Pakistan to issue visas on arrival for Islamabad Talks attendees, FM says

An Iranian MP said the Islamic Republic continued negotiations even during an attack on the country and added that defense and security forces remain at the highest level of readiness, remarks he made in recent days.

Nesari, a member of parliament, said on Friday the country’s defense, security and military sectors are at “the highest level of preparedness,” adding that any threat against the Islamic Republic would be met with a response at the same level or stronger.

“The Islamic Republic has never left the negotiating table and was even negotiating when the country came under attack,” he said.

A hacker group believed to be linked to Iran said it will pause cyberattacks on the United States following the ceasefire, while continuing operations against other targets, NBC News reported on Thursday.

The group, known as Handala, said on its Telegram channel that it had been instructed by senior leadership to halt overt confrontation with the US, but warned it retains the capability to target American infrastructure.

It added that its cyber operations would continue against Israel, saying the “cyber war” would not end with any military ceasefire.

US Senator Ted Cruz said on Thursday Iran must agree to “zero enrichment” and hand over its enriched uranium, backing President Donald Trump’s position amid a pause in hostilities.

Speaking to Fox News, Cruz said Iran must also keep the Strait of Hormuz open and not use it as leverage, warning that any attempt to shut it down could prompt a strong US response.

"Here’s the outcome I’d like to see: a peaceful Iran with a government that wants to be friends with America, that is not waging war on America or killing Americans. That would be good for the people of Iran, and that would be good for America. That’s what President Trump, I believe, is trying to achieve," Cruz said.

Ophir Falk, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s chief foreign policy adviser, said on Thursday Israel and the United States are in “complete agreement” amid ongoing regional tensions.

Speaking to NBC’s Meet the Press NOW, Falk described a recent strike on Beirut as the largest operation against Hezbollah leadership since 2024.

Asked about the objective of Israel’s campaign against Iran, he said it remains to “remove the existential threat” posed by the Iranian leadership, including its nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities.

Bahrain’s mission to the United Nations on Thursday sent a letter to the UN secretary-general and the Security Council condemning what it described as Iranian missile and drone attacks on the kingdom and the region.

The letter, submitted on behalf of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait, said the attacks since February 28 violate international law, the UN Charter and state sovereignty.

It urged the Security Council to take necessary measures to ensure Iran complies with its obligations and halts what it described as violations, while reaffirming Gulf states’ right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter.