AThe United States says it has shot down two Iranian drones near the Strait of Hormuz, marking another flashpoint in a conflict that reached its 100th day on Sunday with no clear end in sight.
The latest incident came as diplomatic efforts quietly continued behind the scenes, with Pakistan delivering a message to Iran’s Supreme Leader in a bid to revive stalled negotiations and ease tensions.
According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), the drones posed a threat to international shipping in the strategic waterway and were intercepted alongside other Iranian military assets. Hours earlier, the command announced strikes on four additional drones and coastal radar installations.
The war, which has unsettled global energy markets and intensified political pressure on US President Donald Trump ahead of midterm elections, has remained locked in a cycle of military escalation and failed diplomacy despite a ceasefire agreement reached in April.
In a possible sign of renewed mediation efforts, Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, arrived in Tehran on Saturday carrying what he described as a “special letter” from Pakistan’s military chief, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.
Naqvi said he was also conveying a message from Pakistan’s prime minister concerning the ongoing crisis.
Pakistan has emerged as a key intermediary between Tehran and Washington after hosting a rare round of direct talks between both countries in Islamabad.
“I think it’s a very important message,” Naqvi told reporters during the visit.
The diplomatic outreach came against the backdrop of fresh hostilities. On Saturday, Iran launched missiles toward Bahrain and Kuwait, drawing condemnation from Gulf states and further straining the fragile ceasefire.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry accused Washington of escalating the conflict through what it described as “hostile and provocative behaviour,” while condemning recent US military operations in the Gulf.
Speaking to CNN, Mohsen Rezaei, a senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, acknowledged that negotiations with Washington had reached a deadlock.
“The talks are stalled, and Trump must break this deadlock,” Rezaei said, while urging the release of approximately $24 billion in Iranian assets frozen abroad.
However, reports suggest Washington may instead seek to channel those funds toward assisting Gulf allies affected by Iranian attacks.
A source familiar with discussions within the US Treasury said the administration was considering measures that would make Iranian assets available to support reconstruction efforts in countries impacted by the conflict.
The regional fallout has extended beyond the Gulf.
Lebanon’s army chief, Rodolphe Haykal, departed for Pakistan on Saturday for separate consultations as Beirut seeks a lasting solution to the parallel conflict involving Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement.
Lebanon became entangled in the broader crisis after Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel in March. Tehran has repeatedly argued that developments in Lebanon and the Gulf cannot be separated in any future peace agreement.
Despite the ceasefire announced in April, violence has continued along the Israel-Lebanon border.
Lebanese authorities said an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon killed three soldiers and two women on Saturday, while injuring more than 20 others. Israel said it was reviewing the incident and insisted its operations were aimed at Hezbollah targets.
The Israeli military also confirmed the deaths of two of its soldiers and reported intercepting two projectiles fired from Lebanese territory on Sunday.
With fighting continuing on multiple fronts and diplomatic efforts struggling to gain momentum, hopes for a lasting settlement remain uncertain as the conflict enters its fourth month.
