APTOPIX Iraq Iran US Israel
People donate money following a call by Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani to support Iran and Lebanon during the war with the U.S. and Israel, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Babylon, Iraq.
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Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have entered the monthlong war in the Middle East and claimed they launched missiles toward Israel. The Houthis could threaten another important global shipping lane in the region. About 2,500 U.S. Marines have arrived in the Middle East to strengthen the largest U.S. military buildup in the region in more than two decades. Pakistan says Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt will send their top diplomats to Islamabad for talks aimed at ending the war. But Iran's foreign minister has expressed skepticism about diplomatic efforts and accuses the U.S. of being “contradictory.”
Pakistan’s foreign minister says Islamabad will soon host talks between the U.S. and Iran. There was no immediate word Sunday from Washington or Tehran. The announcement came after foreign ministers from regional countries met in Islamabad. The Iranian parliament speaker dismissed the talks in Pakistan as a cover after some 2,500 U.S. Marines trained in amphibious landings arrived in the Middle East. The speaker threatened that U.S. troops would be set “on fire” if they attempt a ground invasion in the monthlong war. U.S. President Donald Trump didn’t address the potential Pakistan talks but said Sunday night that Washington was in discussions with Iran and “we’re doing extremely well in that negotiation.”
