Key development: Trump’s sending envoys to Pakistan tomorrow to meet Iran’s foreign minister, who just landed in Islamabad, setting up the first concrete talks since the ceasefire started.
Diplomacy
(Update) Iran’s foreign minister arrived in Islamabad and Trump’s dispatching Witkoff and Kushner tomorrow for talks. First real shot at negotiations since the ceasefire began, though Iran says no direct meetings. (Al Jazeera, France24, Euronews)
Context: Abbas Araghchi landed in Pakistan late Friday for what Iran’s calling “bilateral consultations.” The White House confirmed Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are heading there Saturday morning. Iran’s ministry has ruled out direct talks with the US team, but having both sides in the same city is still the closest thing to negotiations we’ve seen. Yesterday we just knew talks were being planned—now they’re actually happening.
| Sources: Al Jazeera | France24 | Euronews |
Inside Iran
(Update) Tehran’s main airport reopened for international flights after two months. Sign the ceasefire’s holding despite the blockade standoff. (Al Jazeera)
Context: Commercial flights started up again at Imam Khomeini International Airport for the first time since the war kicked off about two months ago. It’s a concrete sign things are stabilizing inside Iran, even as the naval blockade continues and ship seizures keep happening.
Sources: Al Jazeera
Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei hasn’t been seen in public since taking power. [UNCONFIRMED] The New York Times reports he’s hiding and running things through handwritten notes, possibly injured in the strike that killed his father. (France24)
Context: Mojtaba was named supreme leader after his father died in a strike almost two months ago, but he’s stayed completely out of sight. The Times report says he’s in hiding, fears for his life, and makes decisions by passing notes. No independent confirmation of his condition or whereabouts.
Sources: France24
Economy
(Update) The US just sanctioned a major Chinese refinery for buying Iranian oil. Treasury says the Hengli “teapot” refinery has generated hundreds of millions for Iran’s military. (Al Jazeera)
Context: This is the first time the US has gone after a specific Chinese buyer to enforce the Iran blockade. The Hengli refinery is one of China’s large independent refiners. It’s a concrete escalation in US enforcement, targeting the buyers rather than just Iranian sellers.
Sources: Al Jazeera
International
(Update) Global shipping body says both the US and Iran are violating international law with their ship seizures. International Chamber of Shipping wants crews released immediately. (Al Jazeera)
Context: The shipping industry’s main international body has formally declared that both sides are breaking the law by seizing each other’s commercial vessels. They’re demanding the US and Iran release the crews. It’s the first major international organization to call out both sides equally on the blockade tactics.
Sources: Al Jazeera
EU leaders met with Middle Eastern counterparts in Cyprus to shore up economic and security ties. Trying to minimize spillover from the Iran war. (Euronews)
Context: Leaders from Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and the Gulf Cooperation Council met EU leaders in Nicosia on the sidelines of an EU summit. Cyprus has become Europe’s frontier for this conflict—a Shahed drone from Lebanon hit the British base there on March 1, bringing the war uncomfortably close to Europe.
Sources: Euronews
What to watch: Whether Iran and the US envoys actually end up in the same room in Islamabad, or if Pakistan just shuttles messages between them.