Trump says US military to stay deployed near Iran until 'real agreement' reached

Just a few years ago, Peter Magyar applauded Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's speeches from a front row seat before emerging as the nationalist leader's most serious challenger in his 16 years in power.

"They called me the 'eternal opposition' within (Orban's party) Fidesz," he told AFP soon after bursting into prominence in 2024 as the government faced a presidential pardon scandal involving a child abuser's accomplice.

On Sunday, Hungarians decided Magyar would be the "eternal opposition" no more, giving his party a clear victory at the polls. The election win, he said, had "liberated" the country.

European leaders were lining up to congratulate him Sunday, hailing what they see as a break with Orban's hostile approach to the European Union.

A skilful communicator -- on social media but also on the campaign trail -- the 45-year-old conservative has promised change, vowing to dismantle "brick by brick" Orban's whole political system -- one he had deep ties to until very recently.

People who know Magyar personally say he is a perfectionist with a short temper but who will apologise for his shortcomings.

He toured the nation almost non-stop over the past two years promising to curb graft and fix public services, propelling his TISZA party -- a portmanteau for respect and freedom -- to the top of the polls.

His status as a former government insider contributed to his meteoric rise, according to Andrzej Sadecki, lead analyst at the Warsaw-based Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW).

"He sounds more convincing to some former Fidesz voters when he says the system is rotten from within," the expert told AFP.

"In a way, Magyar is like Orban 20 years ago without all the baggage, the corruption and the mistakes made in power."

- 'Courageous' -

Born into a family of prominent conservatives, Magyar was fascinated with politics from an early age.

During his university years, he befriended Gergely Gulyas -- Orban's current chief of staff -- and met Judit Varga, whom he married in 2006 and who later became justice minister under Orban.

After a stint in Brussels, where Magyar served as a diplomat dealing with EU matters, the family moved back to Hungary in 2018.

Magyar then headed the state's student loan provider and sat on the board of multiple other state companies.

Magyar and Varga, who have three children, divorced in 2023.

Largely unknown to the public, Magyar shot to prominence when a scandal over the pardoning of a convicted child abuser's accomplice shook the government in early 2024, leading to the resignation of the president, as well as Varga's retirement from politics.

Although Magyar brushed off a question about his political aspirations back then as a "bad (idea), even as a joke", weeks later he organised his first rally, attracting tens of thousands.

Magyar quickly became seen as "courageous, action-orientated and willing to take personal risks," Veronika Kovesdi, media expert at Budapest-based ELTE university, told AFP.

His social media messaging "emotionally resonated" with his followers, granting him an "unparalleled organic reach", said Kovesdi, adding many supporters see him as a "hero, tirelessly fighting for them".

The former insider took over the previously unknown TISZA so he could legally run in the 2024 European elections, leading it to second place behind the ruling coalition.

As his popularity has skyrocketed, Magyar has faced a "tsunami of hatred and lies" as he put it, ridiculing some claims and denying others, including domestic abuse accusations from Varga.

These attacks "helped further legitimise him as a leader who is truly capable of bringing about change" according to Kovesdi.

- 'Chance for change' -

Magyar has promised to crack down on corruption, improve public services such as healthcare and carry out reforms required to unfreeze billions of euros in EU funds earmarked for Hungary.

On foreign policy, he has vowed to make the country a reliable NATO ally and EU member, while being critical of Russia, with which Orban sought close ties despite Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Like Orban however, Magyar also rejects sending arms to Ukraine and opposes the country's quick EU integration, though he does not share Orban's hostile rhetoric towards Kyiv.

He has even stricter anti-immigration views than Orban, pledging he would end the government's guest worker programme.

Magyar's stance on LGBTQ rights is vague, but he emphasises he backs equality before the law.

Occasionally, he has had heated arguments with the media, lambasting outlets for "misplacing" their focus.

"As he was socialised in Fidesz, there are also doubts whether he can provide a genuine rupture with Orban's rule," analyst Sadecki said.

"Left-wing voters might not be fully happy with his agenda, but they still support him, because he represents the biggest chance for change," he added.

ros/jza/giv/jj

Hungary's Viktor Orban, who conceded defeat to his rival in parliamentary elections on Sunday, was for 16 years a dominant and divisive figure who constantly tweaked his country's political system during his time in power.

But the self-styled "illiberal" politician saw his tight grip on power gradually weaken from 2024 when Peter Magyar, 45, a former government insider burst on to the scene.

The 62-year-old nationalist was a close ally of US President Donald Trump, China and Russia, but a thorn in the side of the European Union establishment.

Leading a central European country of just 9.5 million people, Orban cultivated an international reputation as a staunch opponent of immigration, LGBTQ rights and the West's support for Ukraine against Russia's invasion.

He stood out among European political leaders "as someone different," Emilia Palonen, associate professor at the University of Helsinki told AFP.

"Illiberal political leaders look up to him as a role model, who has made it, managed to take power," she added.

- Learning from his mistakes -

Orban became a household name during the dying days of communism in 1989 with a fiery speech demanding democracy and the withdrawal of Soviet troops.

He was one of "new" Europe's brightest stars, becoming a lawmaker in freshly democratic and optimistic Hungary in 1990.

But he soon shed his image as a radical liberal and began moulding the Fidesz party he co-founded into a new conservative force preaching family and Christian values.

The move paid off, and with Orban developing a rare knack for connecting with ordinary voters, he became prime minister in 1998 at just 35.

His first period in office was rocky, resulting in a humiliating loss against the Socialists in 2002 and again in 2006.

He bounced back, older and savvier in 2010.

"The left was deeply unpopular back then, and, combined with the global economic downturn, this gave him a really fertile ground for a political shift," Palonen said.

Armed with a two-thirds majority in parliament, Orban implemented a root-and-branch reform of Hungarian state institutions and introduced a new constitution steeped in conservative values.

"He has learned from his first term mistakes. He was able to push through sweeping changes rapidly, cementing his power," Palonen added.

- Orban system -

Orban began remaking Hungary's institutions, building a system he dubbed the "illiberal state" in 2014.

"He managed to build up the political system around himself," political scientist Attila Gyulai from the ELTE University's Centre for Social Sciences told AFP.

"All policy issues, ideological preferences, socio-cultural perceptions culminate in one referendum-like question: do you want Viktor Orban? Yes or no?"

Orban's detractors repeatedly accused him of undercutting the independence of the judiciary and academic freedom, muzzling the press and curtailing civil rights, generating clashes with the European Union.

Orban turned this to his advantage, running multimedia campaigns around his tussles with "Brussels", portraying himself as the protector of national interests.

His governing Fidesz-KDNP coalition was re-elected with thumping majorities in the past three elections.

Long part of the EU's largest political family, the European People's Party (EPP) and Fidesz split in 2021.

The following year, the EU suspended billions of euros of funding earmarked for Hungary over corruption and rule of law concerns.

Although Orban's government undertook reforms that allowed some funds to be unblocked, billions of euros remain frozen.

- Wearing out -

After his 2022 electoral victory, Orban positioned himself as a geopolitical player, nurturing close ties with Trump, hard-right leaders and eastern autocracies.

Just last week, US Vice President JD Vance visited Hungary to rally together with Orban, who Trump  described as a "truly strong and powerful leader".

Orban's government also spent taxpayers' money lavishly to promote his political model.

He used Hungary's six-month EU presidency in 2024 to undertake a self-styled peace mission to Moscow, infuriating fellow European leaders.

But even as similar leaders rose to power around the globe, Orban's domestic authority waned against a backdrop of economic stagnation, scandal and the emergence of the charismatic Peter Magyar.

His authority also took a hit as record numbers attended the Budapest Pride march he sought to ban.

"All of Orban's domestic and foreign policy since 2010 were about changing the prevailing liberal values and political logic in Hungary, and beyond," political scientist Gyulai said.

"He certainly succeeded on leaving his mark," he added, pointing to the EU's hardening line on migration.

"But he acted as a battering ram" so he could be the one who "wears out first," he said.

In the end, his focus on foreign policy and networks at the expense of domestic affairs cost him dearly.

"Orban's focus on external alliances, particularly his ostentatious closeness to Trump and Vance" was "less effective," according to Bulcsu Hunyadi, an anayst with Political Capital.

bur/pmu/jza/jj

Sergio Garcia's frustration boiled over in a tantrum-laced final round at the Masters on Sunday that saw him handed a warning for smashing his driver to pieces.

The Spanish star -- whose lone major victory came at the Masters in 2017 -- lost his cool on the par-five second hole at Augusta National after a poor tee shot.

The 46-year-old slammed his driver into the turf repeatedly and then snapped the club's head off after smashing it into a nearby cooler.

Garcia, who plays on the LIV Golf tour, was then involved in a bizarre incident when he picked up playing partner Jon Rahm's golf bag and carried it as Rahm's caddie tended to a bunker.

Masters officials took a dim view of Garcia's outburst, and handed him a code of conduct warning on the fourth hole.

Garcia later suggested his frustration had been building since before the tournament.

"Through the year. Just obviously not super proud of it, but sometimes it happens," he said.

Garcia finished with a three-over-par 75, leaving him way off the pace at eight over, the latest in a series of dismal showings at Augusta since his 2017 win.

In eight appearances at Augusta since 2017, Garcia has missed the cut six times.

Asked for an explanation for his poor Masters record, Garcia replied: "Bad golf."

"If you don't hit good shots, you're not going to score well here. It's very simple," he said.

rcw/bb

Ireland's government announced fresh tax cuts on petrol and diesel at an emergency cabinet meeting Sunday after fuel cost protests that had threatened the functioning of the country's emergency services.

Since Tuesday, hauliers and agricultural contractors have launched a series of protests over spiralling petrol and diesel prices in the wake of the Middle East war.

"As a Government, we hear you," Finance Minister Simon Harris said at a news conference. "We have acted and we are taking further action today," he added.

The cuts announced include a 10-cent reduction per litre on both diesel and petrol -- and a planned increase on carbon tax will be postponed from May until the Budget in October.

Last week's protests grew from slow-moving convoys on motorways and restricted access to Dublin's busiest streets, to a part blockade of Ireland's only oil refinery and restricted access to at least two other fuel depots.

Some protests were still going for sixth day Sunday.

Earlier, the government had urged the public not to panic-buy as pumps at many fuel stations ran dry.

Police on Saturday with the support of the armed forces deployed public order units to clear the blockade at Whitegate Refinery in southern Ireland.

Irish police chief Justin Kelly said the action was taken as a last resort.

He condemned the refinery blockade as "illegal activity" by people determined to "hold the country to ransom".

The blockading of "critical national infrastructure" had "resulted in fuel shortages that are directly impacting on emergency services such as hospitals, the ambulance service, and the fire service", he said.

Elsewhere, police dismantled a makeshift barrier erected by protesters blockading western Galway docks.

A late-night operation also targeted the blockade of the capital Dublin's main thoroughfare O'Connell Street after multiple vehicles including tractors and lorries were removed.

Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan warned earlier that the continued protests were "unacceptable".

"While we all acknowledge the impact of higher fuel prices, and seek to minimise that impact, no groups are entitled in our republic to hold our people to ransom in such a manner," he said.

In March, Dublin announced a 250 million-euro package to reduce fuel costs, notably including a diesel rebate for road haulier.

adm/jj/giv

Tottenham's Premier League plight deepened with a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland on Sunday in Roberto De Zerbi's first match in charge as Manchester City smashed Chelsea to pile the pressure on leaders Arsenal. 

Spurs brought in the former Brighton and Marseille boss at the end of last month in a last-ditch bid to save themselves from a catastrophic relegation.

But the Italian failed to inspire his team in a tricky baptism at Sunderland and they remain mired in the drop zone.

Tottenham, playing under their third manager this season, are without a Premier League win since December as they contemplate the nightmare of a first relegation from the English top flight since 1977.

Sunderland won courtesy of a huge slice of luck on the hour, when Nordi Mukiele's shot took a massive deflection off Micky van de Ven and looped into the goal.

Spurs pushed hard for an equaliser late on but to no avail.

De Zerbi said his men were suffering from a crisis of confidence, arguing that a win would change everything.

"I can be a big brother, father, they don't need a coach," he told the BBC. "They don't need to improve football. 

"They can play better and they will play better once we reach a different level of confidence."

Tottenham, who recently parted ways with interim boss Igor Tudor, are two points behind 17th-placed West Ham and have six games left to save themselves.

They are the ninth-wealthiest club in the world, according to Deloitte's latest rankings, underlining the extraordinary nature of their predicament.

- Man City click -

At the other end of the table, swaggering City earned a priceless 3-0 win at Stamford Bridge to move six points behind Mikel Arteta's Arsenal.

Pep Guardiola's team have a game in hand and a potentially decisive head-to-head to come against the Gunners next week at the Etihad. 

City, denied a fifth straight Premier League title by Liverpool last season, took full advantage of Arsenal's shock 2-1 defeat at home to Bournemouth on Saturday.

The visitors lacked punch in the first half against an enterprising Chelsea team but turned up the heat after the break.

Nico O'Reilly headed home Rayan Cherki's cross before defender Marc Guehi doubled City's lead in the 57th minute following a beautifully weighted pass from Cherki.

Jeremy Doku put the result beyond doubt, lashing home after Chelsea lost the ball deep inside their half.

City remain on track for a domestic treble after winning the League Cup, with an FA Cup semi-final to come against second-tier Southampton.

Guardiola said he had huge respect for Arsenal ahead of their summit meeting.

"They have been the best team in this country, in Europe, so far," he told Sky Sports. "Beating Arsenal once (in the League Cup final) is so difficult, imagine beating them twice in a few weeks. We have to rest.

"I would like to say to my fans -- respect Arsenal a lot, they are an extraordinary team. Come to join us from minute one because the players will do the maximum."

Chelsea are stuck in sixth position after a third straight Premier League defeat, four points behind fifth-placed Liverpool in the race for Champions League football next season.

Tottenham's relegation rivals Nottingham Forest held Aston Villa to a 1-1 draw at the City Ground and remain one point above West Ham.

Unai Emery's fourth-placed Villa, chasing a Champions League spot next season, took the lead courtesy of a Murillo own goal but the home side levelled through Neco Williams.

Jean-Philippe Mateta scored twice, including a stoppage-time penalty, as Crystal Palace came from behind to beat Newcastle 2-1 at Selhurst Park.

jw/mw

The failure of US-Iran peace talks has left President Donald Trump with several unpalatable options, as analysts say his order to blockade the strategic Strait of Hormuz could further complicate his next move.

Any hopes that US Vice President JD Vance would emerge from the marathon day of negotiations with top Iranian officials with a deal to end a war that has rippled across the Middle East were dashed when he left Pakistan emptyhanded.

Protracted talks would undermine Trump's insistence that Iran has "no cards" left to play, while ramping up military action would expose US forces to heightened risk and could alienate voters -- already angry with surging gas prices -- ahead of midterm elections.

And the blockade of the strait through which a fifth of the world's oil moves would do little to ease global economic jitters.

For Brian Katulis, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, Trump's propensity to talk off the cuff and make threats -- what he called the president's "carnival barker" style -- leaves his close aides scrambling to chart a path forward. 

"He may be simply buying more time to move in more military assets or because he doesn't know what else to do. I wouldn't call it a strategy; it is a military-centric approach without strategy," Katulis told AFP.

Shibley Telhami, a professor of peace and development at the University of Maryland and a fellow at the Brookings Institution think tank, says the threat of a blockade was "bewildering and seems self-defeating."

"Iran already has no trust in Trump," Telhami told AFP. "Hard to understate what this makes of what's left of America's global credibility."

- 'Untrustworthy and duplicitous' -

Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards on Sunday pledged that Tehran's enemies would be trapped in a "deadly vortex" if they were to make a wrong move in the strait.

Danny Citrinowicz, a fellow at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies, said a naval blockade would indeed expose US forces to increased risk.

"There is little reason to believe that a blockade would force Iranian capitulation. If anything, Iran's demonstrated resilience thus far suggests the opposite," Citrinowicz wrote on X.

"Iran's geographic scale and military capabilities mean that sustaining such an operation would demand substantial and prolonged allocation of American resources."

And such a prolonged military engagement may not sit well with Americans who say they are worried and stressed about the conflict, which began in late February. 

A CBS News poll published Sunday revealed that worry, stress and anger far outweigh safety and confidence, when those polled were asked how they feel about the war.

More than 80 percent of respondents said the United States should seek to reopen the strait and improve global access to oil, which would bring gas prices down, and make sure that the Iranian people are "free."

But fewer than 10 percent said they believed those goals had been achieved.

"I don't see how, 40-plus days into this war, that we are safer, that our allies are safer. I'm not even sure Israel is safer," Democratic US Senator Mark Warner said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union" talk show.

"I don't understand how blockading the strait is going to somehow push the Iranians into opening it. I don't get the connection there."

So if the blockade is not an answer, what about more negotiations?

Democratic Senator Tim Kaine suggested that would not be an easy path, given that Trump removed the US from a 2015 accord reached by Tehran and world powers on restricting its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

"This is not going to be an easy negotiation because the last negotiation that led to a control of Iran's nuclear program, the US made the decision to tear it up and walk away from the deal," Kaine told CNN.

Katulis echoed that idea.

"Iranian officials are also untrustworthy and duplicitous, but the Trump administration is providing the mirror image of that," he said.

"If I were an Iranian official leaving Islamabad, I would wonder if I am back on the Israeli kill list."

sct-sst/mlm

"The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" -- based on Nintendo's popular video game franchise -- reigned supreme at North America's box office, stomping competitors for a second straight week, industry estimates showed Sunday.

The animated sequel from Universal and Illumination Studios tracks the adventures of Mario, Luigi and friends in outer space, where they must save Princess Rosalina. It features the voices of Jack Black, Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy and Brie Larson.

It raked in $69 million in its second weekend, for a domestic total of $308.1 million, plus an additional $321 million internationally, Exhibitor Relations reported.

Holding its own in second place in its fourth week in theaters is another space adventure flick, "Project Hail Mary," which earned $24.6 million over the weekend in the United States and Canada.

The Amazon MGM film, which stars Ryan Gosling as a teacher-turned-astronaut who awakes on a spaceship with a mission to save Earth from a dimming sun, has earned nearly $257 million in total domestically.

Maintaining third spot was "The Drama," a romantic comedy in its second week starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson about a couple unraveling just before their wedding. The A24 film earned $8.7 million.

Debuting in fourth was another rom com, Universal's "You, Me & Tuscany" starring actress-singer Halle Bailey and Rege-Jean Page (of "Bridgerton" fame), at $8 million.

Analyst David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research called it a "fair opening" for the original romantic comedy, which was shot on Italy's Amalfi coast.

"Critics' reviews are good-not-great, but rom coms are crowd-pleasers and the audience score is excellent," he said.

Fifth place went to Disney/Pixar animated hit "Hoppers," the story of a young animal lover who uses technology to transfer her consciousness into a robotic beaver so she can better communicate and protect wildlife. It earned $4.1 million.

The film has pulled in $354 million globally over six weeks.

Rounding out the top 10:

"Faces of Death" ($1.7 million)

"Exit 8" ($1.4 million)

"A Great Awakening" ($1.25 million)

"Reminders of Him" ($1 million)

"Ready or Not 2: Here I Come" ($867,000)

bur-mlm

A sense of dread spread across the Middle East after talks between the US and Iran collapsed, as fears of renewed fighting rattled an already tense region with Donald Trump ordering a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. 

Following more than 20 hours of talks in the Pakistani capital Islamabad, US Vice President JD Vance admitted the yawning differences between the US and Iran proved to be insurmountable for the moment. 

Questions about what would come next and whether the two sides would continue to respect a two-week ceasefire was anybody's guess as both the Iranian and American delegations departed Pakistan without a deal. 

"Things could change at any moment," said Aishah, a 32-year-old economic consultant based in Doha. 

"It's more about taking each day as it comes."

The failure of the talks however did not surprise many in the region. 

"I didn't have a lot of hope for them going in, because the two sides want completely opposite things," Laura Kaufman, a 38-year-old school teacher in Tel Aviv, told AFP. 

“There didn't seem to be anyone willing to actually negotiate."

A recent poll found that only 10 percent of the Israeli public believe the war against Iran had constituted a "significant success, compared to 32 percent who view it as a failure".

In Iran, a brief spell of hope that talks would end the hostilities between the long-time foes were quickly dashed. 

"I really wanted them to make peace," said Mahsa, a 30-year-old employee of an export company in the Iranian capital.

"It's been almost 45 days now that I've seen everyone stressed. It's a bad situation."

- 'Worried' -

Elsewhere in the Middle East, the negotiations' failure only seemed to guarantee more uncertainty. 

"I am worried about the continuation of the situation and the return of attacks again, because they were causing me tension," said Imam, an Egyptian housewife living in the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi.

"I was making a great effort not to pass my tension on to the children."

With nerves already battered, President Trump on Sunday ordered an immediate naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, vowing to intercept any ship that pays tolls to Tehran while also preventing Iran from earning future oil revenues. 

"Any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be BLOWN TO HELL!" he wrote. 

The news came as many in the region were hoping for a return to normality. 

Earlier Sunday, Saudi Arabia's energy ministry said its key east-west oil pipeline and other major energy facilities had been restored following attacks by Iran on targets across the Gulf. 

"Of course I am worried that the war will return again," said Amin, a pharmacist living in Saudi Arabia's eastern province, who asked to use a pseudonym for security reasons.   

Back in Iran, a sense of the inevitable had begun to sink in for many there. 

"I would have preferred peace, but I think there is no other way but war and confrontation," said Hamed, 37. 

"Based on what I see and hear, unfortunately we are going to war again and it seems like we will have a long war."

burs-ds/ser

When US Vice President JD Vance disembarked his plane ahead of high-stakes talks with Iran in Islamabad on Saturday, he was greeted by the powerful Pakistani army chief, his civilian attire blending in with those around him.

The image illustrated what many experts say is Field Marshal Asim Munir's growing role at the centre of Pakistan's foreign relations.

"He is a soldier, a statesman and a diplomat," Islamabad-based political analyst Qamar Cheema told AFP. "Munir has created a momentum for Pakistan at a global level to change Pakistan's perception."

Pakistan's push to get Iran and the United States to the negotiating table for their highest-level face-to-face talks in decades to end weeks of war has garnered international praise -- and some surprise.

In Islamabad, Munir was at the centre of the action -- greeting both delegations on their arrival and displaying remarkable bonhomie with Vance.

During the historic face-to-face trilateral talks, Munir and Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar helped "mediate" the talks, as per the civilian official.

It is a long way to have come for a country that has had a stop-start alliance with Washington, which has often admonished Islamabad when military leaders have toppled civilian governments -- even as it has worked with them.

US President Donald Trump frequently refers to Munir as his "favourite field marshal", after a rapport built during US efforts to defuse a short but intense armed conflict between Pakistan and rival India last year.

Pakistan heaped praise on Trump in the wake of that conflict, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize. India has downplayed any US involvement in resolving the crisis.

This weekend's marathon talks ended with Vance announcing he was leaving without a deal, but Pakistan said it would continue to facilitate dialogue.

"Field Marshal Munir through tireless effort, played a key and historic role in extinguishing the flames of war and in bringing both parties to the negotiating table," Sharif said in a televised address a few hours before the talks began.

- 'Hands-on' role -

Munir's rise to represent his country's interests on the global stage has coincided with a consolidation of military power in Pakistan, which has seen the field marshal given unprecedented legal immunity and an extended term. The military as a whole has taken a more prominent role in governance.

Critics and the political opposition say the moves and sweeping constitutional reforms have eroded democracy in the country, with former premier Imran Khan -- who has been outspoken against the military he had earlier worked closely with -- now jailed.

The military has repeatedly denied involvement in Khan's legal cases or meddling in the civilian domain.

"The military now has the deepest ever penetration and control of the economy and judiciary," said Shuja Nawaz, Atlantic Council fellow and author of "The Battle for Pakistan: The Bitter US Friendship and a Tough Neighbourhood".

Pakistan has been directly ruled by its military for nearly half its existence via a series of coups since gaining independence in 1947.

Under both civilian and military governments, foreign affairs has traditionally been considered a domain of interest for Pakistan's military.

Foreign diplomats and dignitaries have long seen a meeting with the military chief in the garrison city of Rawalpindi near the capital to be a key item on their schedules.

Munir, a former intelligence chief, took up his tenure as army chief in 2022 with a lower profile in the diplomatic community than his loquacious predecessor General Qamar Javed Bajwa -- an impression that has since changed in key capitals.

"Field Marshal Asim Munir appears to be far more hands-on in matters of governance and foreign policy than his predecessors," Nawaz told AFP.

"He has proven his ability as an influencer on the global stage largely by his ability to make coherent arguments for Pakistan," he said, adding the close ties Munir had nurtured with regional heavyweights Iran and Saudi Arabia had impressed Trump.

Munir accompanied Sharif during a visit to Washington in June, lunching with Trump. 

That meeting led to the burgeoning relationship between the Pakistani military leader and Trump, who told media "they know Iran very well, better than most" when asked if he'd asked Munir for advice on Iran and Israel, who were then locked in an earlier conflict and trading strikes. 

"Asim Munir's diplomatic status was boosted by the war with India primarily and then his outreach in Washington DC," said Hassan Abbas, a Pakistani-American author of several books on the region's politics and security.

"His pictures and his lunch meeting with President Trump was the factor that changed his international profile," he said. 

As the US and Iranian delegations left Pakistan, Munir was once again on the tarmac to see off the visitors. 

They may not have reached a deal, but both thanked their hosts profusely -- especially Field Marshal Munir.

ceg-sma/aha/lga

Co-leaders Rory McIlroy and Cameron Young were among those set for an afternoon showdown at firm and fast Augusta National as players began Sunday's final round of the Masters.

A back-nine shootout was set to unfold for the green jacket and a record top prize of $4.5 million from a record $22.5 million purse.

Defending champion McIlroy and third-ranked Young, last month's Players Championship winner, were on 11-under par 205, one stroke ahead of Sam Burns with Ireland's Shane Lowry two adrift.

McIlroy is trying to join Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo as the only back-to-back winners in Masters history.

England's 45-year-old Justin Rose, a three-time Masters runner-up who lost a playoff last year to McIlroy, was on eight-under with Australian Jason Day, the 2015 PGA Championship winner.

Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler, a four-time major winner seeking his third Masters crown in five seasons, was four off the pace on seven-under with China's Li Haotong.

Young and McIlroy were set to tee off in the final pairing at 2:25 p.m. (1825 GMT).

Even with lightning-fast greens baked intensely over a rain-free week, traditional Sunday pin placements were expected to help produce sensational shotmaking and typical closing drama with spectator roars through the Georgia pines.

World number two McIlroy, a five-time major winner, has struggled off the tee but scrambled his way to a share of the lead despite squandering a 36-hole record six-stroke edge.

The 36-year-old from Northern Ireland leads in driving distance at 337.3 yards but ranks last in driving accuracy, having missed half the fairways over 54 holes.

Young, the 2022 British Open runner-up, fired his best Masters round on Saturday with a 65 to rally from eight back to join McIlroy in the last duo. The 24-year-old American won his first PGA Tour title last August in Greensboro.

World number 33 Burns, another American chasing his first major triumph, last won at the 2023 WGC Match Play. His last stroke-play title was in 2022 at Colonial but he leads this week in reaching greens in regulation.

Lowry, ranked 32nd, aced the par-three sixth on Saturday to become the first Masters player with multiple career holes-in-one with his first at 16 in 2016.

The 2019 British Open champion holed the trophy-clinching putt for Europe in last year's Ryder Cup and has trimmed his score a stroke every round after a 70 on Thursday.

Rose, the 2013 US Open and 2016 Rio Olympic champion, has said all week the fight to end his "nearly man" run at Augusta will not come until Sunday's back nine and he needed to position himself for that. He managed 10 birdies in last year's final round to force a playoff with McIlroy.

Day, 38, was a runner-up in his 2011 Masters debut and four other top-10 finishes since.

Scheffler, last year's British Open and PGA Championship winner, could complete the greatest 36-hole comeback by a Masters winner.

The 29-year-old American was 12-strokes behind McIlroy before firing a bogey-free 65 on Saturday with an eagle and five birdies.

The greatest 36-hole comeback in Masters history, and the best final-round rally to win as well, was Jack Burke recovering from eight strokes adrift to win the 1956 title.

Li, fourth in last year's British Open, was in the hunt for the lead Saturday before bogeys at the par-five 13th and 15th holes and 18 foiled his bid.

js/lp