The US and the Taliban are set to begin their seventh round of peace talks on Saturday.
Negotiators from both sides will discuss ways to end the war in Afghanistan.
One US official called the talks a “make-or-break moment” to halt more than 18 years of fighting.
The discussions will be led by Zalmay Khalilzad, who is the US peace envoy for Afghanistan.
He has held six rounds of talks with the Taliban since October.
Afghanistan is preparing to hold presidential elections on September 28.
Iran ready to cooperate for Gulf maritime safety, IMO representative claims
Iran is ready to cooperate with the International Maritime Organisation to improve maritime safety and protect seafarers in the Gulf, the Iranian representative to the U.N. maritime agency claims.
Six dead in Qatari helicopter crash during 'routine duty', search ongoing
The Qatar Ministry of Interior has confirmed six people died during a helicopter crash into "regional waters" on Sunday - with search and rescue teams still searching for the body of the seventh and final crew member.
Two deaths recorded after heavy thunderstorms hit Oman
Two people were killed on Saturday as a result of heavy thunderstorms that hit several governorates of the Sultanate of Oman.
Japan could consider Hormuz minesweeping if ceasefire reached, minister says
Japan could consider deploying its military for minesweeping in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global oil supplies, if a ceasefire is reached in the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said on Sunday.
Trump threatens Iran with power plant strikes over Hormuz blockade
US President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened to "obliterate" Iran's power plants if Tehran does not fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours, a dramatic escalation that came barely a day after he talked about "winding down" the war.
