IRGC Seizes Ship With Witkoff-Kushner Team En Route To Pakistan; US Sanctions Chinese Refinery, Iran Shadow Fleet

Trump Announces Start Of "Clearing Out" The Strait As A "Favor" To RoW As 'Indirect' Talks Begin With Iran Summary:  President Trump announces start of "clearing out the Strait" as a favor to the rest of the world as two U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers passed without incident. Peace talks in Pakistan begin in indirect format, led by Vance and on Iran side - Ghalibaf, Arachchi. Saturday sees more Israeli strikes on Lebanon, with Hezbollah supporting Pakistan talks but rejecting 'separate deal' directly with Israel. Trump on talks and potential bigger future attacks on Iran: "You don’t need a backup...

US-Vatican Relations Extremely Strained As Pentagon Denies It Berated Pope's Diplomat Washington's attack on Iran alongside Israel has come under repeat condemnation from the Vatican, leaving US relations very strained. What hasn't helped things are widespread allegations that US officials berated the Vatican's top diplomat in Washington. Pentagon and Vatican officials are denying reports that US authorities gave the Holy See’s ambassador a "bitter lecture" demanding the Church align with the Trump administration following criticism of the Iran war by Pope Leo XIV. via The Associated Press "Today, as we all know, there...