Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he had received "elements" of a U.S. proposal for a potential nuclear deal following five rounds of talks mediated by Oman.

Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi "paid a short visit to Tehran today to present elements of a U.S. proposal which will be appropriately responded to in line with the principles, national interests and rights of the people of Iran," Araghchi said on X.

French President Emmanuel Macron warned the U.S. and a large audience of Indo-Pacific nations Friday night that they risk a dangerous double standard as they concentrate on a potential conflict with China if that shift comes at the cost of abandoning Ukraine.

Macron's remarks come as the U.S. is considering withdrawing troops from Europe to shift them to the Indo-Pacific. He warned that abandoning Ukraine would eventually erode U.S. credibility in deterring any potential conflict with China over Taiwan.

Ukraine is ready to resume direct peace talks with Russia in Istanbul on Monday, a top adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, following days of uncertainty over whether Kyiv would attend a further meeting proposed by Moscow.

But Ukrainian officials have insisted that the Kremlin provide a promised memorandum setting out its position on ending the more than three-year war, before the two delegations sit down to negotiate.

Senior Iranian officials on Thursday dismissed speculation about an imminent nuclear deal with the United States, emphasizing that any agreement must fully lift sanctions and allow the country's nuclear program to continue.

"Iran is sincere about a diplomatic solution that will serve the interests of all sides. But getting there requires an agreement that will fully terminate all sanctions and uphold Iran's nuclear rights—including enrichment," Abbas Araghchi, the country's foreign minister, wrote in a post on the X.

Russia and Ukraine both want a ceasefire to halt three years of war, Turkey's top diplomat said on Friday as he headed to Kyiv after holding talks in Moscow.

"I observe that the issue is beginning to take a more optimistic turn as negotiations start. Both parties want a ceasefire. No one says they don't want it," Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on the train taking him to Kyiv, reported news agency Anadolu.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen received the International Charlemagne Prize, an annual award for contributions to European unity, on Thursday as the 27-nation bloc confronts Russia's war against Ukraine, the Trump administration's trade war and security issues across the continent.

The European Union's most high-profile political figure, von der Leyen was called "the embodiment of the European spirit" by King Felipe VI of Spain during Thursday's ceremony in Aachen, Germany.

Russia said Thursday its army had captured three more villages in eastern Ukraine, with its troops pressing on even as Moscow calls for fresh peace talks with Kyiv next week.

In a statement posted on social media, Russia's defense ministry said its army had captured the village of Stroivka in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region, as well as Gnativka and Shevchenko Pershe in the Donetsk region.

Elon Musk is leaving his government role as a top adviser to President Donald Trump after spearheading efforts to reduce and overhaul the federal bureaucracy.

His departure, announced Wednesday evening, marks the end of a turbulent chapter that included thousands of layoffs, the evisceration of government agencies and reams of litigation. Despite the upheaval, the billionaire entrepreneur struggled in the unfamiliar environment of Washington, and he accomplished far less than he hoped.

Chinese students studying in the U.S. are scrambling to figure out their futures after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Wednesday that some students would have their visas revoked.

The U.S. will begin revoking the visas of some Chinese students, including those studying in "critical fields", and "those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party," according to the announcement.

Truck drivers in Iran blocked roads and ports Wednesday as part of their strike protesting low salaries, high insurance rates, and a possible hike in fuel prices.

The strikes, which began last Thursday in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, one of the country's main transportation and shipping hubs, have now spread across Iran. The protests are slowly gaining steam, supported by prominent dissident voices, and could morph into more serious protests against the government.