The US-Iran ceasefire is hanging by a thread, with mediators scrambling to extend the fragile truce before it expires next week. The blockade on Iranian ports and renewed Iranian threats have imperiled the week-old agreement, but regional officials say they're making progress. The key sticking points are Iran's nuclear program, the Strait of Hormuz, and compensation for wartime damages. The war, now in its seventh week, has killed thousands and jolted markets, with oil prices falling and U.S. stocks surging on hopes for an end to fighting. However, the U.S. blockade threatens to sever Iran from its economic lifelines, and Trump says a deal is close to over. Pakistan's finance minister, Muhammad Aurangzeb, says the leadership is not giving up on ending the conflict. The blockade has already turned tankers around, and Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz has sent oil prices skyrocketing. Meanwhile, Israel continues its aerial and ground war in Lebanon, displacing over 1 million people since March. The future of the ceasefire and the region's stability remain uncertain as negotiations continue.
