FIFA President Gianni Infantino has strongly defended the recent World Cup, accusing critics of spreading 'hate and false narratives' and overlooking the tournament's success in promoting unity, safety, and inclusion.
Indian equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty plummeted over 2 per cent following US President Donald Trump's declaration that the interim agreement with Iran is 'over', which led to a sharp rally in crude oil prices and heightened geopolitical tensions.
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has launched self-defence strikes against multiple targets in Iran, citing ongoing Iranian aggression. This action has led to Iran's Red Crescent placing emergency centres on high alert amidst reports of explosions in several Iranian cities. Concurrently, Iraqi media claims Iran retaliated with a missile strike on a US air base in Erbil.
Amidst rising tensions in the Middle East, an Iranian drone struck a British RAF base in Cyprus, prompting the UK to allow US defensive operations and consider evacuation plans for British citizens in the region.
US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are reportedly planning a White House meeting as early as next week, despite growing scepticism within Trump's inner circle regarding Netanyahu's actions and widening disagreements over regional security and Iran.
Ebrahim Azizi, Head of the Iranian Parliament's National Security Committee, warned the US against interfering with the Strait of Hormuz, asserting Iran's sovereignty after former President Donald Trump threatened to 'take over' the strategic waterway. Despite the heated rhetoric, Iran and the US have established a direct communication line to prevent incidents during a 60-day negotiation period.
US President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran has accepted "just about everything" the United States has demanded in ongoing indirect nuclear negotiations, particularly regarding denuclearisation. He also asserted that American forces repeatedly carried out military strikes that crippled Tehran's military infrastructure, including radar installations, and escorted commercial oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump dismissed reports of Iran's strength, stating its military and economy were severely weakened.
Formerly Iran's second-largest oil customer, Indian financial institutions were forced to withhold crude oil payments following the 2018 US sanctions.
Iran's soccer team arrived in the United States for the first time at this World Cup on Sunday, landing at Los Angeles International Airport and holding a press conference on the same day that a peace deal between the two nations was announced.
An Indian worker was killed in an attack on a power and water desalination plant in Kuwait, according to Kuwait's Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in US-Israeli strikes on February 28.
The United Arab Emirates intercepted several Iranian missiles and drones, resulting in casualties and damage to infrastructure, including the Dubai airport and Burj Al Arab.
US President Donald Trump has reportedly urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to withdraw Israeli military units from southern Syria and Lebanon, warning that Israel's continued presence could escalate regional tensions.
US Vice President J D Vance confirmed that peace talks with Iran are underway in Switzerland, with negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner already present. Vance plans to join soon, expressing confidence in the US's strong negotiating position despite a delay caused by recent Israel-Lebanon firing.
Alireza Beiranvand produced seven saves, including a stunning contender for save of the tournament, as Iran held Belgium to a 0-0 draw at the FIFA World Cup.
The performance capped an extraordinary journey from poverty and homelessness to national hero.
He also warned the Gulf countries, which are allowing the US to launch an attack from their soil, vowing to "punish" the regional partners.
Sagiv Steinberg, CEO of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs (JCFA), described the recent US-Iran peace agreement as a temporary 60-day ceasefire, not a genuine peace deal, suggesting it's timed for the upcoming US midterm elections.
Ten-man Belgium dominated possession but could not break down a disciplined Iranian defence, with goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand producing a string of saves to preserve the result in the Group G encounter.
Iran has dismissed US President Donald Trump's assertion that Iran was responsible for a drone attack on Indian ships in the Strait of Hormuz as 'simply baseless'. The Iranian embassy stated that Trump's comments were an attempt to deflect attention from recent US military strikes on merchant vessels in the Gulf of Oman, which resulted in the deaths of three Indian mariners.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi announced the official end of the war and warned that any Israeli attack on Lebanon would violate an agreement between Iran and the United States. He also stated that negotiations on nuclear issues and sanctions lifting would begin on Saturday, led by Iran's Parliamentary Speaker M B Ghalibaf and US Vice President J D Vance.
US President Donald Trump announced a finalised peace deal between the US and Iran, set for signing on June 19 in Switzerland, with key figures like J D Vance, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner from the US side, and Abbas Araghchi and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf representing Iran, alongside Pakistani mediators Field Marshal Asim Munir, Shehbaz Sharif, Ishaq Dar, and Mohsin Naqvi, playing crucial roles in the diplomatic breakthrough.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed to have targeted and destroyed hangars of F-35 fighter jets and struck 21 American air and naval bases across West Asia and the Gulf region, including the US Army's command and control centre at the Al-Azraq base in Jordan and the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain.
Top leaders from the US, Iran, and Pakistan, along with other nations, have gathered in Switzerland for high-level talks aimed at restoring peace in West Asia. These negotiations follow a recently signed Memorandum of Understanding between the US and Iran, initiating a 60-day window for a deal. Discussions focus on Iran's nuclear programme and the fragile interim peace deal, amidst renewed tensions and the fluctuating status of the Strait of Hormuz.
The Indian stock market's movement this week will be significantly influenced by the outcome of US-Iran talks, global crude oil prices, and the trading activities of foreign institutional investors (FIIs), according to market analysts.
A peace deal between the US and Iran, set to be signed in Geneva, faces significant hurdles over the release of Iran's USD 12 billion in frozen assets, with conflicting reports from both sides on the conditions for their release.
Atlanta Police are implementing enhanced security measures for the World Cup semi-final between Argentina and England, a match deemed high-risk due to the historical animosity between the two nations.
Iran has reimposed restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz, with its forces opening fire on a passing tanker and forcing at least two Indian vessels to reverse course, escalating tensions in the region and raising concerns over energy supplies.
US and Iran officials have reportedly agreed to de-escalate tensions and ensure free passage through the Strait of Hormuz, with technical talks scheduled to continue. This development follows months of conflict, rising gas prices, and strained diplomatic relations, marked by recent retaliatory strikes and threats from both sides. Further discussions on Iran's nuclear program are set to take place in Qatar, highlighting ongoing diplomatic efforts despite recent volatility.
Tensions in West Asia have dramatically escalated as Israel launched targeted military operations against Iran, triggering widespread blasts across strategic cities, following earlier Iranian projectile attacks on Israel.
US President Donald Trump has cautioned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel risks international isolation if it resumes extensive military operations against Iran, following a volatile 24-hour period of escalating cross-border hostilities.
Hours after warning that the United States could strike Iran "very hard tonight", President Donald Trump announced to halt planned military action, despite earlier threats to target Kharg Island and other key Iranian oil facilities.
India has successfully evacuated 59 vessels, including 23 Indian-flagged and 36 foreign-flagged ships carrying cargo for India, from the Strait of Hormuz since March 1, 2026, amid fresh attacks and declining shipping traffic, Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal informed the Rajya Sabha.
As Tehran and Washington continue with their engagements following the signing of the MoU earlier this month, sources have told Al Arabiya that the two are set to hold the next round of negotiations in Switzerland on June 28 and 29.
In the central Iranian city of Isfahan, residents gathered at Imam Square to protest the strikes and to mourn what state media termed the martyrdom of Ayatollah Khamenei. Demonstrators raised slogans including "God is great" as the airstrikes continued.
Following the signing of a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Iran, US President Donald Trump reiterated the terms for a 60-day negotiation period, vowing that Tehran will receive "not ten cents" in financial relief.
Initial reports suggested that shrapnel caused significant damage to the structure; however, no direct missile impact was reported.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for strikes on an American base, alleging it was in response to earlier aerial attacks near Bandar Abbas Airport. The incident follows reports of confrontations between Iranian and US forces in the Strait of Hormuz.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday that he met with United States President Donald Trump, who told him he welcomed Iran's participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The US has warned India that any violation of its naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz and illicit transport of Iranian oil will not be tolerated, a statement made amidst a diplomatic row over the deaths of Indian seafarers in US attacks on commercial vessels off the coast of Oman.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday signed the historic peace deal between the United States and Iran as a guarantor; the agreement will see the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of the US naval blockade.
