The US and Iran ended direct talks in Pakistan without an agreement, putting a fragile ceasefire at risk and raising doubts over efforts to end a six-week war that has killed thousands and disrupted global energy supplies.

Hostilities have eased between the US and Iran, but the two countries have so far failed to reach a more permanent peace deal, with US President Donald Trump reportedly rejecting Iran's latest counter-offer.

President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military, government and infrastructure sites. Following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire, initial U.S.-Iran talks in Pakistan in April failed to reach a peace deal.

Vice President JD Vance and White House officials departed Islamabad, Pakistan after failing to reach a peace agreement with Iran on Sunday.

The Trump administration's framework proposed a pause in fighting while officials hammer out a permanent peace plan.

Iran wants to negotiate and strike a deal to end the Middle East “skirmish”, Donald Trump has said, amid warnings the war could threaten British jobs.The US president also insisted the conflict, currently the subject of a fragile ceasefire,

Among the key measures, the government had announced a 50 per cent reduction in fuel allowance for official vehicles, with the exemption of operational vehicles such as ambulances and public buses

DONALD Trump confirmed that US fighter jets shot out the rudder of an Iranian oil tanker – as he handed the reeling regime a one-week ultimatum to reach peace deal. The US president said he