World Echo

The United States, Israel and Iran have laid out maximalist positions to end warfare that has set the Middle East aflame and threatened the global economy by choking off Gulf energy supplies. This is what the sides are saying about their positions in the conflict in which the US and Israel have launched airstrikes on Iran since February 28 and Iran has carried out strikes against Israel, US bases and Gulf states. What are the Americans saying? US President Donald Trump has passed a 15-point plan to Iran via Pakistan. It has not been published and the US administration has declined to disclose specifics of the plan. It has said that some media reports on what is in it are incorrect, without elaborating. Three Israeli cabinet sources have said the plan includes: The removal of Iran's stocks of highly enriched uranium An end to Iran's uranium enrichment programme Curbs to Iran's ballistic missile programme An end to Iran's support for regional allies such as Lebanon's ...

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Wednesday that ending the conflict between the US, Israel and Iran is the only real solution to surging oil prices. "We cannot offset every price increase through tax measures or measures from the federal budget," Merz told lawmakers during a parliamentary session. "The best way to bring prices back under control is to end the war in Iran. And the government is doing everything in its power to achieve this as quickly as possible,” he added. The chancellor emphasised that he has raised Berlin's concerns about the war and its risks to the global economy repeatedly in recent calls with US President Donald Trump. "I am coordinating closely with my colleagues in the European Union and also with the UK, Norway, and many others," said Merz. "We are trying to do everything we can to persuade the US and Israel to seek a diplomatic solution to this war." The chancellor acknowledged that ending hostilities requires a ...

The BBC named former Google executive Matt Brittin as its ‌new director general on Wednesday, replacing Tim Davie who quit last year after a misleading edit of a speech by US President Donald Trump. BBC Chair Samir Shah said it was "clear there is need for radical reform" at the publicly funded broadcaster, and he and the board ​believed Brittin to be the right person to steer the change. "The stakes for the BBC, and the future ​of public service broadcasting, have never been higher," he added. Also Read: OpenAI drops AI video tool Sora, startling Disney, sources say Aside from a $10 billion lawsuit from ⁠Trump, the BBC is facing a battle to stay relevant as viewers, particularly younger audiences, shift to streamers and ​other digital platforms. Trump accuses it of defamation over how the BBC spliced together footage of parts of a speech he ​gave on January 6, 2021, before his supporters stormed the US Capitol. The broadcaster has argued the lawsuit should be dismi...

Pakistan has delivered a proposal from the United States to Iran, and either Pakistan or Turkiye could be venues for discussions to de-escalate the war in the Gulf, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Wednesday. The ​comments, on condition of anonymity, were among rare signs that Tehran might consider diplomatic proposals, despite insisting in public that no talks were under way and it would make no deal with ‌the administration of US President Donald Trump. The Iranian source did not disclose details of the proposal passed on by Pakistan, or whether it was the same as a 15-point US framework previously reported by news outlets including Reuters. The source said Turkiye had also "helped to end the war and either Turkey or Pakistan was under consideration as the venue for such talks". Oil prices fell and battered shares recovered on Wednesday after reports that the US had sent the 15-point plan to Iran, with investors hoping for an end to nearly four weeks of ​w...

Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, said on Wednesday there have been no negotiations between Tehran and Washington, contradicting remarks by US President Donald Trump suggesting progress in efforts to end the conflict. “We have heard such reports in the media, but according to my information, no direct or indirect talks have taken place so far,” the envoy said, adding it was natural for friendly countries to engage both sides in efforts to halt what he described as “illegitimate aggression.” Separately, Iran’s military dismissed Washington’s claims of diplomacy. Ebrahim Zolfaqari, spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said the United States was effectively “negotiating with itself,” according to state media. He also warned that regional stability would remain tied to Iran’s military posture, adding that pre-war economic conditions would not return unless Washington changed course. Missile strikes widen conflict Fighting continued to intensify acro...

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday exchanged views with Emirati counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the evolving regional situation as diplomacy ramps up to resolve the conflict between Iran and the United States. Since the start of the war between the US, Israel, and Iran, Pakistan’s leadership has stepped up diplomatic efforts to help de-escalate tensions. Dar has held telephonic conversations with his counterparts from several Gulf states and other countries, stressing the importance of de-escalation and emphasising the need to pursue dialogue and diplomacy in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter. In a talk with his UAE counterpart today, FM Dar underscored the importance of peace and stability, calling for immediate de-escalation and emphasising that dialogue and diplomacy remained the only viable path forward, the Foreign Office (FO) said on X. He also expressed sorrow over the loss of live...