China Expands Media Influence in Georgia, Rights Groups Say

Fighting around Iran continued on Wednesday despite signals of a possible pause, while ongoing airstrikes and missile attacks underscore the growing risk of a broader regional conflict and persistent disruptions in global energy markets.

Azerbaijan intensified its diplomatic activity on Monday amid ongoing tensions around Iran, with Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov holding a phone call with his Iranian counterpart against the backdrop of continued contacts between Washington and Tehran and a pause in U.S. strikes.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington and Tehran had reached agreement on roughly 15 points of a potential deal, including a commitment that Iran would never obtain nuclear weapons, even as Iranian officials denied any direct negotiations with the United States.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in a phone call initiated by Tehran, Russia’s foreign ministry said on Monday.