China has criticised the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a dangerous and irresponsible move, and urged Washington and Tehran to honour the ceasefire. Beijing also denied aiding Iran militarily and threatened countermeasures if the US imposes tariffs.
The fragile ceasefire in West Asia between the US and Iran to halt the hostilities in the region for two weeks faces renewed uncertainty as Tehran reportedly moved to block the strategic Strait of Hormuz once again due to Israel's intensified offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon, according to Iranian state media Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), which US President Trump says was "not included" as part of the ceasefire deal.
Amid ongoing tensions with the US, Iran's IRGC Navy has issued new directives restricting maritime movement through the Strait of Hormuz, allowing only civilian vessels on Iranian-designated routes and barring all military ships.
Cameron Young leads the Cadillac Championship, while Indian golfers Akshay Bhatia and Sudarshan Yellamaraju faced challenges in the second round.
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.
The US President had hosted Modi for an official working visit in Washington, DC, on February 13 last year.
The Indian government has not yet responded to Trump's comments yet.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) released footage of a maritime operation where Marines boarded an Iranian-flagged vessel, the Touska, in the Gulf of Oman, leading to heightened tensions and threats of retaliation from Iran.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirms Iran will participate in the 2026 World Cup despite geopolitical tensions, urging that sport remain separate from politics.
Iran's claim comes after United States President Donald Trump confirmed that the military rescued the second F-15 crew member, who had gone missing after Iran downed the jet amid the West Asia conflict.
EU leaders convened an emergency summit in Brussels to address transatlantic tensions as President Trump threatened new tariffs on member States linked to his Greenland acquisition demands.
'At the first sign of real trouble, that money will move. There will be a run.'
India and the US have entered a new phase in their relationship, marked by greater parity, point out Harsh V Pant and Vivek Mishra.
'It was diminishing even before Trump came to power.' 'The US was at the centre of the global economy. That position is going to become less and less important and less central.'
Indian-American golfer Sahith Theegala began the Cadillac Championship with a 3-under 69, placing him in the top 10, while Cameron Young leads the field with an impressive 64.
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Wednesday claimed that Tehran "begged" for a truce, maintaining that Washington achieved a "decisive military victory" during 'Operation Epic Fury.'
The United States has encouraged India to purchase Russian oil already at sea to mitigate supply shortages and price increases amid the West Asia conflict, according to Energy Secretary Chris Wright. This move is described as a short-term effort to stabilise the market without altering Washington's policy towards Russia.
Sahith Theegala and Akshay Bhatia are set to compete at the Cadillac Championship, held at the Trump National Doral Golf Club. The tournament, a USD 20m Signature Event, features a strong field, though Rory McIlroy will be absent.
India and the US have agreed to a trade deal that will see Washington reduce reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods from 25% to 18%, according to US President Donald Trump. The deal also includes commitments from India to reduce tariffs and non-tariff barriers against the US and to increase purchases of American products.
By all available indications, the White House drafted a face-saving note and handed it, ready-made, to Islamabad. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was supposed to then post it in the guise of a plea urging Trump to extend the deadline by two weeks 'to allow diplomacy to run its course'. Trump would then graciously accept Pakistan's 'request' and declare a ceasefire. Sharif dutifully posted the message on X. Except that he, or whoever was handling the account, forgot to delete the tell-tale first line visible in the edit history: 'Draft - Pakistan's PM Message on X'. Prem Panicker's must read blog on the Iran War.
Delhi Capitals struggled with the bat at home, posting a below-par 155 for seven against Chennai Super Kings in their IPL match. The home team batters failed to apply themselves on a pitch offering assistance to the spinners.
The core issues to be settled -- access to Hormuz, Israel's aggression in Lebanon, the question of Iran's nuclear programme, sanctions relief and compensation -- are thorny enough to require weeks of patient negotiation. The most likely outcome of the opening sessions is that both sides take the measure of each other, establish what is and is not negotiable, and return home without having broken anything. That would count as progress.
The statement comes even as Tehran links the issue to ongoing efforts to bring a complete end to hostilities in West Asia involving the United States and Israel.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt noted that progress has been made in the Geneva talks with Iranian authorities, but the two nations stand 'far apart' on certain issues.
The threat of wars hovers over the negotiations in Oman, but the good part is that Trump called the talks to be 'very good' and Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian responded that they 'constitute a step forward', points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The question is whether the clocks allow enough time for two deeply mistrustful sides to get there, and whether the surface calm holds long enough for the paddling to produce something before the ceasefire ends on April 22, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War.
Citizens in the city of Ilam formed a human chain on Tuesday to demonstrate their defiance against recent threats from US President Donald Trump.
Tensions between Washington, DC and Tehran have reached a boiling point, as a heavy barrage of aerial strikes was reported across multiple locations in Iran on Tuesday.
Modi also said that President Trump's leadership is vital for global peace, stability, and prosperity.
The Indian rupee gained 2 paise to settle at 93.33 against the US dollar, driven by positive sentiment in domestic equity markets and renewed hopes for US-Iran talks, despite rising WPI and CPI inflation.
Pakistan is actively engaged in diplomatic efforts to facilitate negotiations between the US and Iran, with hopes of hosting a second round of talks in Islamabad.
Reports indicate that Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran's Supreme Leader and a potential successor, is reportedly unconscious and receiving medical treatment in Qom, according to intelligence assessments.
Iran has put forward a comprehensive 10-point framework that it says forms the basis of a complete resolution.
The American warship stopped the tanker "after it attempted to sail to an Iranian port," according to a statement released by CENTCOM.
Iran has submitted a fresh proposal to regional intermediaries offering to cease its military operations in the Strait of Hormuz, contingent upon a complete cessation of hostilities and the removal of the US blockade on Iranian maritime hubs.
Iran's representative in India, Abdul Majeed Hakeem Ilahi, describes the ongoing tensions between Iran and the US-Israel alliance as a state of 'no war, no peace,' calling for an immediate halt to the conflict and questioning the lack of pressure on the US and Israel to cease aggression.
United States President Donald Trump has said that Iran is under close watch and a 'massive fleet' is heading towards the Gulf region.
Crude oil prices have surged to record highs due to escalating tensions between the US and Iran, raising concerns about supply disruptions and market volatility.
Srivastava warned that continued bombing of Iran by the US and Israel could severely undermine any prospects of reopening critical maritime routes through negotiation with Tehran.
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.
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