Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey have moved from diplomatic convenience to geopolitical agency — brokering a ceasefire, sidelining both Tehran and Tel Aviv, and sketching the outlines of a new regional order. In the early hours of 8 April 2026, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that the United States and Iran had agreed to a two-week ceasefire, ending the most intense phase of a conflict that had shaken the Persian Gulf, disrupted global shipping, and left both belligerents — as well as Israel — in a state of deepening regional isolation. The announcement came less than a fortnight after four foreign ministers had gathered in the Pakistani capital for talks that, at the time, attracted less attention than they deserved. The ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey met in Islamabad on 29 March. Their joint communiqué called for an immediate end to hostilities. What followed rewrote the diplomatic architecture of the Middle East: within days, Islama...
A ten-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon came into effect at midnight Thursday, prompting celebrations and a mass return of displaced civilians to southern Lebanon, even as early reports of violations cast a shadow over the fragile truce. The halt in fighting, brokered by United States President Donald Trump, follows a separate ceasefire with Iran declared last week, and comes amid intensifying diplomatic efforts to secure a longer-term agreement ending nearly seven weeks of regional war. Ceasefire Terms and Early Violations The ceasefire agreement, outlined in a US State Department press release whose text was agreed to by both governments, commits Lebanon to taking "meaningful steps" — with international support — to prevent Hezbollah and other armed groups from attacking Israel. The agreement may be extended should both countries agree and as Lebanon demonstrates its ability to assert its sovereignty. Hours after midnight, however, the Lebanese army reported Israeli ...