Sun 19 April 2026:

Israel, along with its ally the US, is preparing for a possible collapse of the ceasefire with Iran, with energy facilities could be potential targets, local media reported on Sunday.

“There is close coordination between the two sides, and if fighting resumes, the targets will also include Iranian energy facilities,” the Israeli newspaper Maariv said, citing a senior unnamed Israeli military official.

“Iran insists on its previous position regarding its right to uranium enrichment, and there is no optimism among mediators” in talks between Washington and Tehran, the report claimed.

On Feb. 28, the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran, killing more than 3,300 people. Tehran retaliated with strikes on Israel and other regional countries hosting US assets.

The war was brought to a halt on April 8 under a two-week ceasefire mediated by Pakistan.

Washington and Tehran held rare direct talks in Pakistan last weekend, but the talks ended without any agreement. Mediators are seeking to hold another round of discussions in Islamabad.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Sunday that major differences remain between Tehran and Washington despite progress in negotiations.

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Iran is seeking to end war ‘with dignity’

Iran is seeking to end the war with the US and Iran “with dignity,” the country’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said Sunday, arguing that US President Donald Trump has no right to deprive Tehran of its nuclear rights.

“Trump says Iran should not use its nuclear rights, but does not explain what crime Iran has committed,” Pezeshkian said during a visit to Iran’s Sports and Youth Ministry, the ISNA news agency reported.

He also called for the nation to stand “firm against a bloodthirsty and brutal enemy.”

Iran must manage the current atmosphere in a way that “does not portray us as war-mongers” as “we are defending ourselves,” he added.

On Feb. 28, the U.S. and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran, and Tehran retaliated with strikes on Israel and other regional countries hosting U.S. assets.

The war has been on hold since April 8, when Pakistan mediated a two-week ceasefire.

Washington and Tehran held talks in Pakistan last weekend towards a lasting peace, and efforts for another session in Islamabad are underway.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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