Middle East: Pakistan sees progress in US-Iran mediation

Middle East: Pakistan sees progress in US-Iran mediation Published August 25, 2026last updated August 25, 2026What you need to know Here are the latest developments from the Iran war and the Middle East on Tuesday, August 25: - Pakistan reports progress in talks aimed at ending US-Israeli war with Iran - Iran says it is ready to respond to new US sanctions - IMO records 68 maritime incidents since Iran war began Tired of missing our real-time updates? Click here to add us as a Preferred Source on Google. Iran vows retaliation over expanded US sanctions Iran vowed to retaliate against expanded US sanctions, saying it was "fully prepared" to respond to what it called an economic attack. Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh said Tehran had its, "own tools and know how to play the game." His statement came after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced fresh sanctions targeting 60 individuals, entities, and vessels linked to Iran. Washington warned countries that continued trading with Iran could risk losing access to the dollar-based financial system. You can read more about the US sanctions on Iran by clicking here. Pakistan notes progress in mediation talks Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said "significant progress" has been made in talks focused on the US-Israeli conflict with Iran and efforts to secure a path to peace. "We remain hopeful that this momentum will help pave the way for further progress and lasting peace in the region," Naqvi wrote on social media. Naqvi's statement came after he and Pakistan's army chief, Asim Munir, a key mediator in the conflict, visited Iran. There, they held separate meetings with the president, the chief negotiator and the head of the country's highest national security body. Pakistan's military said discussions in Tehran centered on preventing further escalation, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and bringing the conflict to an early end. "The Iranian President candidly shared his government's perspective, and we had a very constructive exchange on the issues involved," Naqvi said in a post on social media. The visit came after Munir spoke with US President Donald Trump. The White House and State Department did not immediately comment on the talks. Pakistan has emerged as a key mediator, conveying messages and coordinating positions between Washington and Tehran. Welcome to our coverage Publicly, the United States is pursuing what it calls an "unprecedented" effort to squeeze Iran's economy by targeting its trading partners. Tehran, meanwhile, says it remains confident that key economic partners will resist Washington's pressure campaign. At the same time, and largely away from the public spotlight, Pakistan says it is making progress in efforts to help steer the United States and Iran back toward a path of peace. All of this is unfolding against a backdrop of mounting concerns in the Strait of Hormuz, where commodity vessel transits have fallen to a three-month low. That is perhaps not surprising when you consider new data from the International Maritime Organization showing that 20 seafarers or port workers were killed, 35 were wounded and one remains missing during the six-monthwar involving Iran, the United States and Israel. We'll connect these developments, and several other key stories, in our look at the Middle East today.