IRAN: President Masoud Pezeshkian formally approved the resignation of one of his vice-presidents, who served as Tehran’s key negotiator in its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, just hours before the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog was due to arrive in the country yesterday.

Mr Pezeshkian’s announcement about Mohammad Javad Zarif on Tuesday night came as Iran prepared for a second round of talks with the United States on its nuclear programme.

MALDIVES: The country has changed its immigration law to bar Israeli passport holders from entering over the war in Gaza.