The White House confirmed that U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will travel to Pakistan Saturday for a new round of talks with Iran aimed at ending the war. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News the delegation was “to go hear” what the Iranians have to say and expressed hope the talks would be productive and move negotiations toward a deal. Vice President Vance, who led the previous U.S. delegation, is not traveling but remains “deeply involved” and will stay in the United States with the president, the secretary of state and the national security team for updates.
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, arrived in Islamabad on Friday. He said his visit’s purpose was to coordinate with partners on bilateral matters and consult on regional developments, and noted he would also visit Oman and Russia. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said Araghchi was meeting senior Pakistani officials. Araghchi’s spokesperson, Esmaeil Baqaei, denied a direct meeting with the U.S. was planned, saying Iran’s observations would be conveyed to Pakistan.
The planned talks come as fighting around the region continues: Israel said it struck sites in southern Lebanon it described as belonging to the Iran-backed Hezbollah, which responded with rocket fire into Israel. The strikes occurred despite President Trump’s announcement that Israel and Lebanon agreed during White House talks to extend a ceasefire by three weeks; Hezbollah, which opposed the talks and was not involved in them, has resisted the ceasefire. The shaky Israel-Lebanon pause is tied to broader U.S. efforts to conclude hostilities with Iran. Tehran has insisted that the fighting in Lebanon remain paused as a precondition for further talks. Trump unilaterally extended a ceasefire with Iran this week without naming a new expiration date; Iran called that extension “meaningless,” citing a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports and saying it would not return to negotiations until the blockade is lifted.
Spain pushed back on a reported internal Pentagon memo that floated measures to penalize NATO allies who refuse to support the U.S. in its war with Iran. Reuters reported the memo, prepared by Pentagon official Elbridge Colby, suggested steps including suspending Spain from NATO and blocking allies from top alliance positions. The Pentagon declined to comment on internal deliberations but said it was ensuring the president has credible options to encourage allied cooperation. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said decisions are made on official government positions, not on emails.
Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have affected global shipping. President Trump said he had ordered the U.S. Navy to “shoot and kill any boat” trying to lay mines in the strait; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed the threat, calling such vessels “pirates” and “terrorists.” A Pentagon assessment shared with Congress indicated it could take up to six months to fully clear Iranian-laid mines from the strait. Some vessels with Iranian links have attempted to transit, but many shipowners are keeping vessels away after Iran attacked and seized ships earlier in the conflict. Around 20,000 seafarers have been stuck aboard their vessels since the start of the war. The disruption has affected more than oil: shipments of helium, fertilizer and aluminum have been held up, causing shortages and higher prices.
The U.S. Treasury announced sanctions on a China-based refinery, Hengli Petrochemical (Dalian) Refinery Co., Ltd., accusing it of helping sustain Iran’s oil economy. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control is also targeting about 40 shipping firms and vessels alleged to be part of a clandestine tanker network that moves Iranian oil to bypass international sanctions. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the administration will continue to constrict the network of vessels, intermediaries and buyers Iran relies on. Separately, the administration extended a waiver of the Jones Act for 60 days to help domestic supplies of gasoline and refined products amid global oil disruptions; experts say the waiver eases shipping between U.S. refineries and customers but has minimal effect on consumer gas prices.
Pope Leo XIV called on the United States and Iran to return to negotiations and urged leaders to adopt “a culture of peace.” Speaking aboard the papal plane after a trip to Africa, he described the talks as complex but urged commitment to dialogue. He carried a photograph of a young Lebanese boy killed in Israel’s recent attacks against Hezbollah and asked how to promote values without the deaths of so many innocents.