German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says Berlin is in direct talks with the Iranian leadership, Al Jazeera reports.

“After a long period of silence, which we had serious reasons for, we are now as a government restarting talks with Tehran,” which will be held in coordination with the US and European partners, he adds.

Merz has also told US President Donald Trump that, following the ceasefire deal, Germany will contribute to securing the Strait of Hormuz within an international mandate.

He adds that he is convinced Trump’s intention isn’t to destroy “a whole civilisation”, referring to an inflammatory comment the US leader made a few days ago.

Opinion

Editorial

Yemen offensive
04 Oct, 2026

Yemen offensive

IT appears that escalation is on the cards where the Houthi-Saudi and US-Iran conflicts are concerned. As per...
Growth transition
04 Oct, 2026

Growth transition

PRIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent call to move from stabilisation to growth, job creation and export ...
Protection at risk
04 Oct, 2026

Protection at risk

THE recent warning from UNHCR should alarm donor governments. Nearly 8.3m refugees and other forcibly displaced...
Talks, at last
Updated 03 Oct, 2026

Talks, at last

The government’s constant threats to suspend KP’s elected dispensation over a political protest have escalated hostilities considerably. In that context, both sides did well to start talking.
IWT’s future
Updated 03 Oct, 2026

IWT’s future

TOGETHER with the Kashmir dispute, India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty has become the biggest...
Pained minds
03 Oct, 2026

Pained minds

IN Pakistan, mental healthcare is wedged between two extremes — a luxury or a stigma. Estimates cited by the...