NPR News: 04-25-2026 11AM EDT

US negotiators are traveling to Pakistan for indirect talks aimed at resolving the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran, now nearly two months old, amid a naval standoff in the Strait of Hormuz. The broadcast also covers Russian missile and drone strikes on Ukraine, a US military exemption from environmental rules, brief violence in Mali, a cultural tribute in the UK, and President Trump's attendance at a press dinner.

Stalled Iran Talks and Strait Blockade

A US delegation including Special Envoy Steve Whitkopf and Jared Kushner is heading to Pakistan today for potential new rounds of talks to end the war in Iran. NPR's correspondent in Beirut reports an impasse, with neither side budging. The US has imposed a blockade around the Strait of Hormuz, intercepting more than 30 ships heading to or from Iranian ports, as stated by Defense Secretary Pete Hagseth, who affirmed the US will maintain it "as long as it takes." Iran retains military control of the strait itself, blocking most commercial shipping and leaving vessels stuck on both sides. These indirect talks in Pakistan represent a possible path to unlock the situation, though progress remains uncertain given the entrenched positions.