11 New Developments in the Middle East War: Iran Meets Putin - North Korea Wins
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Several recent developments have occurred in the Middle East on Sunday-Monday (27/4/2026). Although the ceasefire between the United States (US) and Iran remains in place, negotiations for peace between the two countries have yet to be agreed upon.
On Saturday, US President Donald Trump cancelled plans to send envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Islamabad, Pakistan, for talks with Iran. Trump cited “extraordinary infighting and confusion” within Tehran’s leadership as the reason.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi briefly returned to Islamabad on Sunday as Pakistani leaders pushed to revive ceasefire talks between Tehran and Washington. This came after Trump suddenly stated that peace discussions could be held by phone.
Meanwhile, the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon is also under threat. So what are the updates this afternoon?
Here is a summary from CNBC Indonesia citing various sources:
- Iran Meets Putin
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. On Monday, he arrived in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
The core of the discussions is not yet known. However, the war between Iran and the US is believed to be the main topic.
“He arrived on Monday morning with the aim of meeting and holding talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin,” stated Iran’s state news agency, IRNA, on Telegram.
Moscow’s news agency, TASS, had previously confirmed that Putin plans to meet Araghchi. The report quoted Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
- Israeli Soldier Killed
The Israeli military stated that one of its soldiers was killed “during combat” in southern Lebanon, where a ceasefire has been in effect since mid-April. Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah have accused each other of violating the ceasefire.
- Hezbollah Accuses Israel
Hezbollah rejected accusations from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that they are endangering the ceasefire. The Iran-backed group in Lebanon stated that their attacks on Israeli targets in southern Lebanon and northern Israel were “a legitimate response to the enemy’s continuous ceasefire violations since the first day of the temporary ceasefire announcement”.
- Netanyahu Accuses Hezbollah
Netanyahu said Hezbollah’s actions threaten the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. He even vowed to “firmly” target the Iran-backed group.
“It must be understood that Hezbollah’s violations, in practice, dismantle the ceasefire,” he said.
- Israeli Attacks
Lebanese official media reported that the Israeli military began attacking areas in southern Lebanon on Sunday after issuing evacuation warnings for seven locations. This despite the ceasefire with the Iran-backed Hezbollah group.
“Israeli warplanes launched attacks in Kfar Tibnit, one of the locations covered by the ceasefire,” said the government-run National News Agency, adding that there were reports of casualties.
- Trump Issues Statement on Iran After Dinner Shooting
US President Donald Trump stated that the shooting at a media dinner event in Washington on Saturday would not distract him from the war against Iran. Earlier, a US Secret Service agent was reportedly shot at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the White House.
“It will not stop me from winning the war in Iran. I don’t know if it’s related to that, I really don’t think so, based on what we know,” Trump said after the incident.
- Iran’s New Proposal on the Strait of Hormuz
Iran has offered a new proposal to the US to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the war, while postponing nuclear talks to a later date. This was reported by Axios, citing a US official and two sources familiar with the matter.
Experts warn that the longer the strait remains disrupted, the more acute its economic impact will be. Where rising prices will eventually force a drop in demand, especially in energy-importing regions.
- Executions in Iran
On Sunday, Iran executed a man convicted of being a member of the Sunni militant group Jaish al-Adl and involved in attacks on security forces in the southeast. On Saturday, they announced the execution of a man accused of providing intelligence to Israel.
- Oil Prices Soar
Amid ongoing uncertainty regarding the vital energy waterway and the Iran war, oil prices rose slightly on Monday. This reinforces the persistent risk premium in the energy market.
The international benchmark Brent crude rose about 1% to US$106.55 per barrel. Meanwhile, US crude rose 0.88% to US$95.23 per barrel.
Goldman Sachs forecasts that oil prices will remain higher for longer, raising its Brent estimate to US$90 per barrel by the end of 2026 from US$80 previously. The investment bank said disruptions in the Persian Gulf have proven more persistent than previously assumed.
- Market Conditions
So far, global stock markets have shown surprising resilience. Global markets have recovered losses suffered at the start of the war and are near record highs despite ongoing energy shocks.
Analysts say this reflects the tug-of-war between geopolitical risks and strong structural drivers. Particularly artificial intelligence.
“Fundamentally, stock markets are balancing two opposing forces: geopolitical risk on one side, and AI commercialisation on the other, and currently the right side is winning convincingly,” said Billy Leung, investment strategist at Global X ETFs.
“The main trend is up and I would s