Fresh statements from Tehran and Washington point to deepening confrontation, with both sides hardening their public positions even as the US says it remains open to diplomacy.
The proposed 30-year agreement would place American companies at the heart of Saudi Arabia's civilian nuclear programme, with Congress expected to review the pact in the coming days.
The Pentagon told lawmakers the conflict has already cost $37.5 billion and warned of readiness shortfalls without additional funding, while also alleging Russia and China are enabling Iran's military operations.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed it received intelligence from individuals in Jordan to strike US military targets, as Washington continued air strikes and regional tensions spread across the Gulf.
Explosions were reported across several Iranian cities, while power outages hit Khormoj and Gulf states activated air defences against incoming missiles and drones.
The UK, the host to the COP26 after missing 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, ended all financial support for overseas fossil fuel projects in March 2021 and is encouraging international partners to make similar commitments
The remarks from the US State Department official came shortly after UN Special Rapporteur on North Korean Human Rights Tomas Ojea Quintana argued that the sanctions on the North should be eased during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sources said the meeting would take place on Tuesday and that the countries "will try to work out a common position on the changing situation in Afghanistan".
The US under the Trump administration withdrew from the Geneva-based Human Rights Council in June 2018, accusing the council of being a "hypocritical and self-serving organization" and biased against Israel.
The incident that put Nepal on the global violent extremism map occurred in December 1999, with the hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC 814 from Kathmandu.
