Web Desk/AFP

Americas

Middle East

UAE says drone hit an electrical generator at nuclear power station; UN atomic watchdog expresses "grave concern" over drone strike, says radiation levels remain normal; Iran media says 'no tangible concessions' in US response to Iran proposal.





Trump warns 'won't be anything left' of Iran unless it agrees to deal

State Department says negotiations toward a permanent political agreement take place June 2 and 3, while the Pentagon convenes military delegations from both countries on May 29 to coordinate discussions, address concerns and support efforts.

Day 77: All you need to know about US-Israel war on Iran

BEIJING: President Donald Trump said he had made &quot;fantastic trade deals&quot; with China&#39;s Xi Jinping, as the pair met on Friday at final talks of a superpower summit that according to the US leader has also reaped a Chinese offer to help open the Strait of Hormuz. Trump had arrived in Beijing seeking to seal deals in sectors including agriculture, aviation and artificial intelligence, as well as to contain differences between the two sides in a number of tense geostrategic areas -- not least the Middle East war. Trump&#39;s overtures to Xi, whom he described as a &quot;great leader&quot; and &quot;friend&quot;, have so far been met with more muted tones by the Chinese leader. But the US leader said &quot;a lot of good&quot; has come out of the visit. &quot;We&#39;ve made some fantastic trade deals, great for both countries,&quot; he said after a walk with Xi among the rosebushes in the gardens of Zhongnanhai, a central leadership compound next to Beijing&#39;s Forbidden City. &quot;We&#39;ve settled a lot of different problems that other people wouldn&#39;t have been able to solve,&quot; he added, without providing details. Xi said it was a &quot;milestone visit&quot;, and that the two sides had to date established &quot;a new bilateral relationship, which is a relationship of constructive strategic stability&quot;. He promised to send Trump seeds for the White House Rose Garden. &#39;Help on Hormuz&#39;&nbsp;In an interview with Fox News after the first day of the summit wrapped, Trump said Xi had agreed to several US wish list points. On the topic of the war in Iran, the US president said Xi had effectively assured his counterpart that China was not preparing to militarily aid Tehran, which has essentially closed the Strait of Hormuz. &quot;He said he&#39;s not going to give military equipment... he said that strongly,&quot; Trump told Fox. &quot;He&#39;d like to see the Hormuz Strait open, and said &#39;if I can be of any help whatsoever, I would like to help,&#39;&quot; Trump added. Asked whether the two leaders had discussed Iran, the Chinese foreign ministry on Friday released a statement calling for &quot;a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire&quot;. &quot;Shipping lanes should be reopened as soon as possible in response to the calls of the international community,&quot; it added. Boeing, oil, soybeans&nbsp;Trump did not spell out on Friday the trade agreements that he said had been sealed with China. However, in the Fox interview, Trump said one big business deal struck involved Xi agreeing to purchase &quot;200 big&quot; Boeing jets. Shares of the US aviation giant fell after Trump&#39;s comments, in a sign the market had expected a more robust purchase from China. The US president also said Beijing had also voiced interest in buying US oil and soybeans. And Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC that Trump and Xi were talking about setting up &quot;guardrails&quot; for the use of artificial intelligence. Bessent said the world&#39;s &quot;two AI superpowers are going to start talking&quot;, though US export controls on the advanced technology to China remain a sore point in relations.

China

'We've made some fantastic trade deals, great for both countries,' he said after a walk with Xi among the rosebushes in the gardens of Zhongnanhai, a central leadership compound next to Beijing's Forbidden City.

Trump says made 'fantastic trade deals' with Xi

Web Desk

China's President Xi Jinping (L) looks at US President Donald Trump as they attend a state banquet at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 14, 2026. (AFP)

US president says President Xi offered China's help to open the strait, pledges not to send military equipment to aid Iran; Iranian media reports that naval forces allowed Chinese ships to pass through Hormuz; Israel, Lebanon to open new round of peace talks in Washington.




Day 76: All you need to know about US-Israel war on Iran

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed US President Donald Trump with a handshake in Beijing on Thursday for a superpower summit. Xi greeted Trump at the Great Hall of the People at just past 10:00 a.m. (0200 GMT). Accompanied by Trump, Xi shook hands with several US officials, including Pentagon Peter Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Trump and Xi stood in the center as a Chinese military band played The Star-Spangled Banner, then the Chinese national anthem, as cannons fired. Jumping schoolchildren in brightly colored outfits waving US and Chinese flags chanted &quot;welcome, welcome&quot; as Trump and Xi walked past them in the square. The two leaders will also enjoy a state banquet at the hall in the evening, and Trump will visit the historic Temple of Heaven, a World Heritage site where China&#39;s emperors once prayed for a good harvest. The US president arrived for the two-day summit on Air Force One late Wednesday, accompanied by top CEOs, including Nvidia&#39;s Jensen Huang and Tesla&#39;s Elon Musk -- symbols of business deals Trump hopes to reach. The trip to Beijing marks the first by a US president in nearly a decade, following Trump&#39;s visit in 2017. &#39;Big hug&#39;&nbsp;At the top of Trump&#39;s wish list will be business deals in agriculture, aircraft and other areas, with a host of top US businessmen in the US leader&#39;s delegation. Aboard Air Force One en route to Beijing, Trump vowed on social media to push Xi to &quot;open up&quot; China to US firms &quot;so that these brilliant people can work their magic.&quot; The US president said he expected a &quot;long talk&quot; with Xi about Iran, which sells most of its US-sanctioned oil to China, but insisted that &quot;I don&#39;t think we need any help with Iran&quot; from Beijing. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio struck a somewhat different tone. &quot;We hope to convince them to play a more active role in getting Iran to walk away from what they are doing now, and trying to do now in the Persian Gulf,&quot; US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told broadcaster Fox News in an interview aired Wednesday. Tariff truce?&nbsp;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 that the two leaders reached during their last meeting in South Korea in October, though a deal remains far from certain. China&#39;s controls on rare earth exports, AI rivalry and the countries&#39; trade relationship are also among the topics expected to be taken up by the two heads of state. Trump will also hope to leave with a firm date for Xi&#39;s reciprocal visit to the United States later in 2026.

The two leaders shook hands after Trump arrived in a motorcade to the steps, where a US delegation including State Secretary Marco Rubio, War Secretary Pete Hegseth and business CEOs including Elon Musk awaited him.

Trump and Xi meet for high-stakes talks in Beijing

'I think that we are making progress. The fundamental question is do we make enough progress that we satisfy the president’s red line?' Vance tells reporters at the White House.

Day 75: All you need to know about US-Israel war on Iran

Day 74: All you need to know about US-Israel war on Iran

BEIJING:&nbsp;Donald Trump was due in Beijing Wednesday on the first visit to China by a US president in nearly a decade, as he seeks to ramp up trade. Leaving Washington on Tuesday on a trip that was delayed by his war, <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/china-confirms-trumps-visit-this-week" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trump</a> said he expected a &quot;long talk&quot; with counterpart&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/china-us-to-exchange-views-on-major-issues-during-trump-visit" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Xi Jinping</a> about Iran. But he also played down disagreements on Iran, saying that Xi has been &quot;relatively good, to be honest with you&quot;. &quot;I don&#39;t think we need any help with Iran. We&#39;ll win it one way or the other. We&#39;ll win it peacefully or otherwise,&quot; Trump told reporters as he left the White House. This week&#39;s trip -- the first since Trump visited in 2017 -- will involve high-stakes talks with Xi on Thursday and Friday, during a packed itinerary that includes a state banquet and tea reception. China&#39;s controls on rare earth exports and the countries&#39; trade relationship are among the topics expected to be taken up by the heads of the world&#39;s top two economies. The buildup to the superpower summit was already visible Tuesday on the streets of Beijing, with police monitoring major intersections and checking the ID cards of passengers on the metro, AFP journalists saw. &#39;Definitely a big deal&#39;&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. &quot;Some progress will certainly be made,&quot; she said, noting that she hopes China and the United States can ensure &quot;lasting peace&quot; despite &quot;recent instability in the global situation&quot;. Trade ties between Beijing and Washington have been fraught in recent years. The two sides are currently maintaining a one-year truce in their tariff war reached at Trump and Xi&#39;s last meeting in South Korea in October. China&#39;s major surplus in trade with the United States has long irked Trump, who slapped tariffs on the country&#39;s goods during his first term in office. Trump will be accompanied in China by a large group of top US business executives, including Tesla&#39;s Elon Musk and Apple&#39;s Tim Cook, the White House has said. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">&#39;Positive results&#39;</h2>For Li Jiahao, 30, who manages a Beijing karaoke bar, the summit will not necessarily solve all problems in China-US relations -- though he is hoping for &quot;positive results&quot;. &quot;Coming here and actually resolving the issues are two different things,&quot; he told AFP. &quot;China and the United States both have responsibilities as major powers,&quot; he said, adding that &quot;only through friendship can we achieve mutual development and become stronger&quot;. The war in Iran -- launched by the United States and Israel on Feb. 28 -- has presented new challenges in the already-complicated relationship between Beijing and Washington. The US Treasury Department on Monday sanctioned 12 individuals and entities -- including several based in Hong Kong -- it said facilitated sale and shipment of Iranian oil to China. Asked about the latest moves on Tuesday, Guo Jiakun, a spokesman for Beijing&#39;s foreign ministry, said that &quot;China firmly opposes illegal unilateral sanctions&quot;.

Asia

China's controls on rare earth exports and the countries' trade relationship are among the topics expected to be taken up by the heads of the world's top two economies.

Trump heads to China for superpower summit

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday intensified diplomatic efforts to support peace in the Middle East. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif exchanged views with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on regional developments, while Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar discussed ceasefire efforts and Iran-US dialogue with his Chinese and Austrian counterparts. <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; caret-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;" id="isPasted"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; caret-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;">Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif early today spoke with the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, where the two exchanged views on regional developments and the ongoing peace efforts in the Middle East.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; caret-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;"> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) !important; display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 550px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2054208988540203118&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=6aeaddf941de694dd997cb3e29f6b8f93451be29&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) !important; position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 369px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; caret-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;"> In a statement on his X, PM Sharif stated that during the cordial exchange, they reaffirmed the deep fraternal bonds between Pakistan and Azerbaijan and their shared commitment to further strengthening cooperation in trade, investment, energy, and people-to-people ties.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; caret-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; caret-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;">&ldquo;I conveyed my best wishes for the successful convening of the World Urban Forum in Baku next week and expressed confidence that, under President Aliyev&rsquo;s leadership, the Forum will make a meaningful contribution to advancing the global urban development agenda,&rdquo; said the statement.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; caret-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;"> PM Sharif also assured him that Pakistan would be &ldquo;well-represented&rdquo; at the forum, as per the statement.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; caret-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;"> He also deeply appreciated President Aliyev&rsquo;s words regarding Pakistan&rsquo;s sincere efforts to advance peace, dialogue, and diplomacy in the region, it added. Appreciation and support According to a statement from the Foreign Office, FM Dar spoke with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, where the two leaders exchanged in-depth views on recent regional developments and Pakistan&rsquo;s ongoing efforts to facilitate engagement between Iran and the United States, which, as per the statement, are aimed at promoting sustained peace and stability in the region and beyond. <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" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 770px; 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=2054225067630797038&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=6aeaddf941de694dd997cb3e29f6b8f93451be29&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> The Chinese foreign minister reiterated &ldquo;appreciation and support&rdquo; for Pakistan&rsquo;s constructive mediation role, according to the statement. The two sides agreed to maintain close communication on all matters of mutual interest, the statement said. &ldquo;Both sides underscored the importance of continuing a durable ceasefire and ensuring normal passage through the Strait of Hormuz,&rdquo; added the statement. Both sides also discussed planned high-level exchanges, activities to mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China, and broader bilateral and multilateral cooperation. Pakistan&rsquo;s constructive roleEarlier today, FM Dar also spoke with Austrian counterpart Beate Meinl-Reisinger, who appreciated Pakistan&rsquo;s constructive role in promoting dialogue and mediating between Iran and the United States, according to the Foreign Office statement. <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-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 770px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2054216668994302113&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=6aeaddf941de694dd997cb3e29f6b8f93451be29&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> FM Dar reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to sustained diplomatic engagement, including continued efforts to facilitate dialogue between the two, to maintain peace and stability in the region and beyond. Both foreign ministers agreed to remain in close contact, the statement added.

Foreign Affairs

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif exchanges views with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on regional developments, while Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar discusses ceasefire efforts and Iran-US dialogue with his Chinese and Austrian counterparts.

Pakistan steps up diplomacy with China, Austria, Azerbaijan on Middle East

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Asim Iftikhar Ahmad called for reforms to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/un-security-council-demands-iran-halt-attacks-on-gulf-states" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">UN Security Council</a>&nbsp;and urged stronger multilateral cooperation during a briefing with a visiting US Army War College delegation, according to a statement released Tuesday by Pakistan&rsquo;s Mission to the UN. According to the statement posted on X, a 40-member delegation from the United States Army War College, led by Colonel Stephan Walters and including five female officers, visited Pakistan&rsquo;s mission to the United Nations for a country briefing. UN reform push Asim Iftikhar told participants the United Nations remained the central platform for addressing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/world-must-to-unite-hold-us-accountable-for-normalizing-the-proliferation-of-nukes-iran-fm" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">international peace</a>&nbsp;and security, development, human rights, climate change and emerging challenges such as artificial intelligence and information technology. He said global challenges were too interconnected for any country to address alone and called for stronger multilateral cooperation through the UN framework. The ambassador also discussed ongoing UN reform efforts, including changes to the Security Council and revitalization of the General Assembly. He said Pakistan supports &ldquo;democratic, transparent, and accountable&rdquo; reform of the Security Council while opposing the creation of new permanent seats. Pakistan&rsquo;s UNSC role Asim Iftikhar pointed to Pakistan&rsquo;s role as a current member of the UN Security Council in peacekeeping,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-sri-lanka-conclude-twoweek-joint-counterterrorism-drills" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">counterterrorism</a>, regional stability and promoting peaceful settlement of disputes. He also referred to the recent adoption of a Security Council resolution during Pakistan&rsquo;s council presidency that committed to peaceful dispute resolution under Chapter VI of the UN Charter. US-Iran tensions The discussions also focused on tensions involving the United States and Iran, the evolving security situation in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/us-israel-war-on-iran-day-74" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Middle East</a>, demographic change, artificial intelligence and Islamophobia. The Pakistani ambassador warned that instability linked to US-Iran tensions had affected global energy markets, oil and gas supplies, fertilizer availability, food security, inflation, maritime trade and global economic growth. Regional diplomacy Asim Iftikhar said disruption in the Strait of Hormuz carried serious implications for global energy flows and trade routes. He stated that the United Nations had examined several scenarios linked to a prolonged crisis and said Pakistan had also experienced economic effects from the regional instability. He described Pakistan&rsquo;s relationship with the United States as broad-based, covering security, defense, counterterrorism, economic cooperation and trade. He also said Pakistan had engaged with the United States, Iran, Gulf countries, Egypt, China and Turkiye to support de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy. AI and Islamophobia On artificial intelligence, Ahmad said growing use of AI in policy-making and institutional decision-making would raise human rights concerns and become a larger issue within the United Nations system. Addressing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/international-day-to-combat-islamophobia-data-shows-antimuslim-hate-rising-in-india-other-countries" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Islamophobia</a>, the Pakistani envoy said freedom of religion and belief remained a fundamental human right. He noted Pakistan&rsquo;s support for efforts at the United Nations to establish a special envoy to combat Islamophobia. The delegation included 33 American participants, two from Pakistan and one each from T&uuml;rkiye, Sri Lanka, Moldova, Guatemala and Ecuador.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United Nations Asim Iftikhar Ahmad speaks during a May 11 briefing with a visiting US Army War College delegation at Pakistan’s UN mission in New York. (Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the UN)

Pakistan says it supports UN reform, multilateral diplomacy and dialogue on global security issues, including Middle East tensions, artificial intelligence and Islamophobia.

Pakistan ambassador calls for UN reform during US military delegation visit

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.

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