TEHRAN — A deal to permanently turn a ceasefire into a lasting settlement still remains elusive as the conflict in the Middle East entered its 100th day on Sunday.

Mediation efforts have so far failed to produce any further agreements in a war that has strained the global economy and threatened food security in some of the world's most vulnerable countries.

In a fresh bid to restart negotiations between Iran and the US, Pakistan's interior minister was in Tehran on Sunday to deliver a message to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei from Pakistan's army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, according to the Iranian state-run IRNA news agency.

The US and Iran have engaged in largely indirect negotiations for an interim deal to halt the three-month-old war that would leave issues including Iran's nuclear program to further negotiations.

Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met with Iranian counterpart Eskandar Momeni late on Saturday, and held talks on Sunday morning with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, according to official Iranian media.

There were no details on the contents of the message. Pakistani authorities have said that Islamabad, with support from regional countries including Qatar, Turkiye and Egypt, has been working to help bridge differences between the United States and Iran and encourage efforts aimed at reducing tensions and ensuring the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

The mediation efforts came as Iran launched a salvo of missiles at US allies Bahrain and Kuwait on Saturday after fresh US strikes.

Iran said that it targeted US military assets in both countries, after the US attacked surveillance facilities on Qeshm Island and near Sirik, which Iran said were used to protect borders and "ensure the security of navigation in international waters". Tehran called the attack a ceasefire violation.

Later on Saturday, US Central Command said its forces had shot down two Iranian attack drones over the Strait of Hormuz.

The US military said earlier that it had also shot down several Iranian missiles and drones launched toward the strait and Gulf Arab allies, striking the Islamic republic's coastal surveillance radar sites in response.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard said that in retaliation, it targeted the Ali Al Salem air base, which hosts US forces in Kuwait, and the US Navy's 5th Fleet in Bahrain, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.

Earlier last week, Iranian drones heavily damaged a passenger terminal at Kuwait's main airport, killing one person and wounding dozens.

The US military kept up its blockade on Iranian ports in response to Tehran's grip on the strait, a crucial corridor for global oil and natural gas shipments.

US and Iranian negotiators reached a tentative deal a week ago to extend the ceasefire by 60 days and start a new round of talks on Iran's nuclear program. The US has called for unspecified changes, and Iranian officials have shown no public signs of agreeing to the deal.

Meanwhile, OPEC+ agreed on Sunday a fourth increase in oil output targets in as many months.

On Sunday, the seven members decided to increase targets by about 188,000 barrels per day from July. This is the same as the June hike, which was adjusted down from monthly increases of 206,000 barrels per day in May and April to take into account the UAE's recent exit from the bloc.

AGENCIES VIA XINHUA