'The White House lunch that Trump hosted for Munir last year came just after Munir returned from a visit to Iran, at a moment when Israel and Iran were at war.' 'Trump said after that lunch that the Pakistanis know Iran very well. He likely views Munir as a useful interlocutor that can give helpful insights on Iran.'
Taking Kharg would give the US control over virtually all of Iran's oil exports and thus provide significant leverage, notes Prem Panicker in his must read daily blog on the Gulf War. It would also put American troops within range of Iran's remaining missiles, drones, and artillery on a piece of real estate that is just eight square miles in size, and just 15 miles from the Iranian mainland.
'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.'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has threatened to continue targeting Iranian leaders, claiming recent successes in eliminating key figures. He asserted that Israel, with US support, aims to undermine the Iranian regime and empower the Iranian people.
The IRGC had announced earlier that it was carrying out an intense wave of attacks on US and Israeli positons throughout the region since dawn, using missiles as well as drones.
Iran has issued a defiant response to United States President Donald Trump's claims regarding the conclusion of hostilities, asserting that it alone will 'determine' the end of military actions against American and Israel targets.
Economist Jeffrey Sachs saw Gulf nations' decision to partner with the US through the Abraham Accords as an "invitation for disaster" as it made them more dependent on American protection.
Amid escalating tensions, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh declares Iran's unwavering commitment to a 'heroic nationalist defence' against perceived American and Israeli aggression, vowing to resist what he calls an 'invasion' to the very end.
Zolqadr's appointment comes through a presidential decree, endorsed by Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
The incident came shortly after a spokesperson from Iran's military warned that Tehran could target ports and docks in the United Arab Emirates following recent United States strikes on Kharg Island, a key hub for Iran's oil exports.
Despite United States President Donald Trump claiming that negotiations with Iran are underway and the conflict could soon end, the Pentagon is expected to deploy troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East as the war enters its fourth week, according to a CBS News report.
Crude oil prices experienced a sharp decline after US President Donald Trump announced a temporary halt to military strikes on Iran's energy infrastructure, easing geopolitical tensions and supply disruption fears.
In a coordinated military operation, the United States and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran, escalating tensions amid stalled nuclear talks and claims of resumed nuclear activities, resulting in the death of Iran's supreme leader.
Iran has launched a fresh wave of missile attacks against Israeli and United States-linked targets as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it fired some of its heaviest missiles in the latest phase of its retaliatory campaign, while Israel Defence Forces alleged that many of the projectiles carried cluster bomb warheads.
In a further escalation of the assault on the heavily fortified site, a missile strike also reportedly targeted the "helipad" at the embassy, as documented by Al Jazeera.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has declared the commencement of its 27th offensive under Operation True Promise 4, targeting American and Israeli positions in response to what it termed a new wave of 'unprovoked US-Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic', Iranian state broadcaster Press TV reported.
It remains unclear whether United States President Donald Trump or Iranian authorities will pursue the offer.
The Israeli military said the strike dismantled the bunker during ongoing operations against Iranian military infrastructure.
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.
US defence officials confirmed that an F-35 did perform an emergency landing after an Iranian surface-to-air missile (SAM) barrage, with the pilot safe and an investigation underway.
Trump also asserted that US forces had struck hundreds of targets across Iran, including facilities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and air defence systems.
The United States, which entered this war in expectation of a short, sharp win along the Venezuela model, is now preparing for deeper involvement in a conflict it does not fully control, without the allies it typically relies on, against an adversary that is not behaving as expected, in a global environment that is already absorbing economic shock. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday said that the United States has not ruled out the option of sending troops on the ground in Iran and that military operations in the Persian Gulf nation would end once the objectives of Operation Epic Fury are achieved.
'India was not obliged to protect the Iranian ship.' 'Once the Iranian ship left Indian waters, she was on her own.' 'Guilt tripping India is wrong.'
Delhi should keep all its options open in what is essentially a transitional period in the geopolitics of energy rather than remain a gatekeeper serving Trump's 'America First', suggests Ambasssador M K Bhadrakumar.
Former US President Donald Trump claimed victory over Iran, stating they agreed to never have a nuclear weapon and provided a 'significant prize' related to the Strait of Hormuz. He also suggested a change in Iranian leadership and acknowledged Pakistan's role in facilitating talks.
The question is no longer whether the war will expand. It has. The next few days will tell us whether the war stabilises around Hormuz or whether the Strait itself becomes the trigger for a far larger rupture. What to watch for over the next 48 hours is simple: Any move by the US toward direct naval control of the Strait; any credible Iranian attempt to disrupt or mine shipping lanes and, critically, whether energy infrastructure in the Gulf continues to be targeted.If those lines are crossed in tandem, the war will no longer be containable within the region.
The Iranian embassy also posted a video purportedly showing the aftermath of the strike, with plumes of smoke visible.
'The US landed in this war without planning. The US felt that if they kill Ayatollah Khamenei the people of Iran will come out on the roads and do a regime change.' 'On the contrary, the US bombings on Iran has united the entire nation.'
Despite heightened tensions and Iran's rejection of a US-backed ceasefire, President Trump claims Iran is now 'begging' for a deal.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed in a US-Israeli attack, sparking celebrations in Iran and raising questions about the future of the regime.
Despite President Trump's optimistic prediction of a swift resolution to the ongoing conflict with Iran, Tehran dismisses any possibility of diplomatic breakthroughs, citing deep distrust and highlighting the complexities of US-Iran relations.
It may now be time to question the price India is paying for Israel's disregard of the serious undermining of India's energy security, asserts former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
India has expressed condolences over the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei following a joint US-Israel strike, amidst rising tensions in West Asia and criticism over the sinking of an Iranian warship.
Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey met in Islamabad in what analysts say is the formal opening of a new diplomatic formation that could reshape the post-war regional order. Their immediate goal is a ceasefire; their larger ambition is to ensure that neither Iran nor Israel emerges from this war in a dominant position. Pakistan's foreign minister then flew directly to Beijing and mooted a Chinese role as guarantor of any eventual agreement. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
Israel wishes to continue its bombing campaign until Iran's military and industrial infrastructure are degraded to a point where it ceases to pose a threat to Israel. Iran, for its part, has learnt from its experience in the 12-day war of last June. Any ceasefire, it believes, will only be a prelude to another attack on itself. It is determined to convey that any attack on Iran will impose heavy costs on Israel, the US, America's allies in the Gulf -- and on the world at large, points out T T Ram Mohan.
'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 USS Abraham Lincoln has been operating in the Arabian Sea since the end of January.
Amid rising tensions, Israel's Defence Minister has issued a stark warning that any leader succeeding Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei will be considered a target, as reports suggest his son Mojtaba may be next in line.
India's handling of the Iran crisis reflects a growing strain between strategic autonomy and geopolitical alignment, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
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