Representative of Iran's Supreme Leader in India, Abdul Majid Hakeem Ilahi, expressed doubts about the United States' intentions regarding negotiations, citing conflicting actions and a desire to force Iran into accepting US demands.
President Trump has been briefed on potential military actions against Iran, including strikes on infrastructure and control of the Strait of Hormuz, even as negotiations continue. He maintains economic pressure is the primary strategy, while legal questions arise over war powers.
US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are travelling to Pakistan for direct talks with an Iranian delegation as part of efforts to end the seven-week war, the White House announced.
Delegations from the US and Iran have arrived in Islamabad for talks aimed at resolving the conflict between the two nations, following a ceasefire brokered by Pakistan. The negotiations are being closely watched due to their potential impact on regional security and global diplomacy.
'Energy prices would shoot up with the closure of Hormuz again.'
Doubts are emerging about Pakistan's role in mediating peace negotiations between the US and Iran, with suggestions that Islamabad's efforts are stalling and failing to secure a definitive response from the United States.
...reopen for up to six months. Until then, the Strait stays nearly closed. The world pays. And no one, including the man who started this, can say when it ends, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War.
'American stature has been reduced because they have not been able to achieve their aims.'
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.
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'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.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has urged Iran to guarantee freedom and safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil trade, amid ongoing tensions with the US.
Indian benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, staged a moderate rebound after a significant correction in the previous session, driven by foreign fund inflows and a largely positive trend in global markets, though geopolitical tensions between the US and Iran continued to foster caution.
Trump said he is unwilling to make a deal with Tehran at this stage despite indications the country wants negotiations.
Trump's message, posted on his Truth Social platform, is a reminder of his 10-day ultimatum given to the Islamic Republic earlier to make progress toward a deal or reopen the vital shipping lane.
This sharp Iranian response came after a series of uncompromising remarks from the US president.
For India, much is at stake: Crucial energy supplies traversing the Strait of Hormuz, the fate of its 10 million citizens living and working in West Asia -- who send generous remittances home -- and its major trade links with the region.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has welcomed the ceasefire between the US and Iran and invited delegations from both countries to Islamabad for peace negotiations.
The US President clarified that these negotiations do not involve the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.
Iran on Monday described the 15-point proposal from the United States to end the conflict in West Asia and reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz as 'excessively demanding', stating that it has prepared its own set of demands to end hostilities, which have now entered their second month.
To be sure, Trump is furious, as the trajectory of the war is in a state of Zugzwang, as chess players call it. Trump and Netanyahu stare at two choices -- retreat in humiliation and concede Tehran's demands -- recognition of its rights, reparations, and binding security guarantees -- or perish in a quagmire, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
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.
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has announced that American forces are maintaining a strict maritime restrictive operation in the region, continuing to enforce a blockade against Iranian ports.
'Pakistan has pitched Islamabad as a possible venue for talks as early as this week involving senior figures from the Trump administration and Iran,' the Financial Times reported.
The White House has responded cautiously to reports of Pakistan offering to mediate between the US and Iran, amid ongoing tensions and potential talks.
The United States' historical strategic alignment with Pakistan, dating back to the Cold War, has consistently aimed to create a political and military parity with India, despite India's significantly larger size and resources. This long-standing relationship continues to influence regional dynamics, particularly in West Asia and the Indo-Pacific.
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.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly acknowledged India's significant support, directly refuting American Vice President J D Vance's assertion that the US was Israel's only powerful ally. Netanyahu highlighted India's 1.4 billion people and the "tremendous support" received, including on social media, while also noting Israel's strong relationships with other nations seeking its cybersecurity and AI expertise.
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Washington is considering a "joint venture" with Iran to secure the Strait of Hormuz, following his announcement of a two-week ceasefire.
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The pause gives the US time to breathe, to regroup, to move its expeditionary force into position without risk of interception along the way. It gives Iran nothing -- on the ground, attacks against its infrastructure continue apace. Prem Panicker in his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
Trump added that the United States would assist in managing the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran on Thursday spelled out three conditions to end the war with Israel and the United States, which entered its thirteenth day today. Taking to X, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said he reaffirmed the country's commitment to peace during talks with leaders of Russia and Pakistan.
Donald Trump says several issues were settled during the final day of talks with Xi Jinping covering trade, tariffs, and diplomacy.
Far from it; the country's resistance to the US, its nuclear ambitions, and its pursuit of influence and proxies across the Middle East are driven by a constant search for independence and security. Thus, Iran will never capitulate. Trump will learn this home truth ultimately, and it is going to be a humbling personal experience that may even destroy his presidency, predicts Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Former CIA Analyst, Larry Johnson, said on Friday that US President Donald Trump asked US chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, Dan Caine, if they could use the nuclear weapons, but the latter denied.
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.
As Iran heads into crucial peace talks with the United States of America, here are the six men who decide the Islamic Republic's course.
Trump has said he would be present at the signing ceremony in Islamabad. Don't be surprised if the Pakistani hosts make it a grand event in the geopolitics of the region. Trump would love that, notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The United States and Iran, with regional mediators, are reportedly discussing a potential 45-day ceasefire to prevent further escalation of conflict, including strikes on Iranian infrastructure and retaliation against Gulf states' facilities.
