WASHINGTON, April 11 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday posted on social media that the United States military has started to clear the Strait of Hormuz nL1N40T08R, and that all of Iran's minelaying ships have been sunk.
"We're now starting the process of clearing out the Strait of Hormuz," Trump wrote in a social media post, adding that "all 28" of Iran's "mine dropper boats are also lying at the bottom of the sea".
By Mubasher Bukhari
ISLAMABAD, April 11 (Reuters) - The luxury five-star Serena Hotel in Pakistan's capital has become theunlikely venue for peace talks aimed at ending the Iran war https://www.reuters.com/world/iran/, cementing its status as one of Islamabad'smost heavily fortified buildings.
The city is under unprecedented security ahead of the talks, with shops and offices shut for two days ahead of the arrival of U.S. Vice President JD Vance nL1N40T02F, who is leading the American delegation, and senior Iranian officials.
CAIRO, April 11 (Reuters) - An airstrike hit a police checkpoint in Bureij camp in the central Gaza Strip early on Saturday, killing at least six people and injuring several others, medics said.
It was not immediately clear whether all those killed were police members. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.
A series of Israeli strikes has killed dozens of Hamas-led police force members since October, according to medics and police sources.
PARIS, April 11 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday that he had discussed the Iran ceasefire https://www.reuters.com/world/iran/ talks and the situation in Ukraine https://www.reuters.com/world/ukraine-russia-war/ with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.
By Tom Polansek, Brad Brooks, Maria Tsvetkova, Rich McKay and Daniel Trotta
By Daniel Flynn
KYIV, April 11 (Reuters) - Ukraine can play a useful role in international efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz, Britain's armed services minister said, praising its drone technology as amongthe best in the world.
Britain has organized discussions this month among more than 30 nations nL1N40L0A8 on how to reopen the strait, amid an Iranian blockade that has choked oil supplies to the global economy following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran https://www.reuters.com/world/iran/.
Some three-quarters of the airstrikes during the Middle East war targeted sites in Iran or Lebanon, according to an AFP analysis of data from ACLED, a non‑profit that tracks political violence worldwide.
At least 7,700 strikes or series of strikes by missiles, drones, rockets or bombs, were recorded by the US-based conflict research group between the start of the war on February 28 up to April 8, when a fragile ceasefire concluded between Tehran and Washington came into effect.
By Parisa Hafezi
DUBAI, April 11 (Reuters) - A senior Iranian source said on Saturday the U.S. had agreed to release Iranian frozen assets that were held in Qatar and other foreign banks, welcoming the move as a sign of "seriousness" in reaching a deal with Washington in talks in Islamabad.
The United States has not made any public comments on the issue of unfreezing assets.
April 11 (Reuters) - Top U.S. and Iranian officials gathered in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Saturday to hold talks that seek to end their war https://www.reuters.com/world/iran/ in the Middle East that has killed thousands L1N3ZZ07R, roiled energy supplies and hurt the global economy.
Here are the key issues the two sides are expected to discuss, with Tehran insisting that formal talks L1N40U01A can begin only after Washington gives commitments on a ceasefire in Lebanon and lifting sanctions on Iran.
JAKARTA, April 11 (Reuters) - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will depart to Russia in the coming days and is expected to meet President Vladimir Putin during the visit, Indonesia's foreign minister said on Saturday.
Minister Sugiono said the visit would discuss the potential for Indonesia to buy Russian oil as an alternative source amid global supply crunch due to Iran war.
Asked previously about a possible visit, the Kremlin said contacts between the two leaders were being prepared. nL8N40S0KZ
(Reporting by Stefanno Sulaiman; Editing by William Mallard)
