Pakistan, Qatar push US, Iran back from the brink

Joint proposal urges return to pre-July 9 positions to restart talks

Houthis announce naval blockade as war widens across region

A fresh diplomatic push is underway to pull the United States and Iran back from all out war. Pakistan and Qatar have jointly proposed that both countries return to the positions they held before July 9, calling it the first step toward ending months of fighting. Pakistani government sources said the formula was drafted by Islamabad and Doha after consulting regional partners.

According to the proposal, returning to the pre-July 9 position would halt the current wave of hostilities and pave the way for talks to resume, either in Islamabad or Doha. Under the plan, Iran would immediately reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway that carries a large share of the world’s oil. In return, the United States would end its blockade of Iranian ports and lift sanctions on Iranian oil sales. The proposal also includes a two week ceasefire to pause retaliatory strikes and create room for negotiations. If both sides agree, talks would resume immediately, with a ceasefire in southern Lebanon topping the agenda. Mediators say they are hopeful for a positive response soon.

Iran confirmed separately that it has received proposals from international mediators aimed at reducing tensions. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran is reviewing these proposals but declined to share details. He said Iran’s diplomatic corps continues its work alongside the armed forces, adding that while the military responds firmly to what Iran calls American aggression, diplomacy remains fully active.

Despite this diplomatic movement, the ground situation remains tense. US forces struck Iran for a ninth consecutive day on Monday. Iran said two oil tankers exploded and lost power in the Strait of Hormuz. Separately, a vessel caught fire in the strait after being hit by a projectile near Oman. The crew escaped safely and was rescued by a tugboat, though the ship remained ablaze and adrift.

Yemen’s Houthi movement announced a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia on Monday, calling it retaliation for a siege on Yemen. Analysts warned that a full blockade of the Bab el-Mandeb strait could cut global oil supply by seven percent, on top of the ten percent drop already caused by the Iran war.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran is engaged in a full scale war with the United States and must accept the consequences of its resistance. He defended the Islamabad memorandum signed with Washington, saying it favoured Iran’s interests without requiring compromise on its principles.

Parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf accused the US of contradicting its own peace claims by sending more military equipment to the region. He said Iran had prepared accordingly and that actions must match words.

The Pentagon confirmed two more American soldiers killed in Iranian strikes on Jordan, bringing total deaths in the conflict to 17 on the US side. President Trump warned that Iran would pay heavily for every soldier killed.

Kuwait said its air defences intercepted hostile drones, while Bahrain activated emergency sirens twice and urged citizens to reach safety. South Korea advised its citizens to leave the Middle East immediately.