Image source, NetBlocks/X

Eight weeks have passed since the start of the state-imposed internet blackout in Iran.

"The disruption, now entering its 57th day after 1,344 hours, stifles the voices of Iranians, leaves friends and family out of touch and damages the economy," says connectivity monitoring site NetBlocks.

The BBC's Persian service has still managed to contact some people inside Iran, who have been using satellite devices like Starlink to get around the blackout.

But it can come with a high price - in Iran, using or possessing Starlink can lead to up to two years in prison, and authorities are trying to crack down on it.

Iran has hanged a man accused of being on a "mission" for Mossad - Israel's intelligence agency - during protests across the country, according to news agencies Fars and Tasnim, which are affiliated with the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps.

The man, named Erfan Kiani, was accused of "destruction and arson" and "creating terror" during protests in January 2026, Tasnim reports.

He was hanged earlier today after the Supreme Court confirmed the verdict, both agencies say.

Israel has not immediately commented on this.

Protests began in December and escalated in January after a sharp fall in the value of the Iranian currency and a surge in the cost of living.

The protests were met with a violent crackdown by Iranian authorities, and human rights groups say thousands of people were killed.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has "no assignment related to nuclear talks" during his trip to Pakistan, according to the head of Iran's national security committee.

Speaking to journalists in Tehran last night, Ebrahim Azizi said the foreign minister is in Islamabad "only for discussions on bilateral relations".

Azizi - who is also a former commander in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) - said talks about nuclear activity "remain one of Iran’s firm red lines".

The US has called on Iran to end its nuclear programme, stressing that this should be part of any final peace deal.

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has issued another warning to people in Lebanon not to move beyond a certain point in the country's south.

The military reiterates that during "the period of the ceasefire" its forces "continue to maintain their positions" in southern Lebanon. It also lists dozens of villages that people should not "move south of".

The IDF has been issuing similar messages since the ceasefire was agreed between Lebanon and Israel. It has set up a "yellow line" security perimeter, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a 10km-deep (6.2 mile) "security zone" would be established.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) says it struck loaded Hezbollah rocket launchers overnight in three areas of southern Lebanon.

It says the launchers "posed an immediate threat" to IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians, and that it will keep working to remove these threats.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah says in a statement this morning that it has also targeted the Israeli army.

This follows an extension of the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, agreed on 23 April. Both the IDF and Hezbollah have accused each other of violations since then.

• You can read about the terms of the ceasefire here

Image source, Reuters

Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport resumed some international flights this morning.

Iranian media say the first departures were heading to cities across the Middle East - including Medina in Saudi Arabia, Muscat in Oman, and Istanbul in Turkey.

Iranian airspace has remained largely closed since its war with the US and Israel began on 28 February. Passenger flights have been suspended for almost two months.

On 8 April, Pakistan said the US and Iran had agreed a conditional two-week ceasefire. Donald Trump said he agreed to extend this on 21 April, until Iran had submitted a proposal for talks.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Getty Images

On Friday, we've heard from US President Donald Trump with an update on negotiations with Iran.

Trump told Reuters news agency that Iran was "making an offer and we'll have to see", but he didn't yet know what the offer was.

Speaking in a phone call, Trump gave little detail on which Iranian officials the US was negotiating with, but said his team was negotiating "with the people who are in charge now".

The US president added that Iran wants to talk and explore a possible deal, and that it plans to make an offer aimed at resolving US demands.

Image source, Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is meeting Pakistan's Field Marshal Asim Munir, who leads the country's armed forces.

Araghchi said that after his meetings in Pakistan, he will travel to Oman and Russia. The aim, he said in a post on social media, is to "coordinate with our partners on bilateral matters and consult on regional developments."

Tehran says there are no direct talks planned between the US and Iran, but Iranian officials are in Islamabad for discussions with Pakistan. US negotiators are also heading to the capital.

Pakistan has increased its security since Donald Trump said on 19 April that his representatives would return for talks. Here are some photos taken in Islamabad this morning.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

Breakthrough remains highly unlikelypublished at 06:34 BST

06:34 BST

David Willis
North America correspondent

Peace talks that were due to take place between the United States and Iran on Tuesday did not happen after Iran - incensed by the US blockade of its ports - indicated it was no longer ready to press ahead.

At Pakistan's request, Donald Trump then extended a two-week ceasefire to give the Iranians more time to come up with their own plan to end the conflict, and the White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Iran had since reached out, adding that the last few days had seen "some progress" towards negotiations.

Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are due to leave Washington for Pakistan later today but it’s unclear how much - if anything - they’ll be able to achieve.

Shortly after Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in the Pakistani capital, his government made clear he was purely there for bilateral talks with Pakistan and would not be taking part in direct negotiations with the US.

Any communication from the Iranian side would therefore have to be conveyed through Pakistani mediators, making the imminent chance of a breakthrough highly unlikely.

Trump has said he's in no hurry to strike a deal to end the war, but with petrol prices rising, and his approval rating falling, the pressure for an agreement is growing.

Image source, Getty Images

Iran's state broadcaster IRIB writes on Telegram that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi does not plan to meet with the US in Pakistan.

Islamabad can act as a "bridge" to "convey Iran's consideration for ending the conflict", it says.

Meanwhile, the White House said earlier that it was sending envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Islamabad because the Iranians wanted to talk "in person".

Araghchi arrived in Pakistan on Friday evening – the Iranian embassy in Pakistan says he plans to "review bilateral matters" between Iran and Pakistan.

Citing a senior Pakistani government official, ABC News is reporting that US and Iranian delegations will have separate meetings with Pakistani officials this weekend.

It adds that if they go well, the US and Iranian officials will then meet directly on Sunday.

In the days since Donald Trump announced a three-week extension to a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, the Israeli military and Hezbollah have accused each other several times of violating the truce.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) says the latest breach came when Hezbollah launched explosive drones towards soldiers in southern Lebanon.

"This incident constitutes an additional blatant violation of the ceasefire understandings," the IDF says, adding no injuries were reported.

Hezbollah said it had attacked Israeli soldiers and drones five times throughout Friday afternoon and evening, "in response" to Israel's "violation of the ceasefire".

The open question now is how much progress the countries can make in Pakistanpublished at 05:01 BST

05:01 BST

Daniel Bush
Washington correspondent

President Donald Trump and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth have insisted this week that the US isn’t feeling pressure to end the war with Iran.

But news that the US-Iran talks are continuing this weekend underscores yet again the divide between the administration’s public pronouncements and behind-the-scenes push by the White House to find a way to wind down the war.

The latest sign came Friday when the White House said that special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner were heading back to Islamabad to continue peace talks with Iran.

The news suggests both sides are seeking a path forward, despite the continued mixed messages from Trump and aggressive posturing from Tehran.

The open question now is how much progress the countries can make in Pakistan. Vice-President JD Vance led the US delegation in the first round of talks but so far is not confirmed to be going to the negotiations this weekend. The White House said Vance was on "stand by" to go if needed.

Vance’s absence - if he doesn’t go - might mean the countries don’t expect a major breakthrough. But the fact that the talks are continuing shows both the US and Iran are interested in a deal.

There has been speculation this week surrounding whether a second round of peace talks between Iran and the US will go ahead in Islamabad.

Pakistan, which is acting as a mediator, has had road closures in place for six days, as it prepares to host the peace talks. Here's a reminder of how things have unfolded so far:

11 April: Senior US and Iranian officials meet in Pakistan for talks which last more than 21 hours but end without agreement, despite both sides reporting progress.

19 April: US President Donald Trump says his representatives will return to Pakistan for talks. However, this does not happen, as Iran says it's not yet decided whether to take part.

21 April: Trump agrees to extend the ceasefire with Iran for an unspecified time so negotiations can continue.

24 April: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will head to Islamabad on Saturday for further talks with Iran.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives in Islamabad as part of a wider regional trip, but Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei says he will only be meeting "Pakistani high-level officials".

Baqaei says no direct meeting between Iran and the US is planned, while earlier Iranian state media said there were no negotiations with the US on the agenda.

Image source, EPA

We are resuming our live coverage of the conflict in the Middle East.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has arrived in Pakistan and the White House says it is sending US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Islamabad on Saturday because the Iranians wanted to talk "in person".

A different message has emerged from Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baqaei, who says Araghchi would be meeting only "Pakistani high-level officials".

"No meeting is planned to take place between Iran and the US. Iran's observations would be conveyed to Pakistan," he said.

US President Donald Trump earlier said officials were negotiating "with the people who are in charge now" in Iran.

He said Iran is "making an offer and we'll have to see", but he didn't yet know what the offer was.

Tight security is in place across Islamabad, with major roads closed and public transport suspended as Pakistan prepares to host a second round of US–Iran peace talks.