Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz has dispatched a diplomatic delegation, led by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, to key global capitals including London, Washington, Paris, and Brussels. The delegation includes Federal Ministers Dr Malik, Khurram Dastgir Khan, Sherry Rehman, and former minister of state Hina Rabbani Khar, as well as Senator Faisal Sabzwari, former foreign secretary Tehmina Janjua, and former ambassador to the US and EU Jalil Abbas Jilani. The team's focus will be on promoting regional peace while countering Indian propaganda.
https://www.geo.tv/latest/605320-diplomatic-team-heads-to-us-uk-france-russia-to-counter-indian-narrativeEstonia reported that Russia briefly sent a fighter jet into NATO airspace over the Baltic Sea, allegedly to intercept an oil tanker believed to be part of Moscow's "shadow fleet" evading Western sanctions. In response, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that Moscow is closely monitoring events in the region and will respond to any perceived illegal actions by NATO ships.
https://www.fakti.bg/en/world/972494-moscow-says-nato-is-acting-aggressively-in-the-baltic-seaUS President Donald Trump has revived his "maximum pressure" approach against Iran, warning of potential military action if talks on nuclear restrictions fail. Iranian diplomats have expressed openness to temporary limits on uranium enrichment and are willing to engage in serious discussions. However, they criticized the US for contradictory positions and continued sanctions on Iran's oil industry and nuclear program. Trump presented an "olive branch" to Iran's leadership but threatened massive pressure if no deal is reached, including driving Iranian oil exports to zero.
https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2025/05/20/khamenei-doubts-nuclear-talks-with-us-will-yield-results-warns-against-denying-irans-enrichment-rights/177484The United Nations has been approached by Israel to resume limited aid deliveries to Gaza, but Secretary-General António Guterres expressed concerns over the planned offensive. A coalition of 20 countries, including Belgium, Canada, and France, has condemned Israel's blockade and politicization of aid to Gaza, with Foreign Minister Penny Wong leading the joint statement.
https://www.9news.com.au/national/australia-joins-coalition-of-countries-accusing-israel-of-politicising-aid-to-gaza/51f894e3-e993-4377-8e0c-139cb67eb9e2JPMorgan analysts believe that a decrease in US-China trade tensions and a weakening of the dollar will reduce headwinds for emerging market (EM) equities. This is expected to be further boosted by a promising opportunity in China's technology sector, particularly among JPMorgan's positive outlook on countries such as India, Brazil, the Philippines, Chile, the UAE, Greece, and Poland. The MSCI EM stock index has risen 9.0% this year, while US assets have seen confidence wane due to concerns over President Donald Trump's policies, with the dollar index down 7.5% so far this year.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1313219-jp-morgan-upgrades-emerging-market-equities-as-sino-us-trade-war-easesRussia's Direct Investment Fund head Kirill Dmitriev criticized Western politicians and media for disrupting constructive dialogue between Russia and the US. Despite sanctions, Russia has rerouted its oil and gas supplies to India and China, with China backing direct dialogue between the two nations. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning expressed hope that parties involved will continue their talks to reach a fair and lasting peace agreement.
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40363754/zelenskyy-accuses-russia-of-buying-time-to-stall-peace-talksUS President Donald Trump's decision to reduce tariffs on certain goods was a strategic move to create a favorable atmosphere for launching new trade negotiations with countries around the world. The main reason behind this move is to address two pressing trade-related issues: the US trade deficit and non-monetary tariffs. Trump is concerned about the US spending money to buy goods from other countries, which he believes has hollowed out American manufacturing and taken jobs away from Americans. He also criticizes previous leaders for opening up the US market without taking adequate measures to protect American products. The second issue Trump wants to address are non-monetary tariffs, such as unreasonable inspection requirements, subsidies for exports, and protectionist standards for agriculture and industry, which he believes hinder fair trade between the US and other countries.
https://www.manilatimes.net/2025/05/21/opinion/columns/trumping-through-trade-and-diplomacy/2117691India's Ambassador JP Singh described India's attack on Pakistan's Nur Khan base as a game-changer that created panic in Pakistan. He stated that the Indus Water Treaty, which has been suspended due to Pakistan's refusal to stop terror attacks, was never honoured by Pakistan and India was battling against such attacks for years. Singh emphasized that terrorism is a global menace and called for greater cooperation among countries to form a coalition against it. He specifically mentioned two terrorist groups - Jaish-e-Muhammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba - as the root cause of terror attacks in India, citing examples like the Mumbai attack where several Jews were killed. Singh demanded that Pakistan hand over terrorists like Hafeez Saeed and Lakhvi to India, which he believes will bring an end to cross-border terrorism.
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/operation-sindoor-is-not-over-pakistan-must-hand-over-terrorist-hafiz-saeed-indian-envoy-jp-singh-8457808#pfrom=home-ndtv_mainnavigationIran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has pushed back against US criticism of the country's nuclear program, calling American statements "nonsense" and stating that Tehran won't seek permission from anyone to enrich uranium. Khamenei made these comments during a memorial for late President Ebrahim Raisi at a ceremony in Tehran. The remarks reflect Iran's growing frustration with stalled nuclear discussions and broader tensions with the US. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said no definitive decision has been made about the next round of negotiations, while Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi confirmed that Tehran had received a proposal for the next round of talks with Washington.
https://www.ocregister.com/2025/05/20/iran-supreme-leader-us-stance/