Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar chaired the closing session of the Regional Envoys&rsquo; Conference in Islamabad, reaffirming Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to strengthening historic brotherly ties with Gulf countries, enhancing economic engagement, ensuring the welfare of the diaspora, and promoting regional peace and stability, according to the Foreign Office. Pakistan positioned itself as a mediator since the war erupted following joint US-Israeli strikes on Tehran on Feb. 28, which triggered Iranian retaliation and a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy corridor through which roughly one-fifth of the world&rsquo;s oil and gas passes. Pakistan remained engaged in diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions between the US and Iran. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2056386055880822798&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=da4787ba1b60e4458861b4793b69df6c1deab858&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2056386055880822798"></iframe></div></div> FM Dar emphasized that the welfare of the Pakistani diaspora in Gulf countries and across the world remains a top priority of the government. &ldquo;He also highlighted Pakistan&rsquo;s constructive and facilitative role in promoting regional peace and stability, and stressed the importance of sustained engagement,&rdquo; the statement added. &ldquo;DPM/FM [Ishaq Dar] took stock of the comprehensive deliberations and key recommendations emerging over the past few days,&rdquo; the statement said. In his closing remarks, FM Dar directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Heads of Missions, and relevant ministries to maintain close coordination, pursue proactive engagement, and ensure effective follow-up on the recommendations. Envoys to the Gulf and European countries appreciated Pakistan&#39;s peace efforts and lauded Islamabad&#39;s efforts to promote regional peace.

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan reaffirms support for Gulf ties and regional peace as foreign minister Ishaq Dar highlighted mediation efforts in the Iran-US crisis, drawing praise from Donald Trump, Iran and the United Nations.

Pakistan reaffirms commitment to regional peace efforts as Islamabad envoys conference concludes

Web Desk/AFP

Barakah power plant. (File photo: X/WAM news agency)

Middle East

Abu Dhabi’s media office says the fire broke out outside the facility’s inner perimeter and was brought under control while IAEA confirms radiation levels remain normal; Israeli forces continue to attack Lebanon and Gaza, violating the ceasefire.

Middle East roundup: UAE says drone that hit nuclear site crossed western border

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian holds a telephonic conversation with Pope Leo XIV on Saturday, May 16. (Photo: Tasnim News Agency)

The Iranian president has sent a message to the Pope thanking him for his ethical and logical position on recent military aggressions against Iran, according to Iranian Tasnim News Agency.

Day 78: All you need to know about US-Israel war on Iran

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday that China&rsquo;s development could go &ldquo;hand-in-hand&rdquo; with US President Donald Trump&rsquo;s &ldquo;make America great again&rdquo; agenda, as both leaders met in Beijing for talks covering trade,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/usisrael-war-on-iran-day-76" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Iran</a>&nbsp;and broader global issues. &ldquo;Achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making America great again can totally go hand in hand, help each other succeed, and advance the well-being of the whole world,&rdquo; Xi said at a banquet after the talks. US President Donald Trump said discussions with Xi were &ldquo;extremely positive and productive&rdquo; during remarks at the Great Hall of the People. &ldquo;We had extremely positive and productive conversations and meetings today with the Chinese delegation earlier,&rdquo; Trump said, calling the banquet &ldquo;another cherished opportunity to discuss among friends.&rdquo; Trump also said he had extended an invitation for Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan to visit the White House on September 24. &ldquo;It is my honor to extend an invitation to you, Madam Peng, to visit us at the White House this September 24, and we look forward to it,&rdquo; he said. The White House said both leaders agreed that the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/oil-soars-as-trump-rejects-irans-terms" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Strait of Hormuz</a>&nbsp;&ldquo;must remain open&rdquo; to ensure the uninterrupted flow of global energy supplies. Trump said the two countries would have &ldquo;a fantastic future together,&rdquo; while Xi said China and the United States &ldquo;should be partners and not rivals.&rdquo; Xi was received with a formal red-carpet welcome at the Great Hall of the People, including military honors, a gun salute and schoolchildren chanting &ldquo;Welcome!&rdquo; The visit marks the first by a US president to China in nearly a decade, taking place amid continuing tensions over trade, technology and global security. Xi said stable ties between the two countries are important for the world, adding: &ldquo;Cooperation benefits both sides, while confrontation harms both.&rdquo; He also told visiting US business executives that China would continue to expand its openness to international companies. &ldquo;China&rsquo;s doors to the outside world will open wider and wider... American companies will enjoy even brighter prospects in China,&rdquo; he said, according to Chinese state media. Among US business leaders accompanying Trump were Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Musk described the meetings as &ldquo;wonderful,&rdquo; while Huang said the two leaders &ldquo;were incredible.&rdquo; Iran was a key issue in the discussions after tensions in the Middle East delayed Trump&rsquo;s visit earlier this year. Trump said he expected a &ldquo;long talk&rdquo; with Xi on Iran, which exports most of its sanctioned oil to China, but added: &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think we need any help with Iran&rdquo; from Beijing. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington hoped China would take &ldquo;a more active role&rdquo; in the Persian Gulf region. <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/chinese-us-delegations-meet-for-trade-talks-in-paris-state-media" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trade and tariffs</a>&nbsp;also featured prominently, with Trump seeking agreements on agriculture, aircraft and other sectors. Before the visit, Trump said he would push for greater Chinese market access for US companies. Both sides were also expected to discuss extending a one-year&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/china-urges-us-to-cancel-unilateral-tariffs-after-supreme-court-ruling" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">tariff</a>&nbsp;truce agreed in South Korea last October after tariffs between the two countries rose above 100%. China&rsquo;s restrictions on rare-earth exports and growing competition in artificial intelligence were also part of the agenda. Trump was also scheduled to visit Beijing&rsquo;s historic Temple of Heaven as both governments sought to manage a tense but economically significant relationship.

A man films a news program about the meeting between US President Donald Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping, on a giant screen outside a shopping mall in Beijing on May 14, 2026. (AFP)

China

Americas

Talks between the Chinese and US presidents in Beijing focused on trade and Iran, with both sides expressing optimism about future cooperation and stability in bilateral relations.

Xi says China progress compatible with making America great again

BEIJING: US President Donald Trump landed in Beijing on Wednesday for a high-stakes summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping aimed at easing deep tensions between the rival superpowers. Giving a fist pump, Trump descended the steps of Air Force One after touching down at Beijing Capital International Airport, kicking off the first visit to China by a US president in nearly a decade. Right behind him were Tesla boss Elon Musk and Nvidia chief Jensen Huang &ndash; potent symbols of the business deals that Trump hopes to sign between the world&#39;s biggest economies. Trump was greeted with a bunch of flowers and then walked along the red carpet, which was lined with 300 Chinese youth in white uniforms chanting &quot;welcome&quot; and waving small Chinese and US flags in unison. While en route to Beijing, Trump said on social media he would &quot;be asking President Xi, a Leader of extraordinary distinction, to &#39;open up&#39; China so that these brilliant people can work their magic&quot;. Nvidia&#39;s Huang was a surprise late addition to the trip, joining the plane at a stopover in Alaska. China is currently banned under US national security rules from buying the cutting-edge AI chips that the company produces. But&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/us-israel-war-on-iran-day-75" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Iran</a>, trade and Taiwan, among other topics, loom over the highly anticipated meeting, which Trump had already delayed from March because of the war the United States and Israel started in the Middle East. China &#39;welcomes&#39; Trump visit Visiting China for the first time since 2017 during his previous term, Trump is expected to receive a lavish welcome from Chinese authorities. Trump and Xi will hold talks at 10:00 am local time on Thursday in Beijing&#39;s opulent Great Hall of the People. The US president will also visit the historic Temple of Heaven, a world heritage site where China&#39;s emperors once prayed for good&nbsp;harvest. The leaders will then enjoy a state banquet in the evening. On Friday, they are set to have tea and a working lunch before Trump heads home. As he departed the White House, Trump said he expected a &quot;long talk&quot; with Xi about the joint US-Israeli war with Iran, which sells most of its US-sanctioned oil to China. But he also downplayed disagreements, telling reporters that &quot;I don&#39;t think we need any help with Iran&quot; from China and that Xi had been &quot;relatively good&quot; on the topic. The Chinese foreign ministry said Wednesday it &quot;welcomes&quot; Trump&#39;s visit and that &quot;China stands ready to work with the United States... to expand cooperation and manage differences&quot;. Yet Beijing is growing impatient for peace, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi urging his Pakistani counterpart on Tuesday to step up mediation efforts between Iran and the United States. &#39;Big deal&#39; The long-simmering trade war between the two countries will also be top of the agenda, after Trump&#39;s sweeping tariffs last year triggered tit-for-tat levies that exceeded 100%. Trump and Xi are set to discuss extending a one-year tariff truce, which the two leaders reached during their last meeting in South Korea in October, although a deal is far from certain. China&#39;s controls on rare earth and agriculture exports are also expected to be on the menu. The tense buildup to the summit was already visible on the streets of Beijing, with police monitoring major intersections and checking the ID cards of passengers on the metro, AFP journalists saw. &quot;It&#39;s definitely a big deal,&quot; said Wen Wen, a 24-year-old woman travelling from the eastern city of Nanjing, when asked by AFP about Trump&#39;s visit.

Trump arrives in Beijing for a summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping aimed at easing tensions, as both sides prepare to discuss trade, tariffs and geopolitical disputes between the superpowers.

Trump and Xi set for high-stakes talks in Beijing

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday posted a map graphic on his Truth Social platform depicting Venezuela with an inset American flag and the label &quot;51st State.&quot; The post -- published while Trump was en route to China for a high-stakes summit -- comes a day after Venezuela&#39;s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, said her country had &quot;never&quot; considered becoming the 51st state, even after US forces captured deposed leader Nicolas Maduro in January. Earlier on Monday, Trump told Fox News that he was considering making the South American country a new state. Rodriguez, for her part, has overseen a thawing of relations with the United States since taking over the country, passing reforms that reopened Venezuela&#39;s mining and oil sectors to foreign companies -- especially from the US. The Venezuelan opposition has demanded elections, while Rodriguez -- when asked on May 1 about the prospects of a new vote -- said she &quot;didn&#39;t know&quot; and that it would happen &quot;sometime.&quot;

The post -- published while Trump was en route to China for a high-stakes summit -- comes a day after Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, said her country had "never" considered becoming the 51st state, even after US forces captured deposed leader Nicolas Maduro in January.

Trump posts graphic of Venezuela as 51st US state

Says ceasefire has 1% 'chance of living'; rejects Iran's response to a US proposal for ending the Middle East war, deeming it 'totally unacceptable.'




Day 73: All you need to know about US-Israel war on Iran

TOKYO: Oil prices rose on Monday after US President Donald Trump rejected Iran&#39;s terms for ending the war in the Middle East, while stocks were mixed. Trump&#39;s repudiation of Iran&#39;s response to his latest peace proposal raised the likelihood of further violence and disruptions to oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz. &quot;I have just read the response from Iran&#39;s so-called &#39;Representatives.&#39; I don&#39;t like it &mdash; TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!&quot; said Trump, who is due in China this week where the war will likely loom large in discussions. &quot;We did not demand any concessions. The only thing we demanded was Iran&#39;s legitimate rights,&quot; Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Monday. Iran wants &quot;an end to the war&quot; and to the US naval blockade, and the &quot;release of assets belonging to the Iranian people, which have for years been unjustly trapped in foreign banks&quot;, he said. &quot;President Trump&#39;s swift rejection of these counter-demands underscores the wide gulf between both sides, pointing to a risk of prolonged uncertainty rather than rapid de-escalation,&quot; said Lloyd Chan at Japanese bank MUFG. &quot;For oil markets, this suggests a persistent geopolitical risk premium as Hormuz disruptions drag on,&quot; Chan said. Oil came off earlier highs and Asian stocks were mixed, with Tokyo closing half a percent lower and Hong Kong little changed but Seoul was up 4.3%, boosted by tech stocks. In Tokyo, Nintendo shares plunged almost 10% after the Japanese gaming giant warned Friday of lower profits this year and said it would hike the price of its Switch 2 console. In Europe Frankfurt and Paris started lower but London eked out early gains. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was due in Japan and South Korea before heading to China for Trump&#39;s high-stakes summit with President Xi Jinping. &quot;China is willing to work with the United States in the spirit of equality, respect, and mutual benefit, to expand cooperation, manage differences, and inject more stability and certainty into a volatile and intertwined world,&quot; China&#39;s foreign ministry said Monday.

A man walks past an electronic quotation board displaying the Nikkei 225 stock prices on the Tokyo Stock Exchange along a street in Tokyo on May 11, 2026. (AFP)

Banking

Oil prices rise after President Donald Trump rejects Iran’s conditions to end the Middle East conflict, increasing fears of prolonged instability and possible disruptions to crude shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

Oil prices rise as Trump rejects Iran’s Middle East peace proposal

Iran has presented its response to the latest US proposal aimed at ending the war through Pakistani mediators; Trump expects to "apply pressure" on Xi over Iran; Iran army says countries siding with the US will "face difficulties" in Hormuz.




Day 72: All you need to know about US-Israel war on Iran

BEIJING: Senior Chinese and US officials will hold talks in South Korea in the coming days, Beijing&#39;s commerce ministry and Washington&#39;s treasury secretary said Sunday, ahead of an expected summit between leaders Xi Jinping and Donald Trump. The Chinese commerce ministry said in a statement that Vice Premier He Lifeng, Beijing&#39;s top economic official, will attend &quot;consultations on mutual economic and trade issues&quot; in South Korea on Tuesday and Wednesday. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a post on X: &quot;On Wednesday, I will stop in Seoul for a discussion with Vice Premier He Lifeng of China, before continuing on to Beijing for the Leaders&#39; Summit between President Trump and President Xi.&quot; Trump is set to visit China for a high-stakes summit with Xi, with the leaders of the world&#39;s top two economies expected to focus on easing tensions over trade and Taiwan, with the war in the Middle East looming in the background. While Washington and Beijing slapped tit-for-tat tariffs on each other&#39;s exports a year ago, Trump and Xi agreed on a year-long trade truce at their October meeting in South Korea. He and Bessent have been the chief negotiators for China and the United States on all trade and economic issues. The talks are likely to put the finishing touches on any announcements to be made during the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trumpxi-summit-to-focus-on-iran-tariffs-and-rare-earths" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trump-Xi summit</a>. Bessent said he would have prior talks in Tokyo on Tuesday with Japanese Prime Minister <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/japan-pm-says-oil-crisis-has-enormous-impact-in-asiapacific" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sanae Takaichi</a> and Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama, along with other public and private sector representatives. &quot;Economic security is national security, and I look forward to a productive series of engagements as we work to advance President Trump&#39;s America First Economic Agenda,&quot; Bessent said.

US President Donald Trump (L) and China's President Xi Jinping greet each other as they arrive for talks at the Gimhae Air Base, located next to the Gimhae International Airport in Busan on October 30, 2025. (AFP)

Business

Senior Chinese and US officials will hold trade talks in South Korea ahead of an expected summit between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

Articles tagged with "US President Donald Trump"

Pakistan reaffirms commitment to regional peace efforts as Islamabad envoys conference concludes

Middle East roundup: UAE says drone that hit nuclear site crossed western border

Day 78: All you need to know about US-Israel war on Iran

Xi says China progress compatible with making America great again

Trump and Xi set for high-stakes talks in Beijing

Trump posts graphic of Venezuela as 51st US state

Day 73: All you need to know about US-Israel war on Iran

Oil prices rise as Trump rejects Iran’s Middle East peace proposal

Day 72: All you need to know about US-Israel war on Iran

China, US to hold trade talks in Seoul ahead of Trump-Xi summit

Pakistan reaffirms commitment to regional peace efforts as Islamabad envoys conference concludes