Iranian president arrives in Islamabad on official visit

This live blog follows the latest developments across the Middle East crisis, including regional diplomacy, maritime security, ceasefire negotiations, and economic fallout.

Catch up: Yesterday’s top developments

• US-Iran talks laid 'very good foundation for a successful final deal': Vance
• Iran has agreed to invite IAEA inspectors back into country: Vance
• PM Sharif concludes high-level talks in Switzerland
• Iranian president to visit Pakistan on Tuesday
• Oman’s FM reaffirms commitment to ‘international law, toll-free safe passage’ through Hormuz

Rubio says US won't accept tolls or fees in Strait of Hormuz

Published: June 23, 2026 | 16:25 GMT | by AFP

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that no country is allowed to impose tolls or fees on the Strait of Hormuz, as Iran seeks to extract revenue from the vital waterway.

"It's an international waterway. No country is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway. That's existing international law," he said as he arrived in the United Arab Emirates.

"I don't think we have anybody to convince around here in that regard. I think all the countries in this region would agree with us."

Hezbollah chief demands full Israeli withdrawal 'according to a timetable'

Published: June 23, 2026 | 15:42 GMT | by AFP

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem on Tuesday demanded a full, scheduled withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon to make way for a Lebanese army deployment in the south following the US-Iran deal to end the Middle East war.

"We now have a ceasefire. The withdrawal must take place according to a timetable. Israel has no choice but to fully withdraw from all Lebanese territory, without retaining an inch," Qassem said in a televised address. "Israel withdraws and the Lebanese army deploys exclusively south of the Litani River."

Lebanon president rejects Israeli occupation, foreign interference

Published: June 23, 2026 | 14:35 GMT | by AFP

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Tuesday rejected Israel's occupation of south Lebanon as a fifth round of Israel-Lebanon talks began in Washington.

"We accept nothing less than an end to the Israeli occupation and at the same time, the fall of foreign tutelage, because our only option is our national sovereignty and our sole wager is on the Lebanese state," Aoun said, according to his office.

He also expressed hope that the new round of talks would be "decisive along the path of achieving what we seek for the good of our nation and people", namely "the full restoration of Lebanon's sovereignty over every grain of its soil".

Iran announces three-day holiday in Tehran for Ali Khamenei's funeral

Published: June 23, 2026 | 13:40 GMT | by AFP

Iran announced Tuesday three days of public holidays in the capital, Tehran, for the funeral ceremonies of the late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, state television reported.

"The farewell ceremony and prayers for the martyred leader's body will be held on Saturday and Sunday, July 4th and 5th, in Tehran's Grand Mosalla, and the funeral will be held on Monday, July 6th, and Tehran province will be off for these three days," IRGC commander Hassan Hassanzadeh, in charge of the funeral ceremonies, was quoted as saying.

Earlier, state media said Tehran would be on holiday on July 4 and 5, while the whole country would follow suit on July 6.

Israel can say no to Trump, should not accept Lebanon ceasefire, says Israeli minister

Published: June 23, 2026 | 13:01 GMT | by Web Desk

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said that Israel could defy Trump if necessary, while speaking to a local media outlet, as reported by Al Jazeera. 

He insisted that the ceasefire in Lebanon is unacceptable, saying there should be “no ceasefire” – “under no circumstances.”

Iranian President Pezeshkian arrives in Islamabad for a one-day visit

Published: June 23, 2026 | 10:41 GMT | by Web Desk

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in Islamabad for a one-day visit, where he was received by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, among other top officials, at the Noor Khan Airbase. 

Pezeshkian was presented with a guard of honor, a 21-gun salute, and a JF-17 fly-past upon his reception. The Iranian president was then escorted to the prime minister's house in Islamabad.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also arrived in Islamabad earlier and was received by his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar.

Pezeshkian says statements outside agreed text do not help advance US-Iran negotiations

Published: June 23, 2026 | 08:10 GMT | by Web Desk

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said the success of the talks in Switzerland hinges on strict compliance with agreed commitments and their accurate implementation.

In a post on X, he wrote that “the effectiveness of the talks depends on full commitment to the agreed obligations and their precise implementation.”

He added that “progress along this path will be judged by practical adherence to accepted responsibilities” and warned that “statements outside the agreed text do not help advance the negotiations.”

Iran to deploy released assets ‘with absolute liberty’

Published: June 23, 2026 | 08:03 GMT | by Web Desk

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Tuesday that the country will allocate its released frozen assets as it sees fit. 

He was responding to President Trump’s claim that the funds would be used only for US farm purchases. 

“We have learned the war’s true goal was to annihilate Iran’s civilization, and that aim has turned into lining US farmers’ pockets with our frozen assets,” Baghaei told reporters. “There are no restrictions on how we channel these funds. They will be employed with absolute liberty.”

‘No clear schedule’ for IAEA nuclear inspections: Baghaei

Published: June 23, 2026 | 07:56 GMT | by Web Desk

Iran’s FM spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Tuesday that Iran’s delegation in Switzerland did not meet with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief, Rafael Grossi, during the latest round of talks.

"There is no clear schedule for the agency to examine Iran’s nuclear facilities that were attacked by the US and Israel," he said in a press conference in Tehran.

Hezbollah says it will ‘respond in kind’ to Israeli ceasefire violations

Published: June 23, 2026 | 06:55 GMT | by Web Desk

Mahmoud Qamati, deputy head of Hezbollah’s political council, has warned that the Lebanese group will respond to any violation of the ceasefire by Israel, Al-Jazeera reported, citing Iran’s Press TV.

Qamati said Hezbollah’s retaliation will come “in kind”, adding that there will not be a “return to the pre-war situation” when Israeli forces launched near-daily attacks on Lebanon even as the group’s fighters held their fire.

“Hezbollah remains fully alert with its finger on the trigger, ready to confront any violation by the Israeli regime,” he was quoted as saying.

Iranian president to visit Pakistan today on official visit

Published: June 23, 2026 | 06:22 GMT | by Web Desk

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is set to arrive in Pakistan on Tuesday on an official visit at the invitation of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The Iranian president will lead a high-level delegation to convey the message of the Iranian government and people to Pakistan following what the embassy described as a year marked by solidarity, support and Pakistan's mediation efforts aimed at easing regional tensions and promoting peace and stability, the Foreign Office said in a statement.

During the visit, the two sides are expected to review the current state of bilateral relations and discuss ways to further strengthen cooperation and deepen the longstanding ties between Pakistan and Iran, the statement said.

The visit comes amid growing diplomatic engagement between the neighboring countries following recent regional developments.

Iran chief negotiator says Hormuz will be administered by Tehran: state media
Published: June 23, 2026 | 01:56 GMT | by AFP

Iran's chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said that the Strait of Hormuz will be administered by Tehran, state media reported on Tuesday, following talks pushing to end the US-Israeli war on the Islamic Republic.

"The Strait of Hormuz will never return to its pre-war conditions and will be administered by the Islamic Republic of Iran, in accordance with international law," Ghalibaf said on his return from the talks, according to IRNA.

In a video posted to Ghalibaf's Telegram account, he said the talks at the luxury Swiss resort of Burgenstock produced "good achievements."

"In my view, this trip had good achievements, especially regarding the discussion of the Strait, the Lebanon discussions, the question of oil waiver, and the matter of releasing the frozen funds," he said.

"Of course, we believe we are still at the beginning of this work and must continue our efforts," Ghalibaf added in the video.

Trump praises Switzerland negotiators; Iranian president to visit Pakistan today 

Published: June 23, 2026 | 00:00 GMT | by Web Desk

US President Donald Trump said that Washington’s negotiators in Switzerland were doing “a fantastic job,” stating that Vice President JD Vance was a “smart guy” doing a “great job.”

“We are doing very well with respect to the Hormuz strait. “We took in more oil yesterday than that has ever gone through the strait. The strait is totally open,” Trump said while speaking to the reporters in Washington. 

“I think they are doing a fantastic job […] And I thought JD Vance this morning was fantastic, I watched his news conference, he is a smart guy, did a great job,” he said. 

Separately, a statement from Pakistan’s foreign office said that Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian would undertake a state visit with a high-level delegation on Tuesday, adding that the meeting would provide an “important opportunity” to discuss “ongoing diplomatic engagements following the signing of the Islamabad MoU.”

In Switzerland, US Vice President JD Vance said that the first round of US-Iran talks had laid a good foundation for reaching a final deal on ending the Middle East war.

“We haven't built the house, but we've laid a successful foundation to get to a good place for the American people," he said. 

He added that Tehran had agreed to invite International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors back into the country, terming it a major milestone for the American people and the first step in permanently denuclearizing or permanently ending a nuclear weapons program in Iran.”

Similarly, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defense Forces, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, departed for Islamabad after completing their visit to Switzerland, the Prime Minister's Office said.

For earlier developments, read our June 22 live blog here