Pakistan Says It Is Working to Return the United States and Iran to Talks as Riyadh Repairs Ties With Baghdad

Pakistan's Foreign Office said it is "doing its utmost" to bring the United States and Iran back to negotiations. Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi told reporters that "we support dialogue and diplomacy as they are the only viable path forward," The Hindu reported.

Iranian state news agency IRNA published a summary of a Chatham House analysis assessing five months of the American and Israeli campaign against Iran. In IRNA's translation, the think tank concluded that the war's principal objectives, including regime change, forcing Tehran into political capitulation and decisively degrading Iran's strategic capabilities, have not been achieved. It added that continued reliance on those assumptions carries risk. The selection and framing are those of an Iranian state outlet, and the underlying document has not been independently reviewed here.

Saudi Arabia is separately working to rebuild relations with Iraq. Al Jazeera reported that Saudi Arabia's intelligence chief met Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi in Baghdad and renewed an invitation for him to visit Riyadh. Al-Zaidi had cancelled an earlier trip after American and Saudi strikes on Iraq on July 29 that Iraqi officials said killed civilians.

Oil markets are not currently pricing escalation. Brent crude traded near $82.15 a barrel on Friday, down 0.41 percent on the day, and the Washington Post's market summary attributed part of the week's equity strength to falling crude prices.