China’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong, said he held talks with a senior Turkish diplomat in Ankara on Afghanistan’s peaceful reconstruction and regional security.

In a post on X, Yue said he met with Cihad Erginay, Director General for South Asia at Türkiye’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and described the discussions as productive.

“As always I am delighted meeting with Mr. Cihad Erginay… We had a very good discussion as to peaceful reconstruction of Afghanistan as well as regional security and stability,” Yue wrote.

The meeting comes as China and Türkiye continue diplomatic engagement on Afghanistan following the return of the Islamic Emirate to power in 2021. Both countries have repeatedly emphasized the importance of regional cooperation, economic development and stability in Afghanistan.

The United States and Israel are considering a possible land blockade of Iran as part of efforts to intensify economic pressure on Tehran, according to The Telegraph.

The proposal is among several options being discussed by US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after months of military strikes and pressure campaigns failed to force Iran to change its position.

Sources familiar with the discussions said Trump and Netanyahu talked about increasing pressure on Iran through both military and non-military measures during their meeting at the White House.

Under the proposed plan, Washington and Tel Aviv could seek cooperation from Iran’s neighbouring countries to restrict or close border crossings, limiting the movement of goods into and out of the country.

A senior Israeli official told The Telegraph that blocking Iran’s land routes could be one possible option, arguing that preventing imports and exports would place further strain on the country’s economy.

Retired US Lieutenant General Sean MacFarland said a land blockade would be extremely difficult to implement but could isolate Iran economically if its ability to trade was significantly reduced.

Iran shares land borders with Iraq, Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Any such measure would require cooperation from several countries, some of which have close ties with Tehran.

Key border crossings, including routes linking Iran with Turkmenistan, could become targets under the plan. However, countries cooperating with the blockade could face economic losses and possible retaliation from Iran.

The proposal comes as Washington seeks new ways to pressure Tehran and potentially bring it back to negotiations. A land blockade would align with Trump’s “maximum pressure” strategy, which has focused on weakening Iran’s economy through sanctions and other measures.

The plan could also affect Iran’s ability to import military equipment, including reported deals with China for air defence systems and other weapons supplies.