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In speech to Spanish parliament, pope demands respect for the dignity of all people

demand for social justice: to offer safe and legal pathways, a respectful welcome and real opportunities for integration; and, at the same time, to promote the right to remain in one's own land, working

Israeli strikes pound Lebanon a day after 11 people killed in single raid

peace deal. Saturday’s strike in Sir al-Gharbiyeh “resulted in a massacre whose final toll is 11 dead including a child and six women, and nine wounded including four children and a woman,” Lebanon

Iran war day 77: Trump, Xi discuss Hormuz as Tehran rallies BRICS

negotiators is under way in Washington, DC, aimed at ending hostilities, even as Israeli attacks continue across towns and villages in southern Lebanon. Here is what we know: ## In Iran - **Iran urges BRICS to condemn

What's it like to negotiate with Iran? We asked people who have done it

peace deal. **Farooq Naeem/AFP via Getty Images** Farooq Naeem/AFP via Getty Images Despite stalled talks with Iran and a fragile ceasefire nearing its end, President Trump expressed optimism this week that a permanent deal

JD Vance to lead US delegation in Pakistan if Iran agrees to talks

demands to end nuclear enrichment and hand over its 440kg of highly enriched uranium. The Iranians had said there remained a deficit of trust with the US, and wanted assurances they would not be attacked

Trump says U.S. and Iran nearing a peace deal. And, Pope Leo weighs in on AI's rise

peace deal. And, Pope Leo weighs in on AI's rise *Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter.*[Subscribe](https://www.npr.org/newsletter/news)*here to get it delivered to your inbox, and*[listen](https://www.npr.org

How two ceasefires and opening of Hormuz could boost Iran talks

demanded a ceasefire in Lebanon, saying talks with the US could not be expected to progress without it. With the pause now in place, Iran has responded, declaring the Strait of Hormuz "completely open

Iran war: What is happening on day 49 of the US-Iran conflict?

negotiated deal or a return to war, as Trump appears to seek an “off-ramp” from the conflict. ## In the US - **Trump hopes Hezbollah ‘acts nicely’:** Trump said on Thursday he hopes Hezbollah “acts nicely

Iran foreign minister to embark on three-nation tour as US peace talks remain stalled

peace talks that can end with a permanent US-Israeli commitment to cease its attacks on Iran, now one of Tehran’s key demands. Araghchi is also likely to discuss a potential permanent new arrangement

Will Iran give up on ceasefire talks as strait of Hormuz blockade continues?

negotiating demands have been remarkably consistent: a ceasefire in Lebanon including the withdrawal of Israel forces and the unfreezing of half of Iran’s frozen assets, about $12bn; a form of Iranian management over

Middle East crisis live: UN chief calls for Israel-Lebanon ceasefire to be ‘fully’ respected as it comes into effect

negotiations”. The ceasefire took effect at midnight on Thursday (2100 GMT) in Lebanon, where Israel has been conducting [devastating airstrikes](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/16/israel-escalates-attacks-on-medics-in-lebanon-with-deadly-quadruple-tap) aimed at wiping out the Iranian-backed **Hezbollah** militia. The Lebanese army

U.S. attempt to open Strait of Hormuz tests fragile Iran war ceasefire

peace, stability and global energy security." Tehran did not confirm or deny the attacks but early on Tuesday, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on X that both the U.S. and the UAE "should

Another day, another pivot as Trump flails in an Iran trap of his own making

demanding 20. The reported new proposal suggests a compromise of 12 or 15 years. Iran’s pre-war offer involved doing something about its stockpile of highly enriched uranium (HEU, potential fuel for nuclear weapons

Can Pakistan secure Iran-US nuclear compromise, as Trump says deal ‘close’?

negotiations. Iran has consistently maintained that any agreement with the US must address the situation in Lebanon. Iranian Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf, in a phone call with his Lebanese counterpart Nabih Berri on Thursday, details

Iran's flurry of diplomacy, as Trump insists U.S. has 'the cards'

peace talks with the U.S. remain on hold. But missing from this flurry of diplomacy is any sign of a meeting between Washington and Tehran. [![Mariam Allawiya, 60 (left), and Kafa Wehbe, 67, sit together

Ceasefire with Israel brings respite to Lebanon, but obstacles to peace remain

peace remain At the stroke of midnight, gunfire and fireworks celebrated the start of the ceasefire in Beirut. Throughout the morning, smiling crowds gathered along roads leading to Lebanon's south, the heartland of Hezbollah

Trump threatens ‘a big hit’ if Tehran does not make deal soon

demands as “excessive”. Since the ceasefire began on 8 April, Tehran and Washington have held only a single round of talks: an unsuccessful 21-hour session in Islamabad. Pakistani mediators have sought to bridge

Iran war: What is happening on day 52 of the US-Israeli conflict?

demands.” - Iranian state media reported on Sunday that Tehran was not planning to take part in talks with the United States, hours after Trump said he was dispatching negotiators to Islamabad. - The US president posted

Trump says peace talks could resume in days as U.S. military blocks Iranian ports

Lebanon, attend his funeral in Katzrin in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights on April 14, 2026. **Jalaa Marey/AFP via Getty Images** Jalaa Marey/AFP via Getty Images The U.S. military said Wednesday it had "completely halted

Lebanon cannot be bombed into sovereignty

negotiations with Israel in over 30 years, attempting to restore sovereignty under near-impossible terms. According to the [ceasefire deal](https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/04/ten-day-cessation-of-hostilities-to-enable-peace-negotiations-between-israel-and-lebanon/?utm_source=homepage&utm_medium=hero&utm_campaign=ten_day) agreed on April 16, Lebanon must “effectively demonstrate its ability to assert