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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has expressed deep concern about the deteriorating security situation in the Middle East, warning that renewed conflict and rising tensions threaten regional stability and could undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts to achieve lasting peace. According to a statement posted on X by the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the UN, Pakistan&rsquo;s representative, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, speaking at the Security Council briefing on non-proliferation on Tuesday, said that recent developments had highlighted the fragility of the current situation and the urgent need for diplomatic initiatives to succeed before tensions escalate further. The statement further said that Pakistan&rsquo;s envoy noted that the recent surge in violence served as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by a fragile ceasefire and stressed that continued instability could have serious consequences for regional and global peace, security, and prosperity. <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; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 651px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2064458346200269074&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=6323c2657b960b6ab2dd3e7e6ea8e645dc9bcd04&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> &ldquo;The ambassador also expressed concern that the outbreak of hostilities had negatively affected efforts to address the Iran nuclear issue, pushing parties further apart and disrupting the International Atomic Energy Agency&rsquo;s verification activities.&rdquo; Reaffirming support for peaceful conflict resolution, the statement added that Iftikhar emphasized that dialogue, diplomacy, and sustained engagement remained the only viable path to resolving outstanding disputes, including those related to Iran&rsquo;s nuclear program. According to the statement, Pakistan&rsquo;s envoy highlighted his country&rsquo;s role in facilitating diplomatic engagement between the United States and Iran, noting that it had worked alongside international partners to encourage de-escalation and create conditions conducive to meaningful negotiations. He appreciated both Washington and Tehran for placing their trust in Pakistan and for participating in the &ldquo;Islamabad Talks,&rdquo; described as the highest-level direct engagement between the two sides in more than four decades. According to the statement, Islamabad has maintained close contact with both countries and coordinated with regional and international partners, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkiye, Qatar, and China, to promote dialogue and facilitate communication.&nbsp;Ambassador Iftikhar said Pakistan&rsquo;s efforts were aimed at saving lives, reducing hostilities, and giving diplomacy a chance to succeed.&nbsp; &ldquo;He urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint and continue pursuing peaceful solutions, expressing hope that ongoing diplomatic initiatives would ultimately lead to a negotiated settlement and durable regional peace,&rdquo; according to the statement.

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan's representative at the UN urges all sides to exercise restraint and support diplomacy; warns that renewed Middle East violence risks derailing ceasefire efforts, disrupting nuclear talks, and undermining regional peace and stability.

Pakistan urges restraint, calls for diplomacy as Middle East tensions threaten peace efforts

TEHRAN: Iran&#39;s football squad, whose participation in the World Cup remains uncertain, have handed their passports to the US embassy in Turkey for visas, the head of their Football Federation said on Friday. Mehdi Taj said Iran were following instructions from world football&#39;s governing body. Their quest for the visas comes as Iran and the United States remain locked in negotiations to end the Middle East war that began in February with a massive wave of strikes on the Islamic Republic. &quot;Yesterday, I had discussions with FIFA regarding the US visas,&quot; Taj said. &quot;We were told to submit all passports to the US embassy in Ankara.&quot; The Iranian team is due to fly from Turkey to Spain on Saturday before traveling on to their base camp in Mexico, which has issued visas to the squad. &quot;We are waiting to see what happens today or, at the latest, tomorrow, because our national team needs to receive these passports and travel with them to Tijuana,&quot; said Taj. Taj said the Iranian Football Federation had &quot;raised certain points and requests, in such a way that FIFA was told that if they (the Americans) do not issue visas for the players, some members of our technical staff, and other sections of our delegation, we may make other decisions.&quot; &quot;My assessment is that all visas will be issued in full, and there most likely will not be any problem in this regard,&quot; he added. The Iranians relocated their World Cup base, which initially was planned to be in Tucson, Arizona, to the northwestern Mexican border city of Tijuana. All three of their group matches are in the United States. They open with two games in Los Angeles, against against New Zealand on 15 June and Belgium on 21 June, and play Egypt on &nbsp;27 June in Seattle.

Iran's Forward #23 Ramin Rezaeian celebrates with teammates after scoring their side's second goal during an international friendly football match between Iran and Gambia, in Antalya, southern Turkey, May 29, 2026, as part of Iran's preparation for the up

Middle East

The Iranian team is due to fly from Turkey to Spain on Saturday before traveling on to their base camp in Mexico, which has issued visas to the squad.

Iran squad hand passports to US embassy for visa approval

TIJUANA, Mexico: Iran&#39;s football team still lacks US visas and is not competing in World Cup on &quot;equal terms&quot; because of its difficulty in training ahead of the tournament, its ambassador to Mexico said Thursday. Ambassador Abolfazl Pasandideh visited the northwestern Mexican border city of Tijuana, where Iranians have relocated their training camp. They were originally planned to be based in Tucson in the US state of Arizona. The ambassador told a news conference that &quot;the country to the north&quot; -- meaning the US -- had not followed through on its responsibility of hosting the Iranian team. &quot;We don&#39;t know whether or not they&#39;re going to give the players their visas,&quot; he added. Iran will play their three World Cup group games in two west coast US cities: Los Angeles and Seattle. The head of the Iranian Football Federation has said they were hoping players would be granted multiple entry visas. &quot;We aren&#39;t participating in the World Cup on equal terms,&quot; Pasandideh said. &quot;We haven&#39;t been able to train our team like they should,&quot; he said, because of the war in the Middle East that began February 28. On Wednesday, Iranian diplomats visited the stadium where the team is training, a source from Club Tijuana that plays there told AFP. The diplomats also met with local security officials, the source said. Iran are due to play in Los Angeles on June 15 against New Zealand and on June 21 against Belgium, then in Seattle against Egypt on June 26.

Football

Iran's ambassador to Mexico says the team awaits US visas and is not competing in the World Cup on 'equal terms' because of its difficulty in training ahead of the tournament.

Iran World Cup team still waiting for US visas, ambassador says

ISLAMABAD: The US Senate on Tuesday advanced a resolution to limit President Donald Trump&rsquo;s authority to conduct military action against Iran without congressional approval, marking the first time Democrats have cleared such a procedural vote after seven failed attempts. The joint resolution, introduced by Democratic Senator Tim Kaine and several other senators, directs the president to remove US armed forces from &quot;hostilities within or against Iran&quot; unless Congress formally authorizes military action through a declaration of war or a specific use-of-force authorization. According to the text of the resolution, lawmakers argued that Congress alone has the constitutional authority to declare war under Article I of the US Constitution and that Congress has neither declared war on Iran nor approved military force against the country. The Senate voted 50-47 to discharge the resolution from the Committee, with four Republican senators, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, and Bill Cassidy, joining most Democrats in backing the resolution, while Democratic Senator John Fetterman voted against it, CBS News reported. The resolution further states that military action against Iran, including the enforcement of a naval blockade, would constitute hostilities under the War Powers Resolution. However, the measure includes provisions allowing the United States to defend itself against attacks, continue intelligence-sharing with allies, and assist partner countries targeted by Iran or its proxies through defensive support, according to the resolution. Speaking before the vote, Kaine said Americans were increasingly opposed to another conflict in the Middle East. &quot;They are deeply opposed to this war,&quot; he told reporters, according to CBS News. Kaine also linked the conflict to rising economic pressure on Americans, particularly fuel prices ahead of the Memorial Day holiday travel period. &quot;We&rsquo;re coming up on Memorial Day. A lot of people do a lot of driving, they&rsquo;re going to be paying a lot for gas,&quot; Kaine said, according to CBS News. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the vote showed growing Republican unease over the administration&rsquo;s Iran policy. &ldquo;Momentum is building to check him,&rdquo; Schumer said. The resolution still has to pass a final vote and, even then, would face major obstacles in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, which has already rejected similar efforts, and would almost certainly be vetoed by Trump if it reached his desk, AFP reported.

US Senator Tim Kaine speaks following the Senate's vote on the War Powers resolution, at the US Capitol in Washington, DC on February 13, 2020. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP)

Americas

The Senate has approved a procedural step to limit unauthorized US hostilities against Iran. However, the resolution still has to pass a final vote in both chambers of Congress and likely presidential opposition. 

US Senate moves to restrict unauthorized hostilities against Iran

WASHINGTON: One of Indian billionaire industrialist Gautam Adani&#39;s companies will pay the United States $275 million to settle a probe into whether it violated Washington&#39;s sanctions on Iran, the US Treasury said Monday. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said the agreement had been reached with Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL), part of the magnate&#39;s sprawling multinational conglomerate. &quot;AEL agreed to settle its potential civil liability for 32 apparent violations of OFAC&#39;s Iran sanctions,&quot; the Treasury said, pointing to AEL&#39;s purchases of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) between November 2023 and June 2025. Monday&#39;s announcement came days after Adani agreed to pay a separate $18 million settlement in a US civil court case linked to corruption, without admitting guilt, according to one of his other companies. In that case, Adani was accused of participating in an estimated $250 million scheme to bribe Indian officials to secure lucrative solar energy supply contracts. Monday&#39;s US settlement announcement said AEL had cooperated with OFAC&#39;s probe and agreed to additional nonmonetary remedial measures to strengthen compliance with US sanctions. The probe focused on LPG imports arranged through a Dubai-based supplier that claimed to be exporting Omani and Iraqi gas, OFAC said. &quot;Red flags should have put AEL on notice that the LPG actually originated from Iran,&quot; the statement said. Adani Enterprises confirmed the settlement in a stock exchange filing made on Monday, saying the agreement was executed on May 14. The Adani Group is one of India&#39;s largest business empires, operating businesses ranging from ports and power plants to cement factories and media houses. Adani, one of India&#39;s richest men, has been rocked in recent years by corporate fraud allegations and a stock crash. Adani is a close ally of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hails from the leader&#39;s home state of Gujarat. India is the world&#39;s second-largest buyer of LPG, and the fourth-largest buyer of liquefied natural gas, much of which is sourced through the Middle East.

Business

Taxation

Billionaire industrialist Gautam Adani's companies will pay the United States $275 million to settle a probe into whether they violated Washington's sanctions against Iran.

India's Adani to pay $275M settlement to US over alleged Iran sanctions violations

PARIS: FIFA Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom described as &quot;excellent&quot; and &quot;constructive&quot; the meeting held on Saturday in Istanbul with the Iranian federation to ensure Iran&#39;s participation in the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The Iranians are scheduled to be based in the US and play all three of their group matches there, despite the war currently being waged in the Middle East. &quot;We&#39;ve had an excellent meeting, a constructive meeting together with the Iran FA,&quot; said Grafstrom. &quot;I think we&#39;re working closely together and looking very much forward to welcoming them to the World Cup. &quot;We&#39;ve had the opportunity to discuss some of the operational matters, like we do with every member association. &quot;But I&#39;m very happy that we were able to have this positive exchange, and both the Iran FA and FIFA are very happy with the meeting and looking forward to welcoming Team Melli in the USA, Canada and Mexico.&quot; The president of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, had said on Thursday that no visas had yet been issued for Iran&#39;s team. But he also described Saturday&#39;s meeting as &quot;positive and constructive&quot; without going into details. &quot;We discussed our concerns and expressed our joint commitment to ensure the smooth participation of Team Melli,&quot; he said. The meeting, which was held at the headquarters of the Turkish Football Federation, comes as the Iranian team prepares to leave on Monday morning for a training camp in Turkey before heading to the United States. Iran hope to play two friendlies in Antalya. They have already confirmed one match, against The Gambia, on May 29, said Sam Mehdizadeh, an Iranian-Canadian who heads a company that sets up friendlies for the team. Iran have qualified for their fourth consecutive finals and, when the squad reaches the US, will set up their base camp in Tucson, Arizona. They are due to kick off their World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, before facing Belgium in the same city and then Egypt in Seattle, in Group G.

In this handout picture provided by the Iranian presidency, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian (C-L) poses for a group photo with players of the Iranian national football team during a farewell ceremony for them before their departure for the 2026 FIFA Wo

Iran hope to play two friendlies in Antalya. They have already confirmed one match, against The Gambia, on May 29.

Iran have 'constructive' meeting with FIFA over World Cup preparations

NEW DELHI: BRICS nations, including Iran and Russia, met in New Delhi on Thursday, where India warned of &quot;considerable flux&quot; in a world hit by conflict, economic uncertainty and energy insecurity. The war in Iran and the related fuel crisis are dominating discussions in the two-day gathering. India was hosting the foreign ministers from the expanded bloc that now includes Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates -- countries at odds over the conflict launched by the United States and Israel on February 28. &quot;We meet at a time of considerable flux in international relations,&quot; India&#39;s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said in his opening speech, before closed meetings began. Among the foreign ministers attending were Iran&#39;s Abbas Araghchi and Russia&#39;s Sergei Lavrov. &quot;Ongoing conflicts, economic uncertainties, and challenges in trade, technology, and climate are shaping the global landscape,&quot; Jaishankar added, saying many countries &quot;continue to face challenges on energy, food, fertilizer, and health security&quot;. Disruptions around Gulf shipping routes and the Strait of Hormuz continue to drive volatility in oil and gas markets, increasing pressure on energy-importing economies, including India. India&#39;s foreign ministry also condemned an attack on an Indian-flagged ship off Oman on Wednesday as &quot;unacceptable&quot; -- with all sailors rescued safely by Muscat. &quot;We deplore the fact that commercial shipping and civilian mariners continue to be targeted,&quot; the foreign ministry said, without giving further details of who launched the attack. Araghchi, speaking in New Delhi, insisted that the Strait of Hormuz &quot;is open for all&quot; commercial vessels that &quot;cooperate&quot; with its navy. &quot;There is no such thing as a military solution to anything related to Iran,&quot; Araghchi said. &quot;We Iranians never bow to any pressure or threat, but we reciprocate the language of respect.&quot; &#39;Volatile global environment&#39;The conflict involving Iran has added strain to India&#39;s economy, which is heavily reliant on Middle Eastern energy supplies and fertilizer imports, and has cast uncertainty over New Delhi&#39;s growth outlook. India, the world&#39;s third-largest oil buyer, normally sources about half of its crude through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway that has been repeatedly blocked since the war began. Ship‑tracking and import data show that India has partially plugged the gap by turning to old allies, expanding promising ties and reviving suppliers it had not tapped in years. The biggest backstop has been Russian crude -- a fuel source New Delhi spent much of the past year trying to pivot away from under stiff US tariffs. Jaishankar met with Lavrov on Wednesday evening. &quot;Our political cooperation is even more valuable in an uncertain and volatile global environment,&quot; Jaishankar said in remarks at the meeting, adding that discussions included &quot;trade and investment, energy and connectivity&quot;. BRICS expandsBRICS was created in 2009 as a forum for major emerging economies seeking greater influence in institutions dominated by Western powers. The grouping, originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, has since expanded, as members sought to boost the bloc&#39;s global political and economic influence. It now includes Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates. China&#39;s Foreign Minister Wang Yi was not attending, with US President Donald Trump in Beijing on Thursday. India will hold a leaders&#39; summit later this year, and the foreign ministers will also meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the foreign ministry said. With deep divisions among some members, including over the war in the Middle East and criticism of Western powers, it was unclear whether a joint statement would be released at the meeting&#39;s end.

China

Africa

Asia

Ministers meet amid widening geopolitical tensions, energy shocks and trade uncertainty, with the war in Iran exposing divisions within the expanded bloc and raising doubts about a joint statement.

Iran war and oil dominate BRICS meet in India

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday termed a report by a US television channel, claiming that Islamabad &quot;quietly allowed&quot; Iranian military aircraft to park on its airfields while playing the role of a mediator in the Middle East conflict, as &quot;misleading and sensationalised.&quot; In a statement on Tuesday, Pakistan&#39;s Foreign Office said, &quot;Pakistan categorically rejects the CBS News report regarding the presence of Iranian aircraft at Nur Khan Airbase as misleading and sensationalised. Such speculative narratives appear aimed at undermining ongoing efforts for regional stability and peace.&quot; The statement further said, &quot;Following the ceasefire and during the initial round of the Islamabad Talks, several aircraft from Iran and the US arrived in Pakistan to facilitate the movement of diplomatic personnel, security teams and administrative staff associated with the talks process.&quot; &quot;Among the military hardware was an Iranian Air Force RC-130, a reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering variant of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules tactical transport aircraft,&quot; the report added. Citing US officials, American TV channel CBS News had alleged that days after US President Trump announced the ceasefire with Iran in early April, Tehran sent multiple aircraft to the Nur Khan Air Base. The foreign office statement further said that some aircraft and support personnel remained temporarily in Pakistan in &quot;anticipation of subsequent rounds of engagement.&quot; &ldquo;Although formal negotiations have not yet resumed, senior-level diplomatic exchanges have continued. In this context, visits by the Iranian foreign minister to Islamabad were facilitated through the existing logistical and administrative arrangements,&quot; it said. &ldquo;The Iranian aircraft currently parked in Pakistan arrived during the ceasefire period and bears no linkage whatsoever to any military contingency or preservation arrangement. Assertions suggesting otherwise are speculative, misleading, and entirely detached from the factual context,&quot; the foreign office asserted. The statement added, &quot;Pakistan has consistently acted as an impartial, constructive, and responsible facilitator in support of dialogue and de-escalation. In line with this role, Pakistan has extended routine logistical and administrative support where required, while maintaining full transparency and regular communication with all relevant parties.&quot; &quot;Pakistan remains committed to supporting all sincere efforts aimed at promoting dialogue, reducing tensions, and advancing regional and global peace, stability, and security,&quot; it said.

Security

Pakistan rejects a US media report about Iranian military aircraft at Nur Khan Airbase, calling it misleading, and said the aircraft supported diplomatic and logistical arrangements linked to ceasefire talks.

Pakistan rejects report on Iranian military aircraft as ‘misleading’

TEHRAN: Iran&#39;s football federation on Saturday said that the men&#39;s national team will take part in the 2026 World Cup this summer, but demanded that joint hosts, the United States, Mexico, and Canada agree to its conditions amid the Middle East war. The call comes after Canada refused entry to the federation&#39;s chief last month before the FIFA Congress because of his links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Iran&#39;s presence at the tournament, which will take place between June 11 and July 19, has been shrouded in uncertainty since the eruption of war in the Middle East in February following strikes by the United States and Israel. &quot;We will definitely participate in the 2026 World Cup, but the hosts must take our concerns into account,&quot; the Iranian federation said on its official website. &quot;We will participate in the World Cup tournament, but without any retreat from our beliefs, culture, and convictions.&quot; The Iranian football federation (FFIRI) president, Mehdi Taj, told state TV on Friday that Tehran has 10 conditions for attending the global spectacle, seeking assurances over the country&#39;s treatment. The conditions include visas being granted and respect for the national team staff, the team&#39;s flag and its national anthem during the tournament, as well as demands for high security at airports, hotels, and routes to the stadiums where they will play. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has insisted that Iran&#39;s footballers would be welcome at the tournament. But he warned that the US may yet bar entry to members of the Iranian delegation with ties to the IRGC, which it also designates as a terrorist organization. &quot;All players and technical staff, especially those who have served their military service in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps or IRGC, such as Mehdi Taremi and Ehsan Hajsafi, should be granted visas without any problems,&quot; said Iranian football chief Taj. FIFA chief Gianni Infantino has reiterated that Iran will play their World Cup games in the United States as scheduled. Iran, who are due to be based in Tucson, Arizona, during the World Cup, face New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt in Group G. The Iranians open their World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15. &quot;No external power can deprive Iran of its participation in a cup to which it has qualified with merit,&quot; the Iranian federation said on Saturday.

Workers install the pitch at New York New Jersey Stadium ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on May 7, 2026. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP)

The call comes after Canada refused entry to the federation's chief last month before the FIFA Congress because of his links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC); Conditions include visas being granted and respect for the national team staff, the team's flag and its national anthem during the tournament, as well as demands for high security at airports, hotels, and routes to the stadiums.

Iran says will play in World Cup, demands hosts accept conditions

BEIRUT: More than half of Lebanon&#39;s population depends on humanitarian aid, a European Union official said on Friday, as Israel continues its attacks on the country despite a ceasefire in the two-month-long war with militant group Hezbollah. &quot;At present, more than three million people, meaning more than half of the population here in Lebanon, depend on humanitarian aid to survive,&quot; EU crisis management chief Hadja Lahbib told reporters after meeting Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Beirut. Lahbib said that since the start of the war on March 2 the 27-member bloc has provided 100 million euros in aid and sent six planes carrying humanitarian aid, with a seventh expected on Saturday. Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed more than 2,700 people and displaced over one million since early March, according to authorities. The UN launched an emergency appeal in March for $308 million in humanitarian aid for Lebanon, but in two months it has raised just $126 million, according to UN agencies. Lahbib, who said that the ceasefire has opened &quot;a narrow window of hope&quot;, called for Hezbollah &quot;to cease its attacks and be disarmed&quot; and said that &quot;Israel must put an end to its bombardments&quot;. &quot;For a ceasefire to lead to peace, courage is needed -- political courage to address the root causes of this conflict.&quot; Israel and Lebanon are set to hold a third round of talks in Washington next week to end the war, despite Hezbollah&#39;s opposition to direct negotiations.

More than half of Lebanon’s population depends on humanitarian aid, the EU said, as Israeli strikes continue despite a ceasefire and Washington talks seek to end the war.

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