US President Donald Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing to discuss trade, technology, Taiwan, and the Iran war. Xi Jinping said that 2026 will be a 'historic, landmark year' for China-US relations.
A spokesperson for the Central Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters said that Iran's armed forces are prepared to intensify their response if aggression continues.
Talks between Iran and the US in Pakistan concluded without a deal due to disagreements over key issues, including Iran's nuclear programme and sanctions, despite efforts to find common ground.
US President Donald Trump has shared an article suggesting that the option of enforcing a naval blockade was available in the context of Iran, as peace talks ended in a stalemate in Islamabad after differences of opinion arose between the two parties on the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's nuclear capacities.
There are enough people at the top decision-making level in Tehran who are still willing to negotiate, provided Trump can create the right setting for the negotiation to acquire a dynamic of its own, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
China's Foreign Ministry has refuted allegations of providing military support to Iran, warning the US against imposing tariffs based on these accusations. The statement follows reports of Iran acquiring a Chinese satellite for targeting US military bases. Meanwhile, a rescheduled meeting between Presidents Trump and Xi Jinping is set for May.
Iran has lodged a formal complaint with the United Nations, accusing the US of engaging in 'piracy' following the seizure of Iranian vessels. The complaint was detailed in a letter sent by Iran's UN envoy to the UN Secretary-General and the Security Council.
The question nobody seems to ask is why a democracy should be silent when many of its citizens are concerned about the way the US is deviating from its traditional ways of consultation, cooperation and collaboration and moving away from traditional allies, asks Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.
The United States has redirected 48 vessels in the Persian Gulf, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz, over the past 20 days amid ongoing enforcement actions related to restrictions on Iranian maritime assets by the US Navy.
Amidst escalating tensions in West Asia, Russian President Vladimir Putin is actively calling for de-escalation and political resolution, engaging with Iranian and US counterparts to navigate the complex conflict landscape.
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.
'Jews are very much safe in Iran. They are our brothers. There is a difference between a Jew and a Zionist.' A conversation around a tea table in Mumbai serves as an eye-opener for Syed Firdaus Ashraf.
TransUnion Cibil CEO Bhavesh Jain highlights the improved retail portfolio quality in January but stresses the need for lenders to continuously engage with borrowers on credit usage and repayment, similar to the approach taken during the Covid-19 pandemic, as the impact of the Iran war on credit quality is still being assessed.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited Pakistan for the second time in three days amid uncertainty surrounding potential peace talks with the US. The visit follows discussions in Oman regarding regional security and efforts to resolve the Iran-US conflict.
Each time a deadline almost runs out, President Trump hands out a new one.
Uncertainty surrounds the planned second round of peace talks between the US and Iran in Islamabad, as both sides engage in brinkmanship. Despite Pakistan's security preparations, Iran has yet to confirm its attendance, citing a lack of seriousness from the US in pursuing diplomacy and violations of the ceasefire.
The urgency for a resolution is underscored by the military situation, as joint operations by Israel and the US have consistently been "targeting Iran's missile systems, launch sites and other critical infrastructure" since the onset of the conflict.
India's aviation sector is facing fresh turbulence, with rising fuel costs, the Ministry of Civil Aviation's free-seat directive, and geopolitical disruptions in West Asia clouding near-term earnings visibility.
Crude oil futures surged over 3 per cent, snapping a three-session losing streak, as renewed military escalation in West Asia revived fears of supply disruptions, driving prices higher on both domestic and international exchanges.
US President Donald Trump's threats against Iran have drawn strong condemnation from Democrat leaders, who are calling for his removal from office, while some Republicans express concern.
Donald Trump announced he is replacing the 20% reimbursement fee for securing the Strait of Hormuz with massive trade and investment deals from Gulf States into the United States, while maintaining a full blockade on Iranian ship traffic.
The Strait of Hormuz crisis is impacting lifestyles worldwide, from reduced gold purchases in India to energy conservation in Europe and Japan, as governments urge citizens to adapt to the global energy shock.
America's population and its media and its democratic structures seem fine with this, which is why Trump continues as he does, asserts Aakar Patel.
'Without ground troops the US will not be able to oust the Iranian Islamic regime. Political change does not happen just by using bombs or planes.'
Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz has stated that Israel is prepared to escalate military action against Iran, pending approval from the United States. This comes as US President Donald Trump says he would not use nuclear weapons in any conflict with Iran, while also claiming the US has 'total control' over the Strait of Hormuz.
US forces have launched search and rescue efforts for a US fighter jet, which several news outlets, including the Wall Street Journal and CNN, said had been shot down over Iran.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Baghaei also alleged that recent unrest in Iran was fuelled by foreign interference, claiming riots were triggered by "very evident" interventionist remarks by US and Israeli officials.
Iran has not closed the Strait. It remains open; however, due to current conditions and circumstances, ships are unable to pass through the Hormuz. Otherwise, Iran never wanted the Strait to be closed or blocked, the supreme leader's representative said.
US Vice President JD Vance's visit to Islamabad for peace talks with Iran has been put on hold after Tehran failed to respond to American negotiating positions, according to a New York Times report.
Pakistan's Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir held talks with Iranian leaders in Tehran to help resolve the conflict between the US and Iran, following a recent ceasefire agreement.
The operation reportedly extended to American assets, with the IRGC claiming that "US military bases in the region, namely Ali al-Salem in Kuwait, as well as al-Minhad and al-Dhafra in the United Arab Emirates, were also targeted."
Despite a ceasefire extension, Iran has rejected the United States' conditions for negotiations, creating uncertainty in ongoing diplomatic efforts.
A spokesperson said the government is carefully assessing these communications in the context of the ongoing regional crisis.
'Our diplomacy should have been focused on preventing war and avoiding the inevitable disruptions it would cause, posing a real risk to India's growth story,' asserts former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
The Congress party has criticised the Indian government's diplomatic efforts, questioning how Pakistan was able to secure a role as a mediator between the US and Iran despite India's attempts to isolate it after the Pahalgam attack. The party also raised concerns about India's standing on the global stage and its relationship with the US and China.
A new analysis by the Institute for the Study of War has warned that Iran could escalate its attacks on Israel by launching large missile salvos aimed at maximising psychological pressure on civilians.
