Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has called for dialogue to address the ongoing conflict in West Asia, emphasising the importance of diplomatic engagement and sustained efforts to promote peace and stability in the region.
Iraq's participation in the inter-confederation play-offs in Mexico that will decide two berths at this year's FIFA World Cup is in doubt because of the travel chaos triggered by the conflict in neighbouring Iran.
The United States has clarified that its naval blockade in West Asia targets Iranian ports and coastline, not the Strait of Hormuz, applying to all ships regardless of nationality. US officials warned Iran against threatening commercial ships and hinted at ceasefire negotiations as an alternative.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday that he met with United States President Donald Trump, who told him he welcomed Iran's participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The targeted eastern area is of immense strategic importance, as it is where the "majority of the country's oil resources are located."
United States President Donald Trump on Friday signalled the US intention of going all out in its campaign against Iran's Islamic regime, warning Iran to watch out for what would happen today and saying that the US was winning the conflict despite what reports claimed.
An Iranian delegation, led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, concluded high-level meetings in Islamabad, delivering an 'official list of demands' to Pakistani leaders for the US and Israel. This comes as President Trump cancelled his envoys' visit to Islamabad amid ongoing efforts to facilitate peace talks between Iran and the US.
US President Donald Trump has claimed that a significant number of Iranian military officials were killed during a "massive strike" conducted in Tehran.
The visas were granted to the five Iranian players after US President Donald Trump spoke to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese following reports that the players had requested asylum.
Trump's remarks came amid heightened US messaging about the Iran situation and a series of White House statements indicating that multiple options remain under review.
What we are watching is something different: A fog manufactured and maintained by the people who started the war, so that the question of why it was started never has to be answered, observes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the war in the Middle East.
Analysts predict that the ongoing conflict in West Asia, crude oil prices, and global trends will significantly influence the Indian stock market in the upcoming holiday-shortened week. Foreign investor activity and rupee movement will also be crucial.
The Indian rupee weakened against the US dollar due to a strengthening dollar, high crude oil prices, and foreign fund outflows amid geopolitical uncertainties.
The United States has temporarily lifted sanctions on the sale of Iranian oil already in transit to ease soaring global crude prices, making 140 million barrels available to the market.
The Iranian Embassy in South Africa has launched a biting social media attack on US President Donald Trump, using a viral maritime audio clip to label him an "idiot".
'The next two to three weeks will not be decided in Washington.' 'They will be decided in Tehran, in whatever calculation Iran makes about the costs of continued resistance against the costs of appearing to have yielded.'
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.
The Congress MP said he had been "troubled" by the US tariff regime from the very beginning, adding that India was already at a disadvantage compared to its regional competitors.
Australian police helped two more members of the Iranian women's football delegation slip their minders to claim asylum, but one has changed her mind and decided to go back to Iran.
A US Air Force officer was rescued from deep inside Iran after his jet was shot down, following a two-day mission involving US Special Operations forces. The officer evaded Iranian forces for over 24 hours, hiding in a mountain crevice and hiking to high altitudes before being rescued.
The Congress party has criticised the Indian government's diplomatic strategy, claiming a 'severe setback' if reports of Pakistan mediating between the US-Israel and Iran are accurate. The party alleges Pakistan's diplomatic engagement has surpassed India's, despite military successes.
IDF international spokesperson Lt Col Nadav Shoshani said the Israeli military targeted several Hezbollah positions, including command and control centres, launch sites and senior operatives.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called on Indian citizens to unite and overcome the challenges posed by the ongoing conflict in West Asia, cautioning against politicisation and rumour-mongering.
The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defence has announced that the air force and air defence forces have successfully intercepted a significant number of aerial threats following a large-scale Iranian attack that commenced on February 28.
'As result, Netanyahu 'convinced' Trump to go to war with the help of overoptimistic Israeli intelligence assessments, essentially explaining to him that they only need to bomb Iran for 3-4 days, and the regime would then collapse.' 'Rather unsurprisingly, Netanyahu is ever since blaming his own intel service for the entire operation failing.'
Expanding the scope of hostilities, Zayed Port in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, was also targeted by missile strikes launched by Iran, according to a report by the Iranian state broadcaster, Press TV.
The US-Israeli military campaign, dubbed "Operation Epic Fury" by Washington, has entered its third day, with US President Donald Trump stating that operations would continue "until all of our objectives are achieved."
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.
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.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant pulled out of their Tuesday's match against Isfahan after their six foreign players declined to travel to Iran following "advisories from their respective countries".
India's handling of the Iran crisis reflects a growing strain between strategic autonomy and geopolitical alignment, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
From the 30-Sensex firms, Trent, Larsen & Toubro, Reliance Industries, InterGlobe Aviation, Maruti, ITC, Adani Ports and Bharat Electronics were among the biggest laggards. In contrast, Eternal, ICICI Bank, Tech Mahindra, State Bank of India and Tata Consultancy Services were among the gainers.
Trump's remarks came a day after the US launched Operation Midnight Hammer, targeting three of Iran's key nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
Another special flight carrying 296 Indian nationals and four Nepalese nationals stranded in conflict-hit Iran landed safely in New Delhi on Wednesday, taking the total number of people evacuated under Operation Sindhu to 3,154.
Israel has for more than two decades and several US presidencies worked to draw the United States into a full-scale war with Iran. Having finally achieved that, the last thing it wants is Trump declaring victory and going home, as he is prone to do. Ali Larijani was the figure most capable of handing Trump a negotiated exit with something to show for it. Without Larijani, the road to an exit gets considerably narrower. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
A senior Russian diplomat has expressed apprehension over the possibility of the US attempting to regain control of the Bagram airbase in Afghanistan, amidst escalating military tensions in the region.
When missiles fly in this region, they are never just aimed at military targets.
When everyone has footage and no one can verify it, the loudest voice wins, notes Prem Panicker who begins a daily blog on the War in the Middle East.
The IDF said that all of its bases, including air bases, are operating as usual with no harm to their functionality.
From founding fathers to Europe's most unyielding rulers, these figures have not just held office, they have established a cult of leadership and will leave legacies, mostly mixed, that few can rival.
