US eyes potential second round of in-person talks with Iran as blockade takes hold

2026-04-13T21:45:48.130Z / CNN

By Kevin Liptak, Alayna Treene, Adam Cancryn

Updated 2 min ago

Updated Apr 13, 2026, 7:57 PM ET

PUBLISHED Apr 13, 2026, 5:45 PM ET

President Donald Trump is seen through a window into the Oval Office, on Monday.

Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

Marathon talks that failed to produce a breakthrough between the United States and Iran were not the final word in negotiations, officials in the US and the region said Monday.

And President Donald Trump remains open to resuming in-person negotiations soon if he believes Tehran is ready to submit to his demands, according to people familiar with the matter.

Trump officials are internally discussing details for a potential second, in-person meeting with Iranian officials before a ceasefire expires on April 21, a source familiar with the talks told CNN, though it’s unclear whether such a meeting would materialize.

Officials are looking at potential dates and locations should ongoing talks with Iran and mediators in the region progress in the coming days, the source said, describing the discussions as preliminary. “We need to be prepared to stand something up quickly should things head in that direction,” the source said.

But given previous Iranian resistance to a number of US demands, it is not clear Tehran would submit to Trump’s terms anytime soon, even as the US began a blockade of Iranian ports Monday morning. Both sides have proposed a suspension in Iranian uranium enrichment, but so far cannot settle on a mutually agreeable timespan for the moratorium, officials said.

And with the Strait of Hormuz still effectively closed, Iran believes it enjoys substantial leverage over the US, a position that was clear to negotiators in Islamabad this weekend.

Trump and Vice President JD Vance hold a different view: After weeks of war, Iran is badly weakened and would be wise to accept all of their demands. From their standpoint, the blockade is another pressure tactic — one intended to increase the temperature on Iran to return to talks in a more conciliatory fashion, officials said.

Trump said Monday that Iran had called the administration earlier that morning and that “they’d like to make a deal very badly.” He didn’t specify who had placed the call, or who in Washington had received it. Just a day earlier, he’d said he didn’t care whether a deal was struck.

The blockade has also injected fresh uncertainty into the situation — it remains unclear, for example, how far the US is willing to go militarily to enforce it and how Iran might react in the coming days and weeks.

Administration officials remain hopeful a diplomatic off-ramp is achievable, people familiar with the talks said. Depending on the pace of negotiations in the coming days, the US and Iran could also extend the ceasefire deadline to allow for more time, they said.

“There is continued engagement between the US and Iran and forward motion on trying to get an agreement,” a US official said.

A regional source told CNN there could be another round of negotiations and that Turkey is working to bridge the gaps between the two sides. Saturday’s 21-hour meeting in Islamabad was the culmination of weeks of negotiations with top-ranking US officials and intermediaries including Pakistan, but also Turkey, Egypt and Oman, among others.

Several locations for Saturday’s negotiations had been floated before all parties agreed on Islamabad, including Geneva, Vienna and Istanbul. Geneva and Islamabad are again on the table as potential options for another round, the source familiar with the talks said.

Sticking points in negotiations

Despite Saturday’s session lasting longer than expected, according to sources familiar with the talks, administration officials argue that one meeting was always unlikely to achieve a final agreement. Rather, officials had anticipated last weekend’s talks would likely be one of many negotiations over the course of the two-week ceasefire.

And Trump, as well as many of his closest advisers, is eager for the ceasefire to succeed and for the two sides to reach a diplomatic solution, the sources said. There is little appetite among many administration officials to see military attacks resume, with many acknowledging Americans are also growing impatient with the war.

Vance, as he was departing Islamabad early Sunday, said he’d placed a “best and final” offer on the table, suggesting there was still time for Iran to accept all the US conditions.

On Monday, he said the ball is in Iran’s court.

“They moved in our direction,” he told Fox News’ Bret Baier, “but they didn’t move far enough.”

He added: “There really is, I think, a grand deal to be had here, but it’s up to the Iranians, I think, to take the next step.”

Vice President JD Vance speaks as Jared Kushner, center, and Steve Witkoff, left, listen during a news conference after a meeting with representatives from Pakistan and Iran in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Sunday.

Jacquelyn Martin/Pool/Getty Images

But many of the “red lines” the US has set for Iran are terms Tehran has previously rejected.

According to a White House official, the non-negotiable parameters include Iran ending all of its uranium enrichment; dismantling its major nuclear enrichment facilities, which were badly damaged during a US bombing run in June; and retrieving the more than 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium believed to be buried underground.

The nuclear disagreement appears unchanged from before the war began. It was Iran’s refusal to give up enrichment and hand over the 400 kilograms of near-bomb grade uranium that caused an earlier round of negotiations, led by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, to stall.

In Islamabad on Saturday, the American negotiators proposed Iran accept a 20-year pause in enriching uranium, a source familiar with the discussions said.Iran responded with a proposal for a five-year suspension, which the US has rejected, according to a US official.

Trump has previously claimed the US and Iran would work together to remove what he calls the “nuclear dust,” though Iran appeared unmoved.

It wasn’t clear whether a previous proposal, wherein the US would provide Iran with nuclear fuel for a decade in exchange for Tehran halting all enrichment, was still on the table.

While Saturday’s negotiations were tough at moments, the two sides did develop a measure of respect for one another after spending hours behind closed doors, according to Trump and other people familiar with the talks.

Vance said on Monday that the Iranian negotiating team in Pakistan had not been in position to “cut a deal” and that they had to return to Tehran to get approval — suggesting that’s why the US eventually left Islamabad.

According to Iran’s foreign minister, the meetings appeared to proceed fruitfully until the final moments.

“In intensive talks at highest level in 47 years, Iran engaged with U.S in good faith to end war,” Abbas Araghchi wrote on X. “But when just inches away from ‘Islamabad MoU’, we encountered maximalism, shifting goalposts, and blockade.”

Why Trump turned to a blockade

The US naval blockade underscores how reopening the Strait of Hormuz has rapidly become a top objective of the war as it became increasingly clear to US officials that Iran was both willing and able to endure weeks of shelling to maintain its grip on the waterway.

But it’s a move that also poses new risks for the US Navy, which is confronting the asymmetric threats of Iranian speed boats, drones and mines in the contested waterway. Trump officials had previously put off taking such a dramatic step in hopes of finding alternate ways that might boost the flow of oil through the strait and keep energy prices down — including offering to reinsure tankers, floating the prospect of naval escorts, and even lifting certain sanctions on Iran’s own oil sales.

A US destroyer conducts a mine-clearance operation in the Strait of Hormuz, on Saturday.

Sgt. 1st Class Michael Hunnisett/US Central Command Public Affairs

Yet with the Iranian regime consolidating power and signaling plans to impose a permanent tolling system that would keep it in control of the shipping lane, US officials in the last couple weeks began more serious planning to cut off Iran’s key source of income, a person familiar with the internal discussions said.

The blockade represents perhaps the best of Trump’s dwindling options to loosen Iran’s grip on the strait, said energy analysts who see it as far less risky than a ground invasion and more likely to succeed than continuing the US’ bombing campaign.

The regime can likely withstand the economic pressure for at least the next three to four weeks before the pain gets significant, said Gregory Brew, a senior analyst on Iran and the energy sector at Eurasia Group.

But it could take even longer due to the US lifting sanctions on Iranian oil weeks ago, when Trump was more focused on boosting global oil supplies than on retaking control of the strait. The prior leniency allowed Iran to ship out millions more barrels to other countries suddenly permitted to buy its oil outright, giving it more of a financial cushion to withstand the blockade.

“They already have oil on the water,” Brew said. “That suggests they could withstand a blockade for a little while.”

In meantime, the blockade will likely test the White House’s ability to manage even higher gas prices. The stoppage of Iranian oil exports means what little had been getting out of the strait will be completely cut off, further worsening the global energy supply crunch — and driving already expensive US gas prices even higher.

This story has been updated with additional developments.

CNN’s Jennifer Hansler contributed to this report.

4月12日，美国副总统万斯（右）在伊斯兰堡与伊朗代表谈判后举行新闻发布会，美国总统特朗普的女婿库什纳（左一）和特使威特科夫（左二）也参与谈判。 （法新社）

伊朗和美国官员透露，美伊上周末在巴基斯坦的谈判中就暂停伊朗核活动交换了提议，与会的美国副总统万斯寻求伊朗暂停核活动20年，但伊方提议最长暂停五年，由于分歧巨大，谈判无果而终。美国总统特朗普随即宣布对伊朗实施海上封锁。

《纽约时报》引述两名伊朗高级官员和一名美国官员的话说，伊朗方面星期一（4月13日）表示，伊朗可以暂停铀浓缩活动长达五年，但特朗普政府拒绝了这一提议，坚持伊朗必须暂停浓缩铀活动20年。

尽管如此，这些讨论表明双方仍可能存在达成和平协议的途径，即便美国军方13日已开始封锁伊朗港口，使维持近一周的停火协议面临威胁。

官员们说，他们正在讨论举行第二轮面对面会谈，但没有提供具体细节。

特朗普13日在白宫对媒体说，伊方“早上来电”，他说：“今天早上，我们接到了正确的人、合适的人打来的电话，他们想达成协议。”

特朗普没有透露通话对象是谁。

路透社同一天报道，11名知情人士透露，虽然美国和伊朗上周在伊斯兰堡的谈判未能取得突破，但双方还在继续对话。

Mail-order dominates US abortion pill dispensing

2026-04-13 16:55:53 UTC / Reuters

By Ahmed Aboulenein

April 13, 2026 4:55 PM UTC Updated 2 hours ago

节点运行失败

Boxes of Mifepristone, the first pill in a medical abortion, are seen at Alamo Women’s Clinic in Carbondale, Illinois, U.S., April 9, 2024. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

WASHINGTON, April 13 (Reuters) – U.S. pharmacies are largely filling prescriptions for the abortion pill mifepristone via mail-order in states permitting telehealth access to the medication, despite a 2023 FDA ​decision allowing retail pharmacies to dispense the drug, according to a study published ‌on Monday.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2023 authorized retail pharmacies to provide mifepristone, the first of two pills used in medication abortion, during the first 10 weeks of pregnancy. This followed a prior rule ​change permitting the drug to be shipped by mail without in-person dispensing requirements.

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Research ​from the University of Southern California published in the medical journal JAMA, opens new tab showed ⁠that since January 2023, pharmacies have filled about 2,700 mifepristone prescriptions monthly. In the ​27 states and the District of Columbia where telehealth abortion is allowed, fewer than 2% ​of those prescriptions were filled at physical retail pharmacies.

In 11 states where abortion is legal but telehealth access is restricted, some 61% of prescriptions were filled at in-store pharmacies, the study found.

The findings underscore ​the significance of mail-order dispensing for mifepristone after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right ​to abortion in 2022, allowing states to ban or restrict the procedure. Researchers also noted substantial access ‌disparities ⁠even in states with relatively robust abortion protections.

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“It’s striking how few retail pharmacies, particularly chains, are dispensing mifepristone where abortion is legal and telehealth is permitted,” said Dima Qato, the study’s lead author and senior scholar at the University of Southern California’s Schaeffer Institute.

Pharmacy chains ​have come under pressure ​from both abortion ⁠rights advocates and anti-abortion groups following the FDA policy revision.

Restrictions implemented after the Supreme Court’s ruling have driven a surge in medication ​abortion, which now accounts for 60% of all U.S. abortions. Nearly ​half of U.S. ⁠states have banned or severely limited abortion, fueling legal disputes at state and federal levels, and a push by anti-abortion activists to ban the pills as well.

Last week, a federal judge temporarily ⁠halted ​Louisiana’s lawsuit seeking to restrict nationwide access to mifepristone. ​Senate Republicans are investigating mifepristone manufacturers and have urged the FDA to curb online sales of the drug, which the ​agency approved over 25 years ago.

Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein in Washington; Editing by Bill Berkrot

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

Obama CIA chief under DOJ scrutiny pushes fringe Trump ouster plan

Brennan, currently under DOJ investigation, claims the 25th Amendment ‘was written with Donald Trump in mind’

April 13, 2026 1:06pm EDT / Fox News

By Elaine Mallon, Fox News

Obama-era CIA Director John Brennan called for President Donald Trump to be removed from office, joining a growing list of Democrats who say Trump’s Truth Social posts threatening Iran were unlawful.

Brennan, who is currently under investigation by the Justice Department, appeared on MS NOW for an interview with Ali Velshi. He said that the 25th Amendment, which establishes the protocol to remove the president, “was written with Donald Trump in mind.”

“Allowing someone like this to continue to be the commander in chief and to control the tremendous capabilities of the U.S. military, including our nuclear weapons capability, which he seemed to allude to when he said he’s going to just eliminate a entire civilization,” Brennan said. “Again, we really are in very, very troubling times.”

More than 70 lawmakers are calling for the 25th Amendment to be invoked against Trump following a slew of threats he made on Truth Social toward Iran regarding reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

TRUMP IRAN THREAT SPARKS CALLS FOR HIS OUSTER, BUT ONE DEM SAYS EFFORT ‘NOT REALISTIC’

John Brennan, Former CIA Director appears on “Meet the Press” in Washington, D.C., on October 6, 2019. President Donald Trump prepares to sign paperwork during a White House signing ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House on March 16, 2026, in Washington, D.C.(William B. Plowman/NBC NewsWire/Getty Images | Alex Wong/Getty Images)

The president made his first threat on Easter Sunday, giving Iran a deadline of Tuesday, April 7, at 8 p.m. Hours before the deadline, Trump posted on Truth Social that “a whole civilization will die tonight.”

“I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

President Donald Trump addresses the nation at the White House in Washington, D.C., on April 1, 2026.(Alex Brandon/Pool via Reuters)

Right before the deadline, Trump announced that the United States and Iran had reached a two-week ceasefire agreement. But after negotiations in Pakistan this weekend, Trump announced on Truth Social Sunday that the U.S. Navy will begin to block all ships entering and exiting the Strait of Hormuz beginning Monday.

Since the start of the Iran war, Brennan has been publicly outspoken in his criticism of Trump’s handling of the conflict. He’s been a regular on MS NOW, suggesting a month ago that Trump is “flailing” and “clueless” about handling the war.

John Brennan, former CIA director; NBC News senior national security and intelligence analyst, appears on “Meet the Press” in Washington, D.C., Sunday, April 15, 2018.(William B. Plowman/NBCUniversal)

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Notably, the Justice Department launched an investigation into Brennan in July 2025, stemming from allegations that Brennan improperly handled a 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment, which found that Russia was seeking to influence the 2016 presidential election in Trump’s favor.

The 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment included the Steele dossier, a debunked collection of memos alleging Trump colluded with Russia, but Brennan testified before Congress that the document “was not in any way used as a basis for the Intelligence Community assessment that was done.” House Republicans alleged that Brennan had lied in his 2023 Judiciary Committee testimony by denying that the CIA used the Steele dossier in preparing the assessment. The DOJ investigation is ongoing.

Lawyers for Brennan said they have been informed he is a target of the investigation but have not been told of any “legally justifiable basis for undertaking this investigation,” according to The Associated Press.

Brennan also previously pushed back on the allegations of wrongdoing, including claims from Trump and his allies that Brennan helped promote a “contrived narrative” that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to benefit Trump, which became central to the FBI’s Russia collusion investigation of Trump’s 2016 campaign.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, told Fox News that the DOJ probe is “heating up” last month in an appearance on “Hannity” and predicted that Brennan would soon face “accountability.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Taylor Penley contributed to this report.

Meet Péter Magyar, the man replacing Viktor Orbán as Hungary’s prime minister

April 13, 2026 / 3:45 PM EDT / CBS News

Hungary’s Viktor Orbán was one of President Trump’s favorites. During his 16-year term in office, Orbán openly championed Mr. Trump’s reelection and the two men got into frequent, detailed exchanges on political and governing strategy.

In the run-up to Sunday’s election, Vice President JD Vance flew to Budapest and called for people to vote for the incumbent.

But in the end, none of that mattered. Orbán conceded, ending his 16-year iron grip on power.

Mr. Trump has lost his biggest cheerleader in Europe. So who’s the guy replacing him?

Meet Péter Magyar. Hungary’s new prime minister — whose name literally means “Hungarian” — is a young, well-dressed lawyer who campaigned on promises to crack down on corruption, tax the wealthiest and unlock billions of frozen European Union euros.

He is far more pro-EU and anti-Russia than his predecessor.

Péter Magyar, leader of the pro-European conservative Tisza party, gives a press conference in Budapest, Hungary, on April 13, 2026. Attila Kisbenedek/AFP via Getty Images

While Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and EU leaders have welcomed the election’s result, Russia’s Vladimir Putin has not. Russian state TV has even claimed that “European hawks” and “the head of the Kyiv regime” interfered in the election to oust Orbán.

Once an Orbán fan

Magyar grew up admiring Orbán as Hungary transitioned out of the Soviet Union in the 1990s. He reportedly had a photo of Orbán — who at the time was more known as an anti-communist freedom fighter — on his bedroom wall as a child. But after holding several roles as a member of Orbán’s Fidesz party, he resigned in 2024, expressing deep dissatisfaction with what he said was a culture of mass corruption under Orbán’s leadership.

Magyar pitched himself as an insider who knows how crooked government works, and therefore knows how to unearth the corrupt practices.

The relationship between the two men soured further in February, when Magyar accused Fidesz of a “Russian-type” blackmail operation using a secretly recorded video showing Magyar having consensual sex with his now ex-girlfriend at a house party.

“Even in Europe, it is unprecedented for a ruling party to attempt to discredit, blackmail, and neutralize its main political opponent by secretly recording their sexual acts using illegal methods and threatening to make the recordings public,” he posted on social media.

The tactics failed. A record 77.8% of eligible Hungarians went to the polls Sunday — roughly 6 million in a country of 9 million.

The result was resounding. Magyar’s upstart party Tisza won an astonishing two-thirds of a parliamentary supermajority, which gives him a mandate to dismantle what he calls the authoritarian system that Orbán has built. He has also pledged to move Hungary into a closer relationship with its EU partners.

But Magyar also has conservative anti-immigration views: He has said in the past that the EU needs strong border protection and that he opposes redistribution of asylum-seekers across Europe.

So while President Trump may have viewed Orbán as an ideological soulmate, there also might be some areas of common ground with his new counterpart.

Colombia to euthanize dozens of “cocaine hippos” linked to drug lord Pablo Escobar in bid to control population

April 13, 2026 3:01 PM EDT / CBS/AP

Colombian officials on Monday authorized a plan to cull dozens of hippos roaming freely through a region in the center of the country, where they threaten villagers and displace native species years after notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar brought in the first ones.

Environment Minister Irene Vélez said previous methods to control the population of the so-called “cocaine hippos” have been expensive and unsuccessful, including neutering some of the animals or moving them to zoos. Vélez said up to 80 hippos would be affected by the measure. She did not say when hunting would begin.

“If we don’t do this we will not be able to control the population,” Vélez said. “We have to take this action to preserve our ecosystems.”

Colombia is the only country outside of Africa with a wild hippo population. The hippos are the descendants of four brought to the country in the 1980s by Escobar as he built a private zoo in Hacienda Nápoles, a gigantic ranch in the Magdalena River valley with a private landing strip that served as his rural abode.

A study published by Colombia’s National University estimated that around 170 hippos were roaming freely in the country in 2022.

Colombia has declared them an invasive species and experts have said sterilization alone is not enough to control the growth of the animals, which is why the government previously arranged for the possible transfer of hippos to overseas sanctuaries. But the cost of deporting the hippos is also expensive — an estimated $3.5 million.

Recently, hippos have been spotted in areas that are more than 60 miles north of the ranch.

Environmental authorities in Colombia say the mammals pose a threat to villagers who have encountered them in farms and rivers. They also compete for food and space against local species such as river manatees.

Independent journalist Audrey Huse, who has lived in Colombia for years, previously told CBS News that because the hippos roam freely, they end up killing fish and threatening endemic species like manatees, otters and turtles.

“Because they have no natural predators here, as they would in Africa, the population is booming an it’s affecting the local ecosystem,” Huse said. “Because they are such large animals, they consume considerable amounts of grassland and produce significant waste, which then poisons the rivers.”

In this file photo from Feb. 4, 2021, hippos float in the lake at Hacienda Napoles Park, once the private estate of drug kingpin Pablo Escobar who imported three female hippos and one male decades ago, in Puerto Triunfo, Colombia. Fernando Vergara / AP

Despite the challenges, the hippos have also become a tourist attraction, with residents of villages surrounding Hacienda Nápoles offering hippo spotting tours and selling hippo-themed souvenirs.

The hippos are also one of the main attractions at the Nápoles ranch, which was confiscated by Colombia’s government as it seized Escobar’s properties. It now functions as a theme park, featuring swimming spools, water slides and a zoo that includes several other African species.

Last October, Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced the country handed over a chunk of Escobar’s ranch to women caught up in the nation’s armed conflict.

Animal welfare activists in Colombia have long opposed proposals to kill the hippos, arguing they deserve to live. They say that addressing the problem through violence sets a poor example for a country that has gone through decades of internal conflict.

Andrea Padilla, a senator and animal rights activist who helped draft a law against bullfights in Colombia, described the plan to cull the hippos as a “cruel” decision, and accused government officials of trying to take the easy way out.

“Killings and massacres will never be acceptable,” Padilla wrote on X. “These are healthy creatures who are victims of the negligence” of government entities.

Over the past 12 years, spanning three presidential administrations, Colombia has tried to neuter some of the hippos in a bid to reduce their population. But the initiatives have had limited scope due to high costs that come with capturing the dangerous animals and performing surgeries on them.

Because Colombia’s hippos come from a limited gene pool and could carry diseases, taking them back to their natural habitat in Africa has been considered unfeasible.

Colombian Environment Minister Irene Velez speaks during a press conference about the measures the Colombian government will take to curb the reproduction of hippos in the country, in Bogota, Colombia, April 13, 2026. Luisa Gonzalez / REUTERS

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/decades-after-pablo-escobar-brought-hippos-to-colombia-country-now-dealing-with-dozens-of-them/

Decades after Pablo Escobar brought hippos to Colombia, country now dealing with dozens of them

(04:43)

Pakistani general says Iran diplomacy still alive, despite US blockade, failed talks

April 13, 2026 2:44pm EDT / Fox News

Trump orders Iran blockade after failed Pakistan talks, but a former top general says both sides were “inches away” from a deal

By Efrat Lachter Fox News

Former Chief of General Staff of Pakistan’s army warns the U.S. blockade could trigger global fallout but says Islamabad still has leverage to revive diplomacy.

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The United States began enforcing a naval blockade targeting Iranian maritime traffic Monday, sharply escalating tensions in the Gulf just hours after high-level talks in Pakistan between Washington and Tehran collapsed without a deal.

The move, announced by President Donald Trump, came after negotiations in Islamabad ended without a breakthrough, despite what participants described as rare direct engagement between the two sides.

But Lt. Gen. (ret.) Mohammed Saeed, former chief of general staff of the Pakistan Army, said in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital that the talks came far closer to success than their outcome suggests — and argued that diplomacy is still within reach.

“Both sides are saying they were very close … even inches away from a solution,” he said based on his own knowledge and reports. Saeed retired in 2023 but remained part of the core team handling operational planning, internal security coordination, and sensitive periods of political tension.

JD VANCE RETURNS TO WASHINGTON AFTER 16 HOURS OF IRAN PEACE TALKS COLLAPSE IN PAKISTAN

“They talked to each other in a very friendly manner. There was, from both sides, an expression of accommodation and understanding from each other. So, what you can briefly say is that the engagement has sufficient potential to resume.”

The United States began enforcing a naval blockade targeting Iranian maritime traffic April 13, 2026.(Farooq NAEEM / AFP via Getty Images)

Speaking at the White House Monday, Trump defended the blockade, saying, “Right now, there’s no fighting. Right now, we have a blockade … Iran is doing absolutely no business, and we’re going to keep it that way very easily.”

He added that Iran’s military capabilities had been significantly degraded, saying its “Navy has gone, their air force is gone, their anti-aircraft is gone, their radar is gone and their leaders are gone.”

Vice President JD Vance, who led the U.S. delegation, pressed Iran to accept a strict “zero enrichment” policy and remove its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

“The simple fact is that we need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon, and they will not seek the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon,” Vance said at a press conference in Islamabad.

Iranian leaders rejected those demands, insisting that any agreement must include the immediate release of billions of dollars in frozen assets.

Now, with the blockade in place, Saeed suggested the move may be designed less as a military endgame and more as leverage.

“This blockade could be … a maneuver to build further pressure on Iran to negotiate,” he said.

TRUMP WARNS CHINA OF ‘STAGGERING’ 50% TARIFF IF CAUGHT SUPPLYING MILITARY AID TO IRAN

Vice President JD Vance speaks during a news conference after meeting with representatives from Pakistan and Iran in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 12, 2026.(Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

The escalation has raised concerns globally, particularly for countries dependent on Gulf energy flows, including Pakistan.

“Everyone in the world must be worried about what kind of economic negative spin-offs such a blockade would have,” Saeed said.

Saeed, who until recently sat at the center of Pakistan’s military leadership, framed the Islamabad talks as a critical reopening of dialogue after decades of hostility.

“It is the first time in 47 years … that there was engagement at the highest level,” he said, calling it “a great moment for diplomacy” and a demonstration of Pakistan’s ability to maintain credibility with both Washington and Tehran.

He pointed in particular to Pakistan’s army chief, Asim Munir, a figure who has drawn unusual attention in Washington.

Trump has publicly praised Munir, at one point calling him his “favorite field marshal,” elevating his profile as a key intermediary in regional diplomacy.

Munir, who rose through Pakistan’s intelligence ranks before becoming army chief, previously served as director general of military intelligence and later led the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). His career has been defined by deep involvement in regional security and intelligence coordination, including longstanding engagement with Iran.

‘GATE OF TEARS’ AT RISK: IRAN THREATENS MAJOR NEW GLOBAL CHOKEPOINT IF US MOVES ON HORMUZ

Security personnel inspect vehicles entering the Foreign Ministry office in Islamabad on April 9, 2026.(Aamir QURESHI / AFP via Getty Images)

Those ties could prove critical in the current crisis, according to Saeed.

“What people do not know is that when he was director general of military intelligence … he was interacting with Iranians at multiple levels continuously,” Saeed said, describing years of direct engagement with Iran’s military, intelligence and political leadership, including former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. strike during Trump’s first term.

“He has had interaction with them for a long time … visiting Iran frequently and interacting on multiple issues,” Saeed said, adding that many current Iranian officials would already be familiar with Munir from earlier roles.

That continuity, he argued, gives Pakistan a rare advantage at a moment when formal diplomatic channels are strained.

“What one can say is that he continues to be one figure internationally who has a personal interaction … in the intelligence community in Iran in the military hierarchy and also on the side of the political leadership,” Saeed said.

“So that’s a huge advantage he has on the other side.”

TRUMP VOICES FRUSTRATION WITH NATO, SAYS IRANIAN NAVY ‘DESTROYED’ AS US PREPS FOR BLOCKADE

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were greeted by Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Army Chief Field Marshal Gen. Asim Munir upon their arrival at Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on April 11, 2026.(Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs/AP)

For Pakistan, that personal access — combined with its simultaneous relationship with Washington — has become central to its effort to position itself as a credible intermediary, even as the region edges closer to confrontation.

At the same time, Pakistan’s role as a mediator has drawn scrutiny, particularly given its longstanding position on Israel and recent inflammatory remarks by senior officials.

When asked whether Pakistan can be seen as a neutral broker while not recognizing Israel — an actor directly involved in strikes on Iran — Saeed downplayed the issue, saying Israel was not part of the diplomatic track.

“Pakistan’s position with regard to relations with Israel has been consistent since our independence,” he said, adding that Islamabad’s mediation efforts were focused solely on Washington and Tehran.

“Neither of their representatives was on the table … Pakistan was mediating between the U.S. and Iran,” he said.

Despite the current escalation, Saeed maintained that diplomatic channels remain open.

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Iranians react after a ceasefire announcement at the Enqelab square, in Tehran, on April 8, 2026. The United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire Tuesday barely an hour before U.S. President Donald Trump’s deadline to obliterate the rival country was set to expire, with Tehran to temporarily reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz.(AFP via Getty Images)

“There is a lot of space … for resuming the process,” he said, suggesting talks could restart in Islamabad or elsewhere if both sides shift course.

“On Pakistan’s side, from my personal knowledge of the field marshal, they are relentless. They would not give up. They must not have given up. They must be continuously in touch with both sides. And they would try their best to convince both sides that the blockade is not going to be in their interest, in the interest of the region and in the interest of the international community.”

Efrat Lachter is a foreign correspondent for Fox News Digital covering international affairs and the United Nations. Follow her on X @efratlachter. Stories can be sent to efrat.lachter@fox.com.

McDonald’s to start selling refreshers and crafted sodas nationwide in May

April 13, 2026 / 3:34 PM EDT / CBS News

McDonald’s is giving its beverage lineup a jolt, adding “refreshers” and “crafted sodas” to its menu.

The new offerings will appear on menus starting in May, while the fast-food giant will also introduce energy drinks later this year, a spokesperson told CBS News.

“Our fans’ love for McDonald’s beverages runs deep, from rallying for the return of Hi-C Orange Lavaburst to coining the iconic ‘Spicy Sprite.’ Next month, we’re building on that passion with a new era of beverages, featuring a variety of refreshers and crafted sodas rolling out nationwide,” McDonald’s US said in a statement to CBS News.

The restaurant chain said it would soon have more details to share about its expanded drinks offerings.

The Wall Street Journal on Sunday reported that McDonald’s new beverages include a Dirty Dr Pepper and a Mango Pineapple Refresher. The move to compete in the drinks space comes after McDonald’s last May pulled the plug on its beverage-oriented chain, CosMc’s.

The media outlet also reported that McDonald’s plans to undercut competitors such as Starbucks and Dutch Bros on price, citing internal documents related to the launch.

After it closed CosMc’s stores, McDonald’s tested new drink combinations, including a Sour Cherry Energy Burst, in U.S. McDonald’s restaurants. At the time, the company said it was “seeing real momentum in beverages,” particularly among Gen Z consumers.

Texas attorney general probes Lululemon over potential ‘forever chemicals’ in its activewear

April 13, 2026 5:23 PM UTC Updated 1 hour ago / Reuters

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[1/2]Clothes are displayed in a Lululemon retail store in New York, U.S., March 30, 2017. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo

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April 13 (Reuters) – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched an investigation into athleisure brand Lululemon (LULU.O) over the potential presence of “forever chemicals” ​in its activewear, he said on Monday in a ‌post on social-media platform X.

The probe will examine whether Lululemon’s athletic apparel contains PFAS, which the brand’s health-conscious customers would not expect based ​on its marketing, Paxton said. PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl ​substances, are a group of widely used materials ⁠called “forever chemicals” because they do not break down easily in ​nature.

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Lululemon did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

• Attorney ​General Paxton said emerging research and consumer concerns have raised questions about whether certain synthetic materials in the apparel could be linked to endocrine ​disruption, infertility, cancer and other health risks.
• PFAS are associated with ​harmful health effects in humans and animals, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
• The ‌Office ⁠of the Attorney General will examine Lululemon’s testing protocols, restricted substances list and supply chain practices against state safety standards.
• “If Lululemon has violated Texas law, it will be held accountable,” Paxton ​said in his ​post.
• Shares of Lululemon ⁠were marginally down at $163.59, with the stock losing nearly 22% so far in 2026.
• Earlier this year, ​the company had to pull its “Get Low” workout collection ​from ⁠its website following user complaints, only resuming online sales after addressing the issues.
• Lululemon, which appointed a former chief of jeans maker Levi ⁠Strauss (LEVI.N) ​to the board last month, has forecast ​weak annual results amid tepid demand and an ongoing proxy fight with its ​founder.

Reporting by Anuja Bharat Mistry in Bengaluru; Editing by Jonathan Ananda

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Democrats build midterm momentum, but Republicans still in driver’s seat in Senate majority battle

2026-04-13T12:14:01-04:00 / Fox News

Races in North Carolina, Georgia, Ohio and Nebraska all shifted in Democrats’ favor on Monday

By Paul Steinhauser Fox News

Published April 13, 2026 12:14pm EDT

Senate Republican campaign chair Tim Scott ‘extremely optimistic’ about expanding majority but spotlights ‘difficult’ climate

National Republican Senatorial Committee chair Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina speaks exclusively with Fox News Digital about the GOP’s chances in the midterm elections.

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A leading nonpartisan political handicapper predicts that the Democrats’ path to winning back the Senate majority in this year’s midterm elections is getting wider thanks to a rough political climate for the GOP, but that capturing control of the chamber remains a “tall order.”

The Cook Political Report on Monday shifted the ratings in four key Senate races in favor of the Democrats, but added that Republicans “remain the narrowing favorites to retain the upper chamber.”

Republicans currently control the Senate 53-47 but are battling stiff political headwinds, as the party in power in the nation’s capital traditionally loses seats in the midterms. The GOP faces a rough political climate fueled by economic concerns amid persistent inflation, as well as rising gas prices tied to what polls show is an unpopular war with Iran and President Donald Trump’s underwater approval ratings.

“Right now, we see the likeliest outcome is a one to three seat Democratic pickup — still just out of reach of the four seats the party needs to reclaim the majority,” Cook Report Senate and Governors Editor Jessica Taylor said in a release.

SNUBBED BY TRUMP, THESE GOP CANDIDATES ACT LIKE THEY HAVE HIS ENDORSEMENT ANYWAY

An exterior view of the Senate side of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 12, 2026.(Paul Steinhauser/Fox News)

The Cook Report shifted the race to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Thom Tillis in battleground North Carolina from toss-up to lean Democrat. Former two-term Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper is facing off against former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley in what will likely be one of the most expensive and competitive Senate showdowns in the nation this autumn.

In battleground Georgia, where Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff is running for a second six-year term, the Cook Report also moved the race from toss-up to lean Democrat. Republicans view Ossoff as the most vulnerable Senate Democrat seeking re-election this year, but he has built a massive war chest while the GOP faces a three-way primary battle for its nomination.

STRATEGY SESSION: TRUMP TEAM HUDDLES ON MIDTERM MESSAGING

In red-leaning Ohio, where appointed Republican Sen. Jon Husted will face off in November against former longtime Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, the Cook Report shifted their ranking from lean Republican to toss up, noting that “even recent GOP polling” has indicated the race is all knotted up.

The Cook Report also shifted Nebraska, a red state where GOP Sen. Pete Ricketts will face a general election challenge from independent candidate Dan Osborn, from solid Republican to likely Republican.

President Donald Trump is facing low polling numbers in the wake of the Iran conflict and rising gas prices.(Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

“We concede that these ratings changes are coming as Trump is at a new polling low and still navigating a yet-to-be-resolved war in Iran. So it’s possible things could rebound for his party or that they could find a rallying cry to get his base out in November — a summer Supreme Court retirement certainly wouldn’t hurt,” Taylor noted.

And she pointed out that “Democrats are still contending with messy primary fights in Maine, Michigan, Minnesota and Iowa, where Republicans are rooting for flawed or bruised nominees to emerge. And Republicans will have a significant institutional financial advantage.”

FOX NEWS POLL: AN EARLY LOOK AT THE 2026 MIDTERMS

National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Chair Sen. Tim Scott acknowledged in a Fox News Digital interview last month that “there’s no doubt the climate has gotten more and more difficult by the day, it seems like at times.”

But Scott added that he remains “incredibly optimistic” the GOP can not only hold but expand its current majority.

The rival Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), in an email to supporters titled “Democratic Odds of Taking the Senate Increase as Four Ratings Shift in Their Favor,” spotlighted the Cook Report’s ratings shift.

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Earlier this year, DSCC Chair Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand told Fox News Digital she was “very optimistic that with the quality of candidates that we have, with the recruiting failures and the poor candidates the Republicans have, and this very harmful climate that President Trump is creating, we have all the makings of a blue wave.”

Paul Steinhauser is a politics reporter based in the swing state of New Hampshire. He covers the campaign trail from coast to coast.

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6387712668112