It is time for India to step up and get Russia, China and Europe to agree to a joint appeal to all combatants. Time is of essence, tomorrow may be too late, asserts Colonel Anil A Athale, former head of the history division, ministry of defence.
The Iranian military on Thursday issued a strongly worded response to remarks made by United States President Donald Trump, warning that the ongoing conflict will persist until Washington, DC faces what it described as 'permanent humiliation, regret, and surrender', as reported by Iranian state media Press TV.
The ceasefire is still technically holding, to the extent that no overt hostilities have been reported yet, but the rhetoric has hardened dangerously. The week ahead will also clarify whether the Islamabad failure was a negotiating tactic or whether Washington has genuinely locked itself into a position from which the only exits are climb-down, escalation, or the slow bleed of a new status quo that nobody chose and nobody controls. Prem Panicker continues his must read blog on the Iran War.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Sunday issued a stark warning that American and Israeli universities in West Asia could be treated as 'legitimate targets' in retaliation for alleged United States and Israeli strikes on Iranian academic institutions and cultural infrastructure.
The White House has responded cautiously to reports of Pakistan offering to mediate between the US and Iran, amid ongoing tensions and potential talks.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has facilitated the safe passage of over 1,700 Indian nationals from Iran through Armenia and Azerbaijan since the beginning of the West Asia conflict.
The IRGC accused US and Israeli forces of using civilians as 'human shields' and warned of continued attacks.
In his first major national address since hostilities began, Trump said the ongoing military campaign, dubbed 'Operation Epic Fury', has delivered 'swift, decisive, overwhelming victories'.
Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty recovered early losses to trade higher, supported by encouraging developments on the geopolitical front, specifically the US-Iran peace deal, and easing crude oil prices.
Indian benchmark stock indices, Sensex and Nifty, surged over 1 per cent, driven by optimism surrounding potential US-Iran peace talks and a significant drop in crude oil prices below the USD 100 per barrel mark. This de-escalation in geopolitical concerns and easing inflation pressures provided a substantial boost to investor sentiment.
Belgium secured top spot in Group G and a place in the World Cup round of 32 after a dominant 5-1 victory over New Zealand.
Iran has blamed the US for disruptions in oil and gas shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, citing 'destabilising actions' as the cause amid the ongoing West Asia conflict and rising energy prices.
Citing sources familiar with the matter, the report said Trump believes the conflict is in its final stages and has urged aides to adhere to the four-to-six-week timeline he has outlined publicly.
Indian markets on Dalal Street rallied sharply as easing tensions in the US-Iran conflict and stable oil prices boosted sentiment. Track Nifty50 and BSE Sensex performance and key global triggers.
Amidst escalating tensions in West Asia, Iran claims to have inflicted heavy casualties on US forces in Dubai, a claim vehemently denied by the US Central Command, raising concerns about regional stability.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar lodged a strong protest with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio over US Navy attacks in the Gulf that killed three Indian mariners. India also summoned the US Charge d'Affaires in New Delhi regarding the incident.
Indian stock markets extended their gains for a third consecutive day, with the Sensex climbing 753 points and the Nifty closing above 24,550, driven by a drop in crude oil prices and optimism surrounding potential peace talks between Iran and the US.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the number of Indians exiting Iran through Armenia and Azerbaijan has increased since the previous update.
Iran's Ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, has said there are no ongoing talks between Tehran and Washington, DC, countering United States President Donald Trump's claims of peace overtures.
In a statement issued following the announcement of the US-mediated deal, Qassem characterised the agreement as a 'humiliating' and 'shameful' surrender of Lebanese sovereignty that prioritises Israeli and American dictates over the nation's independence.
Foreign investors have largely been exiting one part of the market while domestic investors have been enthusiastically accumulating another, points out Debashis Basu.
Facing escalating threats from the US, Iran is mobilizing its citizens to form 'human chains' around power plants as a defensive measure against potential airstrikes, raising concerns about international law and civilian safety.
'Pakistan has pitched Islamabad as a possible venue for talks as early as this week involving senior figures from the Trump administration and Iran,' the Financial Times reported.
The Natanz nuclear facility is one of Iran's key nuclear installations and has previously been at the centre of international concerns over Tehran's nuclear programme.
In a major shift in Middle Eastern energy and security dynamics, the US Department of the Treasury on Monday issued a temporary 60-day general licence authorising transactions related to the production, delivery, and sale of Iranian crude oil, petrochemicals, and petroleum products.
Iran has placed anti-personnel and anti-armour mines around the island, where US troops could potentially stage an amphibious landing.
Pezeshkian urged American citizens to look beyond 'manufactured narratives', claiming the portrayal of Iran as a threat is driven by the military-industrial complex and Israeli political interests.
Addressing a media stakeout at the United Nations on Tuesday, Israel's envoy said the country's primary objective remained preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear capabilities.
Hegseth said the military campaign, code-named Operation Epic Fury, against Iran is "laser focused" and "decisive," with objectives set directly by the US administration remaining unchanged since the start of operations.
Ali Mousavi stated that such cooperation is essential for maintaining stability in the strategic waterway.
A second United States fifth-generation F-35 fighter jet was struck and downed over central Iran by a modern air-defence system of the Islamic Republic's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), with officials saying the pilot is unlikely to have ejected, Iranian state media reported on Friday.
New Zealand midfielder Sarpreet Singh, the first Sikh footballer to play at a FIFA World Cup, hopes his historic appearance will inspire more players of Indian and South Asian heritage to reach football's biggest stage.
Gwadar is viewed as a critical pearl in China's maritime strategy as it would give a permanent logistical footprint near an important choke point - the Strait of Hormuz and the oil rich Persian Gulf, explains Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed the missile launches in a statement on Telegram, noting that defensive systems were actively operating to intercept the threat.
US President Donald Trump has sharply criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the handling of military operations in Lebanon, expressing dissatisfaction with the pace of the conflict and the escalating civilian death toll.
The meeting follows a ceasefire agreement that was announced and welcomed by Shehbaz Sharif, who also extended invitations to both delegations for further negotiations.
India has strongly protested a US military strike on the commercial vessel Settebello off the Oman coast, which left three of the 24 Indian crew members missing. The US Central Command stated it disabled the Palau-flagged vessel for violating a blockade of Iranian ports.
As the deadline for military action against Tehran approaches, US President Donald Trump has issued a series of provocative statements suggesting a monumental shift in the geopolitical landscape.
The Indian stock market's trajectory this week will be significantly influenced by crude oil prices, global market trends, and the commencement of the corporate earnings season, with IT major TCS set to announce its June-quarter results on July 9.
The IRGC said the strikes were conducted in support of offensives by Hezbollah and residents of southern Lebanon, and described them as the beginning of a series of pre-announced operations against Israel.
