The White House on Sunday is witnessing a "fight night" in an octagon-shaped cage as the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighters slug it out in the marquee event on the South Lawn on a day President Donald Trump turned 80.
In a significant diplomatic manoeuvre aimed at de-escalating regional tensions, Iran has reportedly submitted a "new proposal" to the United States through Pakistani intermediaries.
US President Donald Trump has dismissed media reports suggesting that diplomatic negotiations between Washington and Tehran have stalled, maintaining that dialogue persists despite intensifying geopolitical friction across the Middle East.
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.
Iran has announced the reinstatement of strict military control over the Strait of Hormuz, citing US violations of previous agreements regarding maritime passage. This decision follows claims of continued American blockade of Iranian ports and a statement from former US President Trump regarding the persistence of the naval blockade until a comprehensive peace agreement is reached.
Argentina's football players displayed a political banner claiming "The Falklands are Argentine" after their World Cup semi-final win against England, potentially violating FIFA's code of conduct.
As the negotiations continued, the Iranian government said on social media that "talks between Iran and the US in Islamabad entered the expert-level stage as economic, military, legal, and nuclear committees joined in".
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that a US-Iran peace deal is on the verge of finalisation, potentially within the next 24 hours, marking a significant diplomatic breakthrough after months of intense negotiations.
The US and Iranian delegations left Pakistan after failing to reach an agreement in historic talks aimed at resolving the West Asia conflict and stabilising global energy markets.
Head of the Iranian Parliament's National Security Committee Ebrahim Azizi on Saturday said that Iran has prepared a "professional mechanism" to regulate maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz through a designated route, which will be unveiled soon.
Amid ongoing ceasefire negotiations, Israel is on high alert, fearing a potential surprise missile and drone attack from Iran targeting Gulf countries and Israel, according to intelligence officials.
CNN and Al Jazeera report that the Americans and Iranians are discussing a way out of conflict and hostilities face to face, in the same room -- the first time that such a high level interaction has taken place since the Islamic Revolution of 1979.
A Middle East expert claims that President Trump's approach to Iran is endangering US interests in the Gulf region, with support for the Iranian regime growing amid US-Israel tensions.
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.
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.
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.
While Trump described the operation as the 'most daring' search and rescue mission in US military history, Iran termed it a victory, claiming it shot down a C-130-class aircraft involved in the operation.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has strongly criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his silence on the deaths of three Indian seafarers in US military strikes on commercial vessels, calling Modi a 'compromised PM' who lacks the courage to confront those responsible.
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.
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.
A Pakistani delegation, led by Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, has arrived in Tehran to mediate the ongoing conflict between the US and Iran, following initial talks in Islamabad.
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.
Direct talks between the US and Iran, mediated by Pakistan, have failed to produce an agreement after 21 hours of negotiations, with disagreements over Iran's nuclear ambitions and sanctions proving insurmountable.
High-level peace talks between the US and Iran, facilitated by Pakistan, aim to de-escalate the conflict in West Asia and potentially reshape regional stability.
The United States Special Forces have rescued the second F-15 crew member alive, who went missing after Iran downed the jet amid the West Asia conflict, President Donald Trump has confirmed.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said his trip to Islamabad was "very productive" and involved "good consultations" with Pakistan's top leadership amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.
The Americans can occupy Bab el Mandeb, claim to have 'solved' the Strait of Hormuz crisis, declare victory that President Trump so desperately needs, points out Colonel Anil A Athale, former head of the history division, ministry of defence.
'In such a scenario, Iran could proclaim itself victor, rebuild, re-enforce its diminished regional proxies to further destabilise neighbouring nations and take control of the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz.'
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.
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed that Iran is in a "state of collapse" and has requested the United States to help "open" the Strait of Hormuz.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered his support to help bring peace to West Asia, praising the Iranian people for their resilience. This comes as Iran seeks to resolve the conflict with the US, following discussions with Pakistani and Omani leadership.
Iran blames the US for 'maximalism' and 'shifting goalposts' leading to the collapse of the Islamabad talks.
Pakistan is playing a key role in facilitating talks between the US and Iran, but the future of these negotiations remains uncertain. Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, no dates have been set for a second round of discussions.
US Vice President JD Vance on Sunday generated significant online traction after making a light-hearted reference to two "very, very important" Indian and Pakistani people in his life - his wife Usha Vance and Pakistani Army chief Asim Munir, on the sidelines of the US-Iran diplomatic deliberations in Switzerland.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump exchanged pleasantries and held a brief conversation at the G7 summit, their first in-person encounter in 16 months, setting the stage for high-stakes bilateral talks amidst continuing strain in India-US relations.
Citizens in the city of Ilam formed a human chain on Tuesday to demonstrate their defiance against recent threats from US President Donald Trump.
'What we have yet to see on either the US or the Iranian side is willingness to compromise on their ultimate demands and the flexibility to reach an agreement to end the war.
India has strongly protested to the United States after three merchant ships with Indian crew members were attacked by the American military off the coast of Oman, resulting in the deaths of three Indian nationals.
Iran has formally turned down a proposal from the United States for a 48-hour ceasefire, according to Al Jazeera, citing reports from the semi-official Fars news agency.
Khamenei urged the pilgrims for unity and called on them to pray for "the liberation of Palestine and Al-Aqsa Mosque, the alleviation of the great hardships afflicting Muslims, and the attainment of ultimate victory against global arrogance."
