The U.S. State Department released a statement after the meeting saying the two sides had “productive discussions on steps toward launching direct negotiations.” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted the first direct talks between Israel and Lebanon in decades on ​Tuesday and both sides said they held positive discussions …

Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, and Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Kabul, Faisal bin Talq Al-Baqmi, discussed regional developments and recent talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan held in the Chinese city of Urumqi during a meeting on Wednesday. According to a statement …

Iran earned nearly $5bn in oil exports in the past month while it shut the strait for most other ships. That revenue is at risk. The United States naval blockade of Iran has come into effect as President Donald Trump’s administration tries to pressure Tehran into accepting its terms for …