
Live
US and Iran signal they will return to Pakistan for ceasefire talks, officials say
A US delegation led by Vice President JD Vance was expected to leave shortly from Washington for Islamabad, which earlier this ...
IRAN WAR
A senior Iranian commander threatens to destroy the region’s oil industry if war resumes with the US
Europe
Could the EU's alliance with Israel soon change?
European capitals are reassessing how far they can back security coordination without deepening domestic political costs.
Live updates
Iran launches new wave of attacks after overnight airstrikes
A fresh overnight barrage widened regional security fears even as diplomats insisted back-channel contact has not fully collapsed.
Security
Gulf states intensify air-defense drills as spillover fears grow
Officials describe the exercises as precautionary, but the speed and visibility of the response underline how tense the operati...