Obburgen (Switzerland), Jun 22: Vice President JD Vance said Monday peace talks with Iran created a “good foundation for a successful final deal” to end the war that began at the end of February.

“The final deal is the house,” Vance told reporters. “We set the foundation. We haven’t built the house, but we’ve laid a successful foundation to get to a good place for the American people.”

Vance’s comments came after he and Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf on Monday wrapped up a lengthy round of initial talks aimed at solidifying a permanent end to the war between the countries.

The vice president also suggested that the US administration could agree to unfreeze Iranian assets for purchases of US soy, corn and wheat.

The mediation effort in Switzerland, which started Sunday and stretched into the early hours of Monday, had rocky moments. But the talks also led to some agreements between the two sides.

London, June 22: Keir Starmer on Monday announced his resignation as British Prime Minister and the Leader of the Labour Party, setting out a timetable for his successor to be elected in the coming weeks and be in place by September.  

The 63-year-old said he will remain in post until a new leader and PM is elected by the governing party and pledged his “full and unequivocal support” to the new leader to “ensure an orderly handover of power”.

Andy Burnham, who returns to the House of Commons after winning a crucial by-election last week, is seen as the frontrunner in the race to replace him at 10 Downing Street.  

“The question my party is asking now is whether I am best placed to lead us into the next general election,” said an emotional Starmer, in his address from the steps of Downing Street.  

“I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question and I accept that answer with good grace. Every decision I have taken has been about putting the country I love first. That is why I will resign as leader of the Labour Party,” he said.

Starmer said that he had spoken to King Charles III on Monday morning to inform him of the decision.

He will now ask the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party to set out the timetable for selecting his successor, with nominations opening on July 9 and the process to be completed by the summer recess of Parliament, which is set for July 17.  

“In the case of a contest, this will ensure a new leader is in place before Parliament returns in September. I will remain in post as Prime Minister until the contest is complete, and I will do everything I can to ensure an orderly handover of power,” said Starmer. 

“I will also give my successor my full and unequivocal support, knowing that they will inherit a Britain that is far stronger and fairer than the one I inherited two years ago, better prepared for the challenges ahead, and better able to ensure the Labor Party secures a second term in office,” he said. 

Starmer led the Labour Party to a landslide victory in a general election in July 2024. After an initial phase of popularity, his ratings as PM have plummeted in recent months over some controversial decisions.  

“When I leave the biggest job in the country, I shall spend more time on the most important job, being the best husband I can to my fantastic wife, Vic, who has been a rock by my side through good times and bad, and being the best dad I can to my beautiful children, who are my pride and my joy,” said Starmer, choking back tears. 

Dubai, June 22: An explosion tore through Qatar’s key natural gas export terminal Sunday night as workers tried to resume operations there after Iran bombed it during the war, causing a fire that hurt at least 54 people, with another 18 still missing hours later.

The blast at the Ras Laffan industrial area could cause further chaos in global energy markets, particularly as Qatar remains one of the world’s top natural gas producers.

Qatar shut down its production after Iran’s chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz meant it couldn’t get shipments out to its clients.

With Iran loosening its grip on the strait as negotiations continue over a permanent end to the war, Qatar began work to try to restart its export terminal.

On Sunday night, that work sparked an explosion and fire at the Barzan gas supply facility, the state-run firm QatarEnergy said.

The scale of the damage remains unknown after the blast, with officials initially saying only a few people had been hurt.

But hours later, Qatar’s interior ministry offered the far-greater casualty figures.

Washington, June 22: US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is visiting India to take forward the discussions on the interim trade deal agreed to by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump in February.

“This week, Ambassador Jamieson Greer will travel to New Delhi, India, to meet with the Minister of Commerce and Industry of India, Piyush Goyal, and other senior Indian officials to discuss the historic US-India joint statement and the interim agreement as part of the broader US-India Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) negotiations,” the office of the US Trade Representative said in a statement on Sunday.

Trump and Modi met on the sidelines of the G-7 meeting in France last week where the US president said that India and the US were very close to finalising the trade agreement.

Trump also called Modi a tough negotiator and highlighted the personal rapport he enjoyed with the Indian prime minister.

The meeting between Greer and Goyal comes close on the heels of negotiator-level discussions on the pact held from June 2-4 in New Delhi.

Earlier, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal had said that the discussions between the two ministers are expected to be centred around giving final touches to the framework deal.

On June 5, Goyal said India and the US are moving towards closing all the open ends of the interim trade agreement, and both sides are likely to execute the “very, very vibrant” first phase of the BTA by the middle of next month.

Following the trip to India, Greer will travel to Uzbekistan, where he will meet President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the Head of the Presidential Administration Saida Mirziyoyeva, and Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjaev.

Greer’s discussions in Uzbekistan will focus on achieving fair, balanced, and reciprocal trade with the US.