Ground paved for comprehensive efforts to establish permanent regional peace: Iranian official

Citing intense Pakistani diplomacy efforts, Iran's Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam said Friday in a social media post that the ground, more or less, has been paved for comprehensive, unified and united efforts to establish permanent peace and collective security, sustainable development, progress and prosperity for all in the Middle East and beyond.

Noting the progress made in the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, he said that trust, goodwill, avoiding redundancy in action and words, respect, as well as particularly synergy among the countries of the region, can bridge the existing gaps to achieve the significant goals. The intelligentsia, politicians, scholars and media can play a significant role in helping bridge the current chasm towards convergence, he added.

Meanwhile, Iran and the United States are reportedly drafting a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to establish a framework for a permanent peace agreement, an Iranian official said on Friday. Optimism is high for the signing of this MOU during negotiations that could possibly take place in Pakistan in the coming days.

The proposed memorandum outlines a 60-day window for subsequent negotiations aimed at finalizing a comprehensive deal.

Previous talks between U.S. and Iranian delegations in Islamabad on the April 11 and 12 concluded without an agreement. the White House confirmed on Friday that discussions for further face-to-face meetings are ongoing.

Mediating efforts continued Friday with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir conducting separate shuttle diplomacy.

On the U.S. side, the White House confirmed on Friday that discussions for further face-to-face meetings are ongoing.

The Trump administration is reportedly considering a renewed diplomatic push with Iran, potentially dispatching senior officials to Pakistan within days to resume negotiations.

Sources indicate that arrangements for these talks are still under evaluation, with discussions possibly restarting as early as next Monday (April 20). U.S. Vice President JD Vance is being considered as a potential head of the delegation, possibly accompanied by U.S. president's special envoy Steve Witkoff, to continue previous behind-the-scenes consultations in Islamabad.

Concurrently, European leaders convened an emergency meeting in Paris on Friday to address the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Discussions included measures such as escort operations, mine clearance, and intelligence sharing.

Ground paved for comprehensive efforts to establish permanent regional peace: Iranian official

Ground paved for comprehensive efforts to establish permanent regional peace: Iranian official

Officials and exhibitors from Canada on Monday hailed the important role of the China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) in promoting international trade, saying it serves as a great platform for Canadian authorities and businesses to better understand Chinese consumers and market trends.

Canada is the Guest Country of Honor at the CICPE 2026, or the six CICPE.

The event, held in Haikou City of south China's tropical island province of Hainan from April 13-18, served as a key gateway for around 40 Canadian companies to access China's vast consumer market, with exhibitors showcasing a diverse range of products from premium cosmetics and health products to agriculture and pet food.

RJ Sigurdson, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation of western Canada's Alberta province, said the expo helped him to understand the current market trends.

"It's really important for me to see what the market trends are here and to be able to maximize on those market trends. We're here to be able to have those conversations and see how we can be a better trading partner, and how we're going to be able to flow our high quality agricultural commodities into this country," said the minister.

Ji Hualei, a Canadian exhibitor who is launching a new wearable device at the expo, expressed his confidence in China's market potential.

"We have observed a clear shift of Chinese consumers' focus from one specific function of products to healthiness and sustainability. The CICPE provides an excellent platform for showcasing and launching our new products, and I think Hainan's zero-tariff policy will also offering us great resources," said the exhibitor.

Attending an event at the Canada Pavilion, Canada's Minister of International Trade Maninder Sidhu said more efforts will be made to boost trade and exchanges between his country and China.

"Very important for us to be at the show. As the Chinese consumer market grows, we're exploring more options to get more flights between China and Canada to build more people to people ties, and more tourism between the two countries," said Sidhu.

This year's CICPE is the first national-level consumer expo since the launch of island-wide special customs operation in the Hainan Free Trade Port in December 2025, drawing participation of more than 3,400 brands from over 60 countries and regions.

Since its launch in 2021, the expo has become an important platform for multinationals to stay abreast of consumer trends in China's vast market, with over 3,800 enterprises and more than 12,000 brands from 92 countries and regions participating over the past five editions.

Canadian officials, exhibitors hail role of Hainan consumer products expo in trade promotion