Iran has called off negotiations with the United States and informed Pakistan that it would not participate in ceasefire efforts, The New York Times reported on Tuesday.
In its live blog, the outlet said that as per three senior Iranian officials, “Iran has stopped negotiation efforts with the United States, informing Pakistan that it would no longer engage in cease-fire talks.”
However, Reuters Tuesday quoted two Pakistan sources – with knowledge of discussions – as saying that efforts to facilitate talks between the US and Iran are still ongoing.
Earlier in the day, Iran’s Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam said in a post on X that Pakistan’s “positive and productive” efforts to stop the US-Israeli war with Iran are approaching a “critical, sensitive” stage.
US President Donald Trump had threatened to eliminate the “whole civilisation” of Iran tonight amid a breakdown in talks to resolve the crisis in the Middle East.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said: “A whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will. However, now that we have complete and total regime change, where different, smarter and less radicalised minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, who knows? We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the world. 47 years of extortion, corruption and death will finally end. God bless the great people of Iran!”
Meanwhile, explosions were heard on Iran’s Kharg Island in the Gulf following US-Israeli airstrikes, Iranian media reported. Mehr News Agency said US and Israeli warplanes carried out several airstrikes on the island, causing multiple explosions. No details were yet available about casualties or damage. Iran earlier attacked a petrochemical complex in Saudi Arabia’s Jubail industrial city, located in the Eastern province, Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency said.
The Saudi government communications office, state oil giant Aramco and its petrochemicals subsidiary SABIC did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Tuesday that “14 million Iranians have registered to sacrifice their lives to defend Iran.” “I too have been, am, and will remain devoted to giving my life for Iran,” he stated in a post on X.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah said its fighters launched two attacks on Shlomi and Even Menachem in northern Israel with rocket barrages, according to Al Jazeera.
The group also said its fighters targeted two Israeli helicopters with surface-to-air missiles over the southern Lebanese town of Biyyadah, forcing both aircraft to retreat from Lebanese airspace.
Hezbollah further said its fighters targeted an Israeli army force east of the Khiam detention centre in southern Lebanon.
China and Russia vetoed a UN Security Council draft resolution which would have strongly encouraged States interested in the use of commercial maritime routes in the Strait of Hormuz to coordinate efforts of a defensive nature to contribute to ensuring the safety and security of navigation across the strait, including through the escort of merchant and commercial vessels.
Pakistan abstained on the draft, along with Colombia, on the Bahrain-drafted resolution, which received 11 votes in favour.
Bahrain sponsored the draft in close coordination with fellow Gulf Cooperation Council members Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as with Jordan.