Pakistan's efforts to end war at 'critical, sensitive stage': Iran envoy

Iran’s Ambassador to Islamabad Reza Amiri Moghadam has declared that the Pakistan’s “positive and productive” efforts to stop the US-Israeli war on Iran are approaching a “critical, sensitive” stage, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
In a post uploaded on X platform on Tuesday, Reza Amiri Moghadam said “Stay tuned for more,” without giving any details.

The message came hours before a deadline set by US President Donald Trump for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz to shipping or face attacks on key infrastructure.

Pakistan positive and productive endeavours in Good Will and Good Office to stop the war is approaching a critical, sensitive stage ... 

Stay Tuned for more

— Reza Amiri Moghadam (@IranAmbPak) April 7, 2026

On Monday, Reuters news agency reported that the United States and Iran ​have received a plan to end hostilities that could come into effect soon and ‌reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
A framework to end hostilities has been put together by Pakistan and exchanged with Iran and the US, outlining a two-tier approach with an immediate ceasefire followed by a ​comprehensive agreement.

The initial understanding would be ​structured as a memorandum of understanding finalised electronically through Pakistan, the sole communication channel in ⁠the talks.

Axios news website first reported on Sunday that the United States, Iran and regional mediators were discussing a potential 45-day ​ceasefire as part of a two-phase deal that could lead to a permanent end to the war, citing US, ​Israeli and regional sources.

A source told Reuters Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, has been in contact "all night long" with US Vice-President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Under the proposal, a ceasefire would take effect immediately, ​reopening the Strait of Hormuz, with 15–20 days to finalise a broader settlement. The deal, tentatively dubbed the "Islamabad Accord", ​would include a regional framework for the strait, with final in-person talks in Islamabad.

Pakistan, Egypt FMs call for de-escalation

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar spoke with Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Badr Abdelatty to discuss the latest regional developments. During the conversation took place on Monday night, both leaders underscored the need for de-escalation and dialogue. They also agreed to stay closely engaged as the situation evolves.

Iran defiant as deadline looms

Iran showed no sign of backing down Tuesday as a US deadline loomed for it to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, defying threats by President Donald Trump to "decimate" the country's civilian infrastructure. 

The Iranian army dismissed what they called Trump's "arrogant rhetoric and baseless threats", saying they would not hinder operations against US and Israeli forces more than five weeks into the war.

Trump has warned that unless Tehran allows free passage through the strategic oil chokepoint by midnight GMT Tuesday, the United States will unleash what he called the "complete demolition" of Iran's critical infrastructure.

"We have a plan... where every bridge in Iran will be decimated by 12 o'clock tomorrow night, where every power plant in Iran will be out of business, burning, exploding and never to be used again," Trump said, brushing aside accusations such strikes would constitute war crimes.

"I mean complete demolition by 12 o'clock, and it'll happen over a period of four hours -- if we wanted to," Trump said at a press conference during which he also recounted the rescue of the two crew members of a US F-15 fighter jet shot down over Iran last week.

The Iranian army's Khatam Al-Anbiya central command, responding to Trump's threats, called him "delusional" and said "crushing operations of the warriors of Islam against the American and Zionist enemies" would continue.

Fighting raged across the region overnight, with Israel's military saying Tuesday it carried out a new "wave" of air strikes on what it called Iranian "terror regime infrastructure" in Tehran and other areas.

Iranian media said explosions were heard in parts of Tehran and nearby Karaj early Tuesday.

The Israeli army later said it had detected missiles launched from Iran towards Israeli territory, adding that air defence systems were working to intercept them.

Across the Gulf, Bahrain's interior ministry said air-raid sirens sounded Tuesday morning, urging residents to seek shelter, while the United Arab Emirates said its air defences were actively engaging missiles and drones.

Saudi Arabia's defence ministry said its air defences intercepted and destroyed seven ballistic missiles launched towards the kingdom's east, with debris falling near energy facilities.

- Ceasefire proposal rejected -
Both Trump and Iran, meanwhile, said a proposal touted by international mediators for a 45-day ceasefire is not yet ready.

Trump had said earlier that the plan, which the US media said is being mediated by Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey, was a "significant proposal," but he later went on to say it was not good enough.

Iranian state media quoted officials as saying that Tehran too "has rejected a ceasefire and insists on the need for a definitive end to the conflict".

The New York Times, citing two unnamed senior Iranian officials, reported that Iran was demanding guarantees against future attacks and an end to Israeli strikes on its ally Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

Under the plan, Iran would reopen the strait while charging around $2 million per vessel, a fee it would share with neighbouring Oman, the paper reported.

- UN vote on Hormuz -
On the diplomatic front, the UN Security Council is set to vote Tuesday on a watered-down resolution addressing Iran's threats to the Strait of Hormuz, diplomatic sources told AFP, after more robust earlier drafts faced potential vetoes.

Iran has effectively blocked the waterway since the start of the war on February 28, driving up global oil and gas prices. Around one‑fifth of the world's oil normally flows through the strait.

Bahrain, backed by other oil-exporting Gulf countries, launched negotiations two weeks ago on a draft resolution that would have given a clear UN mandate to any state wishing to use force to unblock the strait.

However, objections from several veto-holding permanent members have seen the text watered down and the latest draft seen by AFP does not expressly authorise force.

Iran's UN envoy, meanwhile, warned the UN chief that US threats amounted to state terrorism and would "normalise war crimes and humanitarian catastrophes and embolden aggressors, with consequences that extend beyond the region", the state-run IRNA reported.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards confirmed that their intelligence chief, Majid Khademi, was killed in US-Israeli strikes on Monday, vowing a "major retaliatory strike".

Israel said it had also killed Asghar Bagheri, a senior commander in the Guards' Quds Force, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warning: "We will reach anyone who seeks to harm us."

Israel tells Iranians not to take trains

Israel's military on Tuesday morning urged Iranians to refrain from travelling by train until 1730 GMT, in a message on X that appeared to signal upcoming strikes on Iran's railway network.

"For your safety, we ask you to refrain from using trains or travelling by train throughout the country from now until 9 pm Iran time," the military wrote on its Persian-language account.

"Your presence on trains and near railway tracks puts your life in danger."

Bridge connecting Saudi Arabia, Bahrain closed

The major traffic artery connecting Saudi Arabia and the island nation of Bahrain was temporarily closed as a precaution, authorities said Tuesday, following the issuance of security alerts in the area.

"The movement of vehicles across King Fahd Bridge has been suspended as a precautionary measure," said the General Authority for King Fahd Causeway in a post online.

The King Fahd Causeway is a 25-kilometre (16-mile) series of bridges connecting Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

Strikes 'completely destroyed' synagogue in Tehran

US-Israeli strikes early on Tuesday "completely destroyed" a synagogue in Tehran, Iran's Mehr news agency and the Shargh daily reported.

"According to preliminary information, the Rafi-Nia Synagogue... was completely destroyed in this morning's attacks," Shargh wrote.

Judaism is one of Iran's official religions, and the country has a small Jewish community, although many members fled in the aftermath of the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Attacks hit petrochemical complex in Saudi industrial area

Overnight attacks on Saudi Arabia hit a petrochemical complex in a sprawling industrial area in the eastern city of Jubail, a source on the ground told AFP on Tuesday, hours after similar installations in Iran were struck.

"An attack caused a fire at the SABIC plants in Jubail. The sounds of explosions were very loud," the source told AFP, referring to the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation.

Jubail in eastern Saudi Arabia is home to one of the world's largest industrial cities, where steel, gasoline, petrochemicals, lubricating oil and chemical fertilisers are produced.

Strikes outside Tehran kill 18 people

Iranian media on Tuesday reported that 18 people, including two children, were killed in strikes in Alborz province neighbouring the capital, citing a provincial official.

A deputy governor of Alborz province said US-Israeli strikes hit residential areas and that "the deaths of 18 of our fellow citizens have been confirmed, including two young children", the judiciary's Mizan Online website and the Fars news agency reported.

Twenty-four people were wounded in the early morning attack, the deputy governor added.

Iran's government has not released an updated overall casualty toll for the war in recent days.

Due to reporting restrictions, AFP is not able to access the sites of strikes to independently verify tolls in Iran.

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said on April 6 that at least 3,597 people had been killed, including 1,665 civilians -- among them at least 248 children -- as well as 1,221 military personnel and 711 people whose status had not been classified.

- Saudi petrochemical complex -

Overnight attacks on Saudi Arabia hit a petrochemical complex in an industrial area in the eastern city of Jubail, a witness who requested anonymity told AFP on Tuesday, hours after similar installations in Iran were struck.

Earlier, the Saudi defence ministry said air defences intercepted and destroyed seven ballistic missiles launched toward the country's east.

- Philippine national killed -

A second Philippine national has been killed in the Middle East war after a missile struck a residential building in northern Israel, according to Manila's foreign affairs department.

The woman was killed in the port city of Haifa on Sunday "alongside her Israeli husband and elderly parents-in-law", the department said.

Israeli rescue services said Monday that the bodies of four people had been recovered from the rubble of a residential building in the city after it was struck by an Iranian missile the previous day.

- Israel, Iran trade fire -

Explosions were heard in parts of Tehran and the nearby city of Karaj, Iranian media reported, as the Israeli military said it was carrying out a "wave" of airstrikes on Iran.

"Moments ago, explosions were heard in parts of Tehran and Karaj," local media outlets Fars and Mehr said on Telegram.

The Israeli military also announced its air defences were activated to respond to missiles fired by Iran.

- Two killed in Iraqi Kurdistan-

A drone "coming from Iran" killed a couple in Iraqi Kurdistan after crashing into their home, local authorities reported.

Separately, two blasts were heard near Erbil airport, which hosts advisers from the US-led anti-jihadist coalition, in Iraq's northern autonomous Kurdistan region, an AFP journalist said.

Some hours earlier, air defence systems downed four missiles headed towards the US consulate in Erbil, a security source told AFP.

- Hormuz vote at the UN -

The UN Security Council is set to vote Tuesday for a resolution addressing Iran's threats to the Strait of Hormuz, diplomatic sources told AFP.

The latest draft, seen by AFP, demands Iran end its attacks on commercial vessels and halt "any attempt to impede transit passage or freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz."

But objections from several veto-holding permanent members have seen the text watered down and the latest draft does not expressly authorize force.

Tehran has virtually closed the key waterway since US-Israeli strikes targeting Iran on February 28, sending global oil and gas prices soaring.

- 'Arrogant rhetoric' -

After US President Donald Trump doubled down on his threats to raze Iran's infrastructure, an Iranian army spokesman said the "rude, arrogant rhetoric" was not impacting its actions.

- Trump threat -

Trump told a news conference that "the entire country" of Iran "could be taken out in one night and that night might be tomorrow night," if his ultimatum to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by 0000 GMT Wednesday was not met.

"Every power plant in Iran will be out of business, burning, exploding and never to be used again," he said, threatening the same for the country's bridges. "I mean complete demolition by 12 o'clock (0400 GMT), and it'll happen over a period of four hours -- if we wanted to."