TEHRAN: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his negotiating team left Tehran for Geneva on Wednesday, state TV reported ahead of a third round of talks with the US.&nbsp;Washington and Tehran have already held two rounds of Oman-mediated talks aimed at reaching a deal on Iran&#39;s nuclear program.&nbsp;The US has repeatedly called for zero uranium enrichment by Iran but has also sought to address its ballistic missile program and support for militant groups in the region, demands Iran has rejected.&nbsp;US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said once again that Iran would never be allowed to build a nuclear weapon, saying Tehran&#39;s leaders were &quot;at this moment again pursuing their sinister nuclear ambitions&quot;.&nbsp;Iran has repeatedly denied it is seeking a bomb but insists it has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.&nbsp;Trump, who has ratcheted up pressure on Iran to reach an agreement, has deployed a significant naval force to the Middle East.&nbsp;Iran, for its part, has conducted several rounds of military drills in recent days, including in the country&#39;s south and near the strategic Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf.

Asia

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi traveled to Geneva for a third round of Oman-mediated nuclear talks with the US. Washington demands zero uranium enrichment and curbs on missiles, while Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons and defends peaceful nuclear rights.

Iran's top diplomat leaves for Geneva for talks with US

Pakistan TV Satellite

ISLAMABAD: Turkish-Pakistani influencer Turkan Atay shared her observations on the spirit of Ramadan in both Pakistan and T&uuml;rkiye during an exclusive appearance on Pakistan TV&rsquo;s morning show &quot;World This Morning&quot;. She highlighted the similarities in communal gatherings, family meals, and the spiritual atmosphere, while noting unique customs in each country. Turkan explained that in T&uuml;rkiye, Ramadan comes alive with bustling streets, festive lights, traditional sweets, and communal iftars that bring communities together. While Istanbul&rsquo;s Ramadan has become more modern due to tourism, many other cities still preserve traditional practices. Local governments organize free iftar gatherings for hundreds or thousands of people, accompanied by activities for children and adults. Historic mosques like the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque play a central role, with people breaking their fast outside before attending prayers. The government also supports inclusive participation by providing free tea alonside educational activities. She also reflected on how her household blends Turkish and Pakistani Ramadan customs, showcasing a fusion of flavors, traditions, and celebrations. From shared meals to family gatherings, Turkan emphasized that the essence of Ramadan&mdash;generosity, devotion, and community spirit&mdash;is celebrated in both countries. Turkan said, &ldquo;Whether in T&uuml;rkiye or Pakistan, Ramadan is about bringing people together, sharing meals, and strengthening bonds,&rdquo; wishing viewers a blessed month.

Food

Turkish-Pakistani Influencer Shares Similarities of Ramadan Traditions in Türkiye and Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Turning strategies into real impact on the ground &ndash; that&rsquo;s the message from UK at the Pakistan Governance Forum. The British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Jane Marriott, in an exclusive interview with Pakistan TV, stressed that while roadmaps and policies are important, true success is measured by what citizens actually experience. &ldquo;I am delighted that the UK has been able to join in and support this Pakistan Governance Forum and conference happening today and tomorrow,&rdquo; High Commissioner Marriott said. &ldquo;As we just heard from the Prime Minister, it&rsquo;s a whole-of-government effort by countries like the UK to bring together resources and expertise to deliver for the people of Pakistan.&rdquo; Marriott highlighted the UK&rsquo;s long-standing partnership with Pakistan, recalling work in 2013 when the current Prime Minister, then Chief Minister of Punjab, collaborated with the UK to implement key development roadmaps. &ldquo;Now he is the Prime Minister delivering across Pakistan. What matters is delivering for citizens on the ground,&rdquo; she said.<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" 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=2026629165865382301&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F4092%2F&sessionId=37927809d4a612c8185ab0376b196ac60d8a9571&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 648px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2026629165865382301"></iframe></div></div> The High Commissioner praised Pakistan&rsquo;s talent and dedication: &ldquo;Pakistan has amazing people, brilliant civil servants, doctors, and teachers delivering every day. This is about ensuring systems are in place so they can do their jobs to the best of their ability.&rdquo; The Pakistan Governance Forum brings together government officials, international partners, and civil society to discuss strategies and actionable solutions for improved governance and citizen services across the country. The UK&rsquo;s participation underscores its ongoing commitment to support Pakistan in achieving tangible outcomes for its citizens.

SAT News Desk

At the Pakistan Governance Forum in Islamabad, British High Commissioner Jane Marriott told Pakistan TV that the UK supports Pakistan in turning policies into real results, stressing whole-of-government cooperation, strong systems, and tangible improvements for citizens nationwide.

UK Backs Pakistan Governance Forum: Focus on Delivering Results for Citizens

BARRANQUILLA: FIFA boss Gianni Infantino told AFP on Tuesday he was &quot;very reassured&quot; about Mexico&#39;s hosting of games in the football World Cup, in his first comments on the violence triggered by the killing of a drug cartel leader.&nbsp;&quot;Very reassured, everything&#39;s good. It&#39;s going to be spectacular,&quot; Infantino said in the Colombian city of Barranquilla, two days after cartel members went on a rampage including in host city Guadalajara over the army&#39;s killing of their leader Nemesio &quot;El Mencho&quot; Oseguera.&nbsp;Mexico is one of the three host countries for the June 11-July 19 World Cup, along with the United States and Canada.&nbsp;The country as a whole, but particularly Guadalajara, was shaken by the violence that followed the killing of the leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).&nbsp;At least 74 people were killed during the operation to capture him at a ranch near Guadalajara and subsequent clashes between the security forces and suspected cartel members.&nbsp;Only one was a civilian, according to the government, but residents and tourists alike were left scurrying for cover as cartel gunmen blocked roads in 20 of Mexico&#39;s 32 states and torched vehicles and businesses.&nbsp;No risk&#39; to football fans&quot;It feels like we&#39;re in a war zone,&quot; Javier Perez, a 41-year-old engineer, told AFP on Tuesday in the parking lot of a grocery store replete with burnt-out cars in the Jalisco tourist resort of Puerto Vallarta.&nbsp;The images of anarchy and violence were beamed around the world less than four months before the start of the World Cup, while FIFA on Monday refused to comment.&nbsp;Infantino spoke to AFP at a Colombian Football Federation event.&nbsp;However, Infantino&#39;s optimism was not reflected by the Portuguese Football Federation, who cast doubt on whether their team would play a friendly on March 29 in Mexico City.&nbsp;The federation said it was &quot;closely monitoring the delicate situation currently unfolding in Mexico.&quot;&nbsp;It added that the safety of players, coaches and supporters was a top priority and security considerations would be the deciding factor.&nbsp;Mexico national team coach Javier Aguirre was more upbeat, declaring: &quot;All is going ahead as planned.&quot;&nbsp;Earlier, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum assured that there was &quot;no risk&quot; to World Cup fans and said the situation was &quot;gradually returning to normal.&quot;&nbsp;Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco state, will host four group-stage matches.&nbsp;Mexico City and the north-eastern city of Monterrey will also host games. Both cities were spared by the recent unrest.&nbsp;In addition to the four matches, including one of the most anticipated of the first round between Uruguay and Spain, Guadalajara will co-host with Monterrey the playoff tournament that will determine the last two teams to qualify for the World Cup at the end of March.&nbsp;Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus ruled out the prospect of Guadalajara being dropped from the tournament over security concerns, saying there was &quot;absolutely no risk&quot; of a change in the line-up.&nbsp;All eyes will be on the central state of Queretaro on Wednesday, when Mexico meets Iceland for a friendly.&nbsp;A first-division game was suspended on Sunday in Queretaro over the violence.

Football

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said Mexico is ready to host World Cup matches despite recent cartel violence after the death of Nemesio Oseguera. Officials say fans are safe, though some teams remain cautious.

FIFA boss 'very reassured' about World Cup in Mexico despite violence

COLOMBO: <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/sri-lanka-issues-landslide-warnings-as-cyclone-tollhits618" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sri Lankan</a> investigators arrested a former intelligence chief on Wednesday, the most high-profile official netted in the long-running investigation into the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings. Police said retired Major General Suresh Sallay was taken into custody at dawn in a suburb of the capital, Colombo. &quot;He was arrested for conspiracy and aiding and abetting the Easter Sunday attacks,&quot; an investigating officer told AFP. &quot;He has been in touch with people involved in the attacks, even recently.&quot; The coordinated bombings targeted three upmarket hotels in the capital, two Roman Catholic churches and an evangelical Protestant church outside Colombo. The attacks killed 279 people, including 45 foreigners, and were blamed on a homegrown militant group. Police, in a statement, said that Sallay was arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and would be detained for at least three days for questioning. His&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/sri-lanka-arrests-three-men-for-burning-elephant-alive" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">arrest</a>&nbsp;was welcomed by the Catholic church, and criticized by his still powerful supporters. &quot;What we need is the truth behind the Easter attacks,&quot; church spokesman Father Cyril Gamini Fernando told AFP. &quot;We want to see justice for all the victims.&quot; The church has accused successive governments of failing to identify the masterminds. The April 21, 2019 attacks were the worst to target civilians in the country, where at least 100,000 people were killed in nearly four decades of civil war. Sallay, who was promoted to State Intelligence Service (SIS) chief in 2019 after Gotabaya Rajapaksa became president, is accused of involvement in organizing the suicide bombings, a charge he denies. His long-expected arrest came ahead of the seventh anniversary of the bombings. British broadcaster Channel 4 reported in 2023 that Sallay was linked to the militant bombers and had met them prior to the attack. A whistleblower told the network that Sallay had permitted the attack to proceed with the intention of influencing that year&#39;s presidential election in favor of Rajapaksa. Two days after the bombings, Rajapaksa declared his candidacy and went on to win the November vote in a landslide after promising to stamp out extremism. Rajapaksa&#39;s then-justice minister Ali Sabry defended Sallay, saying he had contributed to the dismantling of the Tamil Tiger guerrilla network in 2009. &quot;Undermining officers who once safeguarded the country may offer temporary political advantage, but it weakens morale within the armed forces,&quot; Sabry posted on social media. Funding fanatics A former member of the militant group told reporters in 2019 that they were originally funded by a military intelligence unit to propagate a fundamentalist ideology in Sri Lanka&#39;s multi-ethnic eastern province. Sallay was employed in the intelligence unit that funded the militant, and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-sri-lanka-to-boost-it-trade-and-industrial-cooperation" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">government</a>&nbsp;at the time admitted the military was behind the radical group. Critics said the militants were funded as a means to create an enemy &ndash; and so justify their far larger backing of a radical Buddhist group. Sallay was promoted to head the SIS, Sri Lanka&#39;s main intelligence agency, following Rajapaksa&#39;s victory, but was dismissed after Anura Kumara Dissanayake won the presidency in 2024, promising prosecutions of those behind the attacks. While local militants were held responsible, Sallay was also accused of orchestrating the attack. Two days after the bombings, ISIS claimed responsibility, but investigators said they had no evidence to establish a foreign link. Other investigations faulted the authorities for failing to act on warnings from an Indian intelligence agency. More than 500 people were wounded in the bombings, which also crippled the island nation&#39;s lucrative tourism industry. US authorities in 2021 charged three Sri Lankans for supporting the Easter attacks, in which five Americans were killed. The three are among 25 suspects indicted in Sri Lanka&#39;s High Court. The Supreme Court fined then-president Maithripala Sirisena and four senior officials more than $1.03 million in a civil case for their failure to prevent the attacks.

Sri Lankan security personnel and police investigators look through debris outside Zion Church following an explosion in Batticaloa in eastern Sri Lanka on April 21, 2019. (AFP)

Sri Lanka arrests former intelligence chief Suresh Sallay over 2019 Easter bombings that killed 279, including foreigners, amid long-running investigations and accusations of negligence, conspiracy, and political manipulation.

Sri Lanka arrests ex-spy chief over 2019 Easter bombings

Maham Khan

ISLAMABAD: In a world of Michelin stars, molecular gastronomy, and heated debates over whether pineapple belongs on pizza, the British Kebab Awards quietly remind us that nothing sparks joy&mdash;or friendly rivalry&mdash;quite like meat on a skewer. The 14th annual ceremony, held on February 24, 2026, at the Park Plaza Westminster Hotel, gathered Britain&rsquo;s kebab elite, an industry contributing roughly &pound;2.8 billion to the UK economy, according to the British Kebab Awards 2026 report. That&rsquo;s a lot of spice and a lot of votes for extra mint&nbsp;sauce. Founded by Ibrahim Dogus, the awards honor everything from Turkish doner and shish to restaurants brave enough to serve kebabs with a side of haute cuisine. Scotland&rsquo;s Shawarma King retained its crown for the fifth consecutive year (2022&ndash;2026), proving that consistency &ndash;&nbsp;like a good marinade &ndash;&nbsp;is everything. Belfast&rsquo;s The Sphinx won Best Kebab House in Northern Ireland, while Gillingham&rsquo;s Master Kebabs earned Takeaway of the Year, showing that you can be both quick and legendary, a rare talent in any kitchen. Finalists included Liverpool&rsquo;s Kemal Coskuncay of Casa Rima, a two-time Chef of the Year, and Coventry&rsquo;s Istanbul, the city&rsquo;s oldest kebab house, established in 1984. With over 20 award categories, no skewer went uncelebrated&nbsp;&ndash; from regional honors across Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland to specialty awards for Greek, Lebanese, and Kosher shawarma. Service and innovation prizes, including Kebab Van of the Year and Best Vegan Kebab, proved that kebabs are as adaptable as they are delicious &ndash; yes, even kale can be on a skewer now. While Turkish cuisine remains the backbone, South Asian and Persian restaurants are increasingly staking their claim on the podium. London&rsquo;s Persian Palace (North and West London finalist, 2026), Newtownards&rsquo; Lahore Kebab House (Northern Ireland finalist, 2025), Glasgow&rsquo;s Asian Tandoori and Real Spice Cumbernauld (Scotland semi-finalists, 2025), Bellshill&rsquo;s Spices Bells Hill (Scotland finalist, 2025), and Enniskillen&rsquo;s Chaska (Northern Ireland finalist, 2025) show that kebabs can be as colorful as your spice rack &ndash;&nbsp;and just as bold. The awards may lean Turkish/Middle Eastern (doner, shish, and meze dominate) but South Asian chefs shine in parallel celebrations like the Asian Curry Awards, ARTA, and Curry Life Awards, honoring tandoori, mixed grills, and seekh kebabs. In other words, Britain&rsquo;s kebab culture is now a buffet of multicultural excellence, with every region bringing its own marinade to the table. This year also welcomed newcomers like Arslanbey Kebab (Best Newcomer) alongside fine-dining innovators like Beybaba Turkish Restaurant and Pircio, proving that kebabs can be street food, supper, or haute cuisine &ndash;&nbsp;sometimes all at once, and sometimes with Instagram-worthy flair. Following the 2025 ceremony, which celebrated Shawarma King, The Mantl, Losh Bar &amp; Grill, E.G Charcoal Grill, and Grove Kebab Van, the 2026 awards reminded everyone that skewers are about more than meat. They are about community, creativity, and the occasional friendly rivalry. And let&rsquo;s face it: they make a mean Instagram story, too. Whether Turkish, Persian, or South Asian-inspired, a good kebab is proof that flavor knows no borders &ndash; and good grill etiquette is always appreciated.

 A food inspector examines the kebab grill during an inspection in a snack bar in Stuttgart. (AFP)

The 14th British Kebab Awards celebrated Britain’s finest skewers, from Turkish doner to South Asian and Persian flavors, proving that kebabs bring spice, skill, and a dash of friendly rivalry.

The British Kebab Awards 2026: Skewers, sauces, and slightly competitive grins

Ayesha Mir

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan faces a crucial International Monetary Fund (IMF) review this week that is expected to release $1.2 billion in funding. Officials say the country is prepared and on track to meet its program goals. Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb said the IMF team has already started its mission in Karachi to hold talks with the State Bank. He will then meet the team in Islamabad on Monday. &ldquo;We are getting ready for the third review,&rdquo; Aurangzeb said. &ldquo;It will cover both performance benchmarks and structural benchmarks, as well as a forward-looking assessment of the program.&rdquo; Aurangzeb said that Pakistan looks forward to a &quot;meaningful conversation.&quot; While it is too early to predict outcomes before formal discussions conclude, the country is well-positioned for the review, he noted.&nbsp; Stable economy The IMF mission, led by Iva Petrova, arrived in Pakistan on Wednesday. Officials said the mission will stay until March 11 to finish two reviews. As per official reports from the IMF and Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Finance, the staff mission will conduct the third review under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and the second review under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). Successful completion of these reviews is expected to unlock approximately $1.2 billion &mdash; $1 billion from the EFF and $200 million from the RSF &mdash; by late April. According to the IMF, Pakistan&rsquo;s policy efforts have &ldquo;helped stabilize the economy and rebuild confidence.&rdquo; Positive outlook The IMF confirmed a primary fiscal surplus of 1.3% of GDP for FY25, aligning with program targets. The State Bank of Pakistan reported that inflation is projected to remain within the 5-7% target range for FY26 and FY27, and that foreign exchange reserves reached $14.5 billion at the end of FY25, with a target of $18 billion by June this year. The IMF mission will also examine key challenges, including &ldquo;circular debt&rdquo; management and recent adjustments to electricity tariffs in the energy sector, according to official reports. Implementation of the Governance and Corruption Diagnostic report and the National Fiscal Pact are among the top governance agenda items. Discussions will also include the framework for the FY2026-27 federal budget, as per the Ministry of Finance.

Federal Minister for Finance Muhammad Aurangzeb speaks with Pakistan TV Digital ahead of the IMF review mission. (Pakistan TV Digital)

Economy

Pakistan is well-prepared for IMF reviews this week, Muhammad Aurangzeb said, with $1.2 billion funding pending. Officials report program targets on track, including fiscal, monetary, and governance benchmarks.

Pakistan well-positioned ahead of IMF review mission: Finance minister

TOKYO: Japanese researchers have unveiled a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/big-dreams-for-palestinian-teens-at-singapore-robot-fest" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">robot</a>&nbsp;monk powered by AI that they say can dispense spiritual advice and maybe one day ease shortages of its human counterparts. Trained on even the most esoteric Buddhist scriptures, the University of Kyoto says the machine can answer sensitive questions that people may feel hesitant to share with other humans. In addition, &quot;Buddharoid&quot;, as the diminutive two-legged humanoid is known, can offer a sense of presence at religious sanctuaries in addition to voice communications. &quot;In the future, it is conceivable that they may assist with or replace some of the religious rituals traditionally performed by human monks,&quot; the university said in a statement on Wednesday. The robot is the latest offering from Seiji Kumagai, a professor at the university&#39;s Institute for the Future of Human Society. Using&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/robot-companion-eases-fear-loneliness-in-hospitals" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">AI models</a> from OpenAI and others, he has worked with engineering firms to develop religious AI chatbots like Buddha Bot and a catechism bot. For his new creation, Kumagai installed his updated &quot;BuddhaBotPlus&quot; on a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/indian-professors-robot-dog-claim-at-ai-summit-sparks-uproar" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Chinese-made</a> &quot;Unitree G1&quot; humanoid robot to create the AI robo-monk. In a media presentation at a temple on Tuesday, Kumagai presented the robot &mdash; as yet without a face &mdash; wearing a simple grey garment. It held its gloved hands together in a prayer form and walked around in front of reporters and performed other tasks. As it sat on a chair, the humanoid gave advice to a young local journalist who confessed to thinking and worrying too much. &quot;Buddhism teaches that it is important not to blindly follow one&#39;s thoughts or rush headlong into things,&quot; it said in a soothing baritone to the journalist from national broadcaster NHK. &quot;One approach is to calm your mind and let go of the thought itself,&quot; it said. Religious chatbots powered by artificial intelligence are already popular tools &mdash;&nbsp;as well as contentious &mdash; across all major faiths, used by millions of people. Kyoto already has a non-AI android called Mindar that delivers sermons, and in Germany in 2017 a robot was unveiled with a touchscreen with glowing hands that gave blessings in five languages. But the new machine brings AI and robotics together, offering spiritual advice and holding religious conversations while also performing human-like physical motions. Kyoto University said that ethical discussions must continue about the proper use of such tools in religious settings. But with Japan&#39;s shrinking and ageing population making the labor market tighter, the university said the humanoids may take over some tasks in the future. &quot;In the future, AI humanoid robots are expected to be utilized in the religious field, such as assisting with or performing some of the religious rituals traditionally conducted by human priests,&quot; the university said. &quot;This is anticipated to bring about a paradigm shift in religious culture.&quot;

Artificial Intelligence

Developed at Kyoto University, “Buddharoid” can offer spiritual guidance, answer sensitive questions, and perform rituals. Researchers say AI monks could help address priest shortages amid Japan’s aging population.

Japan introduces AI robot monk to the public

TEHRAN: Iran&rsquo;s foreign ministry has sharply rejected accusations by former US President Donald Trump that Tehran is developing missiles capable of striking the United States, calling the allegations &ldquo;big lies.&rdquo; In a statement posted on X, foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Washington was repeating unfounded claims about <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iran-to-submit-draft-nuclear-proposal-as-us-military-presence-grows" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Iran&rsquo;s nuclear</a> and ballistic missile programs, as well as casualty figures from recent unrest. &ldquo;Whatever they&rsquo;re alleging regarding Iran&#39;s nuclear program, Iran&#39;s ballistic missiles, and the number of casualties during January&#39;s unrest, is simply the repetition of &lsquo;big lies&rsquo;,&rdquo; Baqaei wrote. Although Baqaei did not directly reference Trump, his remarks came hours after the former president claimed that Iran was seeking to develop long-range missiles capable of reaching American soil. In a February interview with Al Jazeera, Iran&rsquo;s Foreign Minister <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iran-fm-says-agreed-with-us-on-guiding-principles-for-deal" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Abbas Araghchi</a> said Tehran did not possess the capability to target the United States directly. However, he warned that Iran would retaliate against American military bases in the Middle East if Washington launched an attack. During his recent State of the Union address, Trump reiterated that Iran would &ldquo;never be allowed&rdquo; to build a nuclear weapon, accusing Tehran&rsquo;s leadership of once again pursuing what he described as &ldquo;sinister nuclear ambitions.&rdquo; Iran has consistently denied seeking nuclear weapons, maintaining that its nuclear program is intended solely for peaceful energy purposes and that it has a sovereign right to develop civilian nuclear technology. Trump also alleged that Iranian authorities were responsible for the deaths of 32,000 people during a wave of <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iran-arrests-four-political-figures-over-disruption-of-political-social-order" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">protests</a> that began in December and peaked on January 8 and 9. Iranian officials have acknowledged more than 3,000 deaths during the unrest but attribute the violence to what they describe as &ldquo;terrorist acts&rdquo; backed by the United States and Israel.

The building of Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Middle East

Iran rejected US allegations about missile and nuclear ambitions, disputed protest death toll estimates and warned it would strike American bases in the Middle East if attacked by Washington.

Iran rejects US claims on missile program as 'big lies'

Web Desk

In super eight stage of ICC T20 World Cup, Pakistan will take on England in Pallekele on Tuesday.

Cricket

Pakistan must now rely on other results while also securing a victory in their remaining Super Eight match. The key factor in Pakistan’s qualification hopes is the performance of New Zealand national cricket team, who still have two Super 8 matches to play against Sri Lanka national cricket team and England.

Iran's top diplomat leaves for Geneva for talks with US

Latest News

Turkish-Pakistani Influencer Shares Similarities of Ramadan Traditions in Türkiye and Pakistan

Iran's top diplomat leaves for Geneva for talks with US

UK Backs Pakistan Governance Forum: Focus on Delivering Results for Citizens

FIFA boss 'very reassured' about World Cup in Mexico despite violence

Sri Lanka arrests ex-spy chief over 2019 Easter bombings