Latest world news

US, Pak favour talks with Taliban

Published

9 years ago

July 29, 2017

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Both countries believe inclusion of Taliban in the Afghan peace talks are a must for lasting stability in the conflict-torn country

The US administration and Pakistan have reiterated the need for engaging with and including the Taliban in the Afghanistan peace process.

According to Pakistani media major, The Dawn, Heather Nauert, spokesperson for the US State Department, while describing Secretary Rex Tillerson’s views on how to resolve the Afghan crisis said, “One of the things that the Secretary [of State] feels very strongly about is trying to get to a place where we can have some sort of a peace process. And that means actually sitting down and talking with members of the Taliban and starting to facilitate that kind of dialogue.”

The State Department spokesperson further said that the military option was part of an overall strategy for Afghanistan but “in the long run you have to bring both sides to the table or multiple sides to the table together to determine their future.”

Asked if she was optimistic about involving Taliban in the Afghan peace process, Nauert said: “When we can get to the point where we might be able to help facilitate along with Afghanistan to get people to sit down and talk together then that would certainly be a step in the right direction.” She added that until such a point was reached, the US would continue to support its Afghan partners, a phrase used for the present Kabul government.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s ambassador to US, Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry expressed similar views while recently addressing the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Washington. He was quoted as saying, “Pakistan continues to support an inclusive political reconciliation process in Afghanistan as the only viable path towards obtaining lasting peace in the region.” He further said that there was no military solution to Afghanistan conflict.

Ambassador Chaudhry identified key steps for restoring peace and stability in Afghanistan including intra-Afghan reconciliation, robust border management, repatriation of Afghan refugees and close Islamabad-Kabul cooperation.

Meanwhile, according to a separate report in The Dawn, the White House has confirmed that a team of security and foreign policy experts are now working on a new strategy to end the Afghan war. It further says that the White House has also confirmed that the new strategy would go beyond Afghanistan and cover the entire South Asia region – from India to Iran – as well as parts of Central Asia.

Earlier this week, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen Joseph Dunford had reportedly said, “a critical element of our strategy in the region has to be Pakistan.” He further said that US “cannot be successful in Afghanistan — we’ve seen that over the last several years – unless we have a higher degree of cooperation from Pakistan”.

Taliban representatives met Kabul government in July 2015 for the first time in Pakistan. US had also played instrumental role in getting a Taliban representative office opened in Doha, the Qatari capital in 2013.

A senior Taliban official Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai was appointed as head of Doha office in November 2015.

In January 2016 Taliban had sought its removal from the UN blacklist before considering rejoining peace talks. A senior Taliban official told in Doha after their political wing met activists in that country. He said that the group could participate in the peace process if the UN Security Council cancelled a resolution freezing assets and limiting travel of senior figures.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Latest world news

Trump rejects Iran’s 7-day peace plan, says deal can come after US polls

US President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s seven-day proposal to end hostilities and indicated that a deal could come after the US midterm elections in November.

Published

5 hours ago

September 26, 2026

APNLive Desk

US President Donald Trump has rejected Iran’s latest proposal aimed at bringing an end to the ongoing conflict, while indicating that a possible agreement could come after the US midterm elections in November.

Iran had proposed a seven-day framework under which hostilities could be brought to an end, the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened and negotiations over its nuclear programme could resume.

Iran’s seven-day proposal

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had put forward the proposal through intermediaries. Under the plan, the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened by the end of the seventh day if specified conditions were met, while broader nuclear discussions would restart.

The proposal was based largely on an earlier understanding reached between Washington and Tehran, but Iran sought to implement the latest framework much faster. The earlier arrangement had provided a longer period for negotiations.

The Strait of Hormuz is a strategically important waterway for global energy shipments, making its reopening a key element of any effort to ease the wider conflict.

Trump points to US midterm elections

Trump, speaking at the United Nations, showed no indication that he was ready to immediately resume negotiations on the terms proposed by Tehran.

He called for the economic isolation of Iran and said he believed a deal could be reached after the US midterm elections in November. Trump also said Iran was waiting to see how he performed in the midterm elections.

The remarks came as Iranian officials signalled that they remained open to diplomacy and described the UN General Assembly as an opportunity to revive negotiations.

Nuclear talks remain part of Iran proposal

Iran’s latest plan links the easing of hostilities with the resumption of negotiations over its nuclear programme.

The proposal follows the collapse of an earlier US-Iran arrangement. According to reporting on the latest proposal, the new framework is intended to compress the timeline for implementing commitments that had previously been discussed by the two sides.

For now, Trump’s remarks indicate that Washington is not accepting Tehran’s seven-day framework as presented, while Iran continues to put diplomacy and negotiations forward as part of its proposal.

Latest world news

Iranian President Pezeshkian at UN says Iranians have been victims of US terrorism

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said at the UN General Assembly that Iranians had been victims of US terrorism and insisted that Iran had acted in self-defence.

Published

3 days ago

September 23, 2026

APNLive Desk

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States of subjecting Iranians to what he described as terrorism while addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.

Pezeshkian said Iran had defended itself against attacks and rejected the characterisation of the country as a terrorist actor. His remarks came during a rare wartime appearance at the UN as tensions between Iran and the United States remain high.

Pezeshkian accuses US and Israel of attacks

Speaking at the General Assembly, Pezeshkian said Iranian civilians had been targeted by attacks and described the actions against his country as aggression.

“We have only defended ourselves. We are not terrorists,” he said, according to the report.

Pezeshkian also accused the United States and Israel of attacking Iran, while maintaining that Tehran’s response was an act of self-defence.

The Iranian president displayed photographs of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and more than 150 schoolchildren who, according to his account, were killed during the early days of the conflict.

Iran’s message at the UN

Pezeshkian’s address came against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States and heightened tensions in the region.

Iranian officials had indicated ahead of the UN visit that they intended to highlight what Tehran considers attacks against its people and raise concerns over the international response to the conflict.

The Iranian delegation’s visit to New York also comes amid restrictions imposed by the United States on the delegation’s movement and other aspects of its stay, according to reporting ahead of the address.

Pezeshkian says Iran defended itself

Pezeshkian’s central message at the UN was that Iran’s military actions should be viewed as a response to attacks rather than terrorism.

His description of the conflict and the allegations against the United States and Israel represent the Iranian government’s position. They should therefore be attributed to Pezeshkian rather than presented as independently established facts.

Latest world news

PM Modi’s Canada visit could help wrap trade talks, says Canada PM Mark Carney

Canadian PM Mark Carney said he is looking forward to hosting PM Narendra Modi, with both countries aiming to conclude their ongoing trade negotiations.

Published

3 days ago

September 23, 2026

APNLive Desk

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he is looking forward to hosting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as India and Canada continue efforts to advance their bilateral relationship and conclude ongoing trade negotiations.

The two countries have been working towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), with both sides previously setting a target to conclude the negotiations in 2026.

Carney and Modi have held discussions on strengthening economic ties between India and Canada, including trade and investment. Their engagement has gained momentum following Carney’s visit to India earlier this year.

India-Canada trade talks

India and Canada formally resumed efforts towards a broader trade agreement after a period of strained bilateral ties. The two sides have committed to advancing negotiations on a CEPA covering their economic relationship.

In June, Carney and Modi reviewed progress in bilateral economic cooperation during their meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France. They expressed satisfaction with the progress in CEPA negotiations and reaffirmed their shared objective of concluding the talks in 2026.

During Carney’s visit to India in March, the two leaders had also agreed to accelerate negotiations on the CEPA and work towards finalising the agreement during 2026.

Modi’s proposed Canada visit

Carney had invited PM Modi to visit Canada in 2026, and the two leaders agreed to remain engaged through diplomatic channels to work towards a mutually convenient date for the visit.

The proposed visit comes as New Delhi and Ottawa seek to build on renewed diplomatic and economic engagement, with trade negotiations remaining a key part of the relationship.

The focus on completing the trade talks comes as both countries look to expand commercial ties and establish a broader economic framework through the proposed CEPA.