Pakistan renews mediation efforts as US downs Iranian drones over Hormuz
At the same time, clashes between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah continued despite the extension of a US-brokered ceasefire announced last week.
Pakistan's interior minister arrived in Tehran on Sunday (7 June) in a renewed effort to help revive talks between Iran and the United States, as the US military said it shot down two more Iranian drones over the Strait of Hormuz after they posed a threat to international shipping.
The latest development comes as Washington continues to push Tehran toward an agreement aimed at ending the ongoing Middle East conflict, which has put pressure on the global economy and raised concerns about worsening hunger in some of the world's most vulnerable countries.
Although the most intense phase of the fighting ended with a preliminary ceasefire on 8 April, the parties have yet to reach a lasting agreement to formally end the conflict.
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At the same time, clashes between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah continued despite the extension of a US-brokered ceasefire announced last week.
Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi is visiting Tehran to deliver a message from Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, according to Iran's state news agency IRNA.
Khamenei has not appeared in public since becoming Iran's leader after the death of his father during the opening day of the war on 28 February, when the United States and Israel launched a major bombardment campaign against Iran.
Naqvi met Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni on Saturday and held talks with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday, Iranian media reported.
Officials did not disclose details of the message. Pakistan has previously said it is working with regional countries including Qatar, Turkey and Egypt to help narrow differences between Washington and Tehran, reduce tensions and support efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, hopes for a sustained ceasefire in Lebanon appeared uncertain.
Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, has rejected the US-mediated proposal and instead supports Tehran's position that any agreement to end the broader conflict should also include Lebanon.
Israel said it carried out strikes on more than 150 Hezbollah targets across southern Lebanon over the weekend, including rocket launchers and command centres.
On Sunday, the Israeli military said at least five projectiles were fired from Lebanon toward northern Israel. The projectiles were either intercepted or landed in open areas. Hezbollah did not immediately claim responsibility but said it had attacked Israeli troops in southern Lebanon.
The Israeli military said two soldiers were killed during fighting in southern Lebanon on Saturday.
The ongoing violence in Lebanon threatens efforts to secure a broader regional truce and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil and gas supplies. Disruptions in the waterway have already shaken international energy markets.
Iran insists that any long-term ceasefire must also cover Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated that military operations will continue until Israel believes Hezbollah no longer poses a security threat.
In a related development, Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Rodolphe Haikal travelled to Pakistan on Saturday at the invitation of Pakistan's army chief. Lebanese authorities did not provide further details about the visit.
The US military said on Saturday it intercepted several Iranian missiles and drones heading toward the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf Arab states, and later struck Iranian coastal radar sites used for surveillance.
US Central Command said the drones posed an immediate threat to maritime traffic in the region.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard said it had targeted the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, where US forces are stationed, as well as the US Navy's Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, according to IRNA.
The US military said there were no reports of casualties among American personnel.
Earlier this month, Iranian drone attacks heavily damaged a passenger terminal at Kuwait's main airport, killing one person and injuring dozens more.
Washington has maintained its blockade of Iranian ports in response to Tehran's control over the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy exports.
The conflict has driven up energy prices, creating political challenges for US President Donald Trump's Republican Party ahead of congressional midterm elections later this year.
