United States forces said they have attacked missile launch sites and mine-laying vessels in southern Iran, in what a US military spokesman described as “self-defence” strikes. Earlier, Iranian media reported explosions in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas.

Pakistan is continuing to play a behind-the-scenes diplomatic role between the United States and Iran as tensions remain high over the ongoing conflict and negotiations.

US President Donald Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping wants the Strait of Hormuz reopened, following talks between the two leaders in Beijing that focused heavily on the Iran conflict and disruptions to global energy supplies.

Several governments have urged their citizens to leave Iran immediately, while others are pulling non-essential embassy personnel from sensitive locations, citing security concerns.

The discussions took place in Muscat, with the US delegation led by special envoy Steve Witkoff and the Iranian side headed by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has announced that he has instructed diplomats to pursue negotiations with the United States, signalling a possible easing of tensions after weeks of heightened military rhetoric and manoeuvres in the region.

Two diplomatic sources told AFP on Thursday that the security posture at Qatar's Al-Udeid Airbase had been lowered after a number of personnel had been told to leave on Wednesday over the regional tensions.

US President Donald Trump urged Iranians on Tuesday to keep protesting against the country's theocratic leadership, telling them "help is on its way" as international outrage grows over a crackdown rights groups say has left at least hundreds dead.

Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodriguez on Sunday created a commission to seek the release of president Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, who were removed from power by US forces in Caracas.

The United States is ready to work with Venezuela's remaining leaders if they make "the right decision," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday after an audacious US operation removed the oil-rich country's president, Nicolas Maduro.

Zohran Mamdani, the young upstart of the US left, was sworn in Thursday to take over as New York mayor for a term sure to see him cross swords with President Donald Trump.

Israel's Mossad spy agency issued a direct call urging Iranians to press on with protests, saying it was supporting them "on the ground" as demonstrations spread in capital Tehran and other Iranian cities.

The United States signed an agreement on the supply chains with key Asia-Pacific allies concerned about China's growing clout -- Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Australia -- as well as Israel.

Washington, United States - President Donald Trump said Monday he had reached an agreement with President Xi Jinping to allow US chip giant Nvidia to export advanced artificial intelligence chips to China. The announcement marked a significant shift in US export policy for advanced AI chips, which Joe Biden's administration...

Axios also reported White House envoy Steve Witkoff hosted the meeting, with Mossad spy chief David Barnea representing Israel and an unnamed senior Qatari official in attendance.

San Francisco, United States - Amazon on Monday began testing "ultra-fast" deliveries in two US cities, giving some shoppers the option of having groceries or household essentials at their doors within 30 minutes. An "Amazon Now" feature built into the e-commerce giant's app let shoppers in parts of Seattle, Washington,...

US President Donald Trump said Sunday his administration intends to maintain a pause on asylum decisions for "a long time" after an Afghan national allegedly shot two National Guard members near the White House, killing one of them.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping pressed the ever-sensitive issue of Taiwan in a phone call Monday with US President Donald Trump, as he stressed the need to build on a fragile trade truce between the two superpowers.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that the UN's nuclear watchdog would not be given access to Iranian nuclear sites attacked during its recent war with Israel without a concrete deal being agreed.

Saudi Crown Prince said that his kingdom wanted to normalize relations with Israel through US President Donald Trump's Abraham Accords, but first needed a "clear path" to Palestinian statehood.

Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump who helped broker the ceasefire, met Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Monday as part of US efforts to stabilise the truce and lay the groundwork for its next phase.

Syria's president will discuss issues including lifting remaining sanctions, reconstruction and counter-terrorism when he becomes the country's first leader to pay an official visit to Washington later this month, the foreign minister said Sunday.

Iran said on Saturday that it was no longer bound by restrictions on its nuclear programme as a landmark 10-year deal between it and world powers expired, though Tehran reiterated its "commitment to diplomacy".

In his latest abrupt pivot on Russia's 2022 invasion, Trump said he expected to meet Putin in Budapest within the next two weeks for what would be their second summit since the American's return to power.

US President Donald Trump said Friday he no longer feels the need for a summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping this month, slamming Beijing for hostile trade practices and threatening "massive" tariffs.

Damascus, Syria - Syria announced a comprehensive ceasefire with Kurdish forces after a meeting Tuesday between Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Kurdish leader Mazloum Abdi that followed deadly clashes in the northern city of Aleppo. Syria's authorities, who took power last year after the ouster of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad,...

Beijing, China - China's push to develop top-end artificial intelligence microchips is gaining momentum, but analysts say it will struggle to match the technical might of US powerhouse Nvidia within the current decade. Ramping up its chip industry is a way for Beijing to beat restrictions imposed by Washington on...

Iran's top diplomat said Sunday that cooperation with the United Nations nuclear watchdog was no longer relevant following the reimposition of international sanctions on the Islamic republic.

Trump voiced optimism about ending nearly two years of devastating war, echoing the confidence expressed a day earlier on the sidelines of the United Nations by his roving envoy, Steve Witkoff.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed not to allow a Palestinian state and far-right members of his cabinet have threatened to annex the West Bank to make statehood impossible.

San Sebastian, Spain - American actress Angelina Jolie said Sunday she no longer recognises her country, voicing concern over threats to free expression while presenting her latest film at Spain’s San Sebastián film festival. Her comments come as worries grow over free speech in the United States, after President Donald...

Here is an overview of diplomatic recognition of the state, which was unilaterally proclaimed by the Palestinian leadership in exile in 1988.

A deal for the Chinese parent company of popular video-sharing app TikTok to sell its US operations would see the creation of a board dominated by Americans, the White House said Saturday.

The United States on Thursday again wielded its veto and thwarted a UN Security Council call for a ceasefire in Gaza, shielding its ally Israel from meaningful diplomatic pressure.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell stressed that the central bank remains "strongly committed" to maintaining its independence from politics, however, when asked about the addition of a key advisor to Trump among its ranks this week.

Beijing, China -- China urged the United States on Friday to address their TikTok dispute through dialogue, as top leaders from both countries are set to discuss the social media platform in Spain next week. The deadline for the popular app to find a non-Chinese buyer or be banned in...

Doha, a key US ally that hosts the largest American base in the region, has hosted Hamas' political bureau since 2012 with the blessing of the United States.

Responding to questions from journalists, Morcos said "the Lebanese army will begin implementing the plan, but in accordance with the available capabilities, which are limited in terms of logistics, material and human resources".

The Lebanese government is set to discuss on Friday an army plan to disarm Hezbollah, which the Iran-backed group opposes, accusing the cabinet of playing into the hands of Israel and the United States.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russia's Vladimir Putin flanked Xi Jinping at a massive parade of military might in Beijing on Wednesday, capping a week of diplomatic grandstanding by the Chinese president and his allies against the West.

Hamas denounced on Monday a plan reportedly being considered by US President Donald Trump for the United States to take control of the devastated Gaza Strip and for its population to be relocated.

Iran said Wednesday that the return of UN nuclear inspectors did not represent a full resumption of cooperation, which was suspended in the aftermath of June attacks by Israel and the United States.

Rubio, to the delight of President Donald Trump's right-wing base, has proudly moved against students using an obscure law that allows him to rescind visas for people deemed to counter US foreign policy interests.

"There's no deal until there's a deal," Trump said after emerging from a meeting with Putin. offering warm words but taking no questions from reporters - a highly unusual approach for the media-savvy US president.

Tokyo, Japan - Bitcoin hit a record high on Thursday during early Asian trading, surpassing $124,000, driven by favourable US legislation and a rise in US equities. The cryptocurrency rose above its previous July record, briefly exceeding $124,500 before retreating.US stocks ended higher Wednesday, with the S&P 500 index and...

The United States on Monday toughened its terrorist designation of separatist militants in Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province who were behind a major train attack in March.

In a statement, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei described the claims as "baseless", calling them "an attempt to divert public attention from the most pressing issue of the day, the genocide in occupied Palestine".

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that imports from India will face 25 percent tariffs, while also announcing an unspecified "penalty" over New Delhi's purchases of Russian weapons and energy.

Palo Alto, United States - Palantir, an American data analysis and artificial intelligence company, has emerged as Silicon Valley's latest tech darling -- one that makes no secret of its macho, America-first ethos now ascendant in Trump-era tech culture. The company's reach spans the global economy, with banks, hospitals, the...

Syrian diplomatic source said Saturday that a US-mediated meeting with Israeli officials in Paris this week sought to "contain the escalation" after recent sectarian violence in southern Syria prompted Israeli intervention.