'On behalf of the Islamic Republic of Iran, I express gratitude and appreciation for my dear brothers HE Prime Minister of Pakistan Sharif and HE Field Marshal Munir for their tireless efforts to end the war in 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.
Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, special envoy, foreign ministry of Israel, has asserted that the situation has effectively been a "multi-front regional conflict" since its inception, while claiming significant military and strategic gains against adversarial forces.
Hours after ceasefire, US President Donald Trump on Wednesday warned against any country supplying military weapons to the Islamic Republic, stating that he would impose a 50 percent tariff on all goods exported to the United States.
After the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire and expressed hope for lasting peace, Pakistan took much of the credit for playing mediator between the two countries. However, Jonathan Schanzer, Executive Director at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies and former US Treasury counterterrorism analyst, said Pakistan is deeply indebted to China.
Following a US agreement to a ceasefire, Iran claims victory and outlines conditions for a lasting peace deal, including control over the Strait of Hormuz and the removal of sanctions.
Trump's 'Board of Peace' is being projected by Washington, DC as a new international body to usher in peace and stability in Gaza and beyond, triggering speculation that it could throw a challenge to the United Nations.
Pakistan has announced a temporary pause in its ongoing operation against the Afghan Taliban in response to requests from Islamic countries and in view of the upcoming Eid festival, following accusations from Afghanistan regarding an attack on a rehabilitation hospital in Kabul.
Israel will continue its offensive in South Lebanon aimed at neutralising the threat from Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has confirmed Tehran's participation in Pakistan-facilitated peace talks with the US in Islamabad, according to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. This development follows a conditional ceasefire agreement and aims to address regional tensions.
The White House has responded cautiously to reports of Pakistan offering to mediate between the US and Iran, amid ongoing tensions and potential talks.
Iran has confirmed its participation in peace talks hosted by Pakistan, aimed at resolving the conflict with the US and Israel, despite concerns over ceasefire violations.
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.
Former India cricketer Madan Lal said that the Pakistan Cricket Board are not doing the right thing at the moment and will suffer the consequences, after Pakistan decided to boycott its group-stage match against India in the ICC World T20 World Cup, scheduled for February 15.
The fragile ceasefire in West Asia between the US and Iran to halt the hostilities in the region for two weeks faces renewed uncertainty as Tehran reportedly moved to block the strategic Strait of Hormuz once again due to Israel's intensified offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon, according to Iranian state media Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), which US President Trump says was "not included" as part of the ceasefire deal.
'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.'
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.
Trump added that the United States would assist in managing the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz.
Pakistan's Foreign Office has refuted media reports suggesting that its efforts to facilitate peace talks between the US and Iran have stalled, calling the reports baseless and speculative.
Iran has put forward a comprehensive 10-point framework that it says forms the basis of a complete resolution.
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.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday backed Israel's ongoing military operation in Lebanon, stating that Hezbollah "was not included" in the recent ceasefire deal between Washington and Tehran, which halted the conflict in West Asia for two weeks.
By all available indications, the White House drafted a face-saving note and handed it, ready-made, to Islamabad. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was supposed to then post it in the guise of a plea urging Trump to extend the deadline by two weeks 'to allow diplomacy to run its course'. Trump would then graciously accept Pakistan's 'request' and declare a ceasefire. Sharif dutifully posted the message on X. Except that he, or whoever was handling the account, forgot to delete the tell-tale first line visible in the edit history: 'Draft - Pakistan's PM Message on X'. Prem Panicker's must read blog on the Iran War.
The Congress party has criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's diplomatic efforts following the ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran, facilitated in part by Pakistan. The party claims this development undermines Modi's strategy and exposes his perceived failures in foreign policy.
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Wednesday claimed that Tehran "begged" for a truce, maintaining that Washington achieved a "decisive military victory" during 'Operation Epic Fury.'
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.
Pakistan on Sunday announced a boycott of its high-profile men's T20 World Cup group league match against India, a move that is likely to have repercussions, even as the government cleared the national team's participation in the rest of the global event, starting February 7.
'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.'
Iran's football federation is in discussions with FIFA about moving their World Cup matches from the United States to Mexico due to concerns about the safety of their players, Iranian football president Mehdi Taj said.
Pakistan are avoiding playing against India because they are aware they can't win against them, said 1983 World Cup winning all-rounder Kirti Azad.
Despite Pakistan deciding to boycott their group stage T20 World Cup clash against India on February 15, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sources have said that that the Men in Blue will travel to Sri Lanka for the match as per ICC protocol and wait for the match referee to call off the match.
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.
Trump said that the decision would be "immediately" in effect and that the "order is final and conclusive."
Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Sunday issued a formal address and said that the event is a moment of profound religious and historical consequence.
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.
India's handling of the Iran crisis reflects a growing strain between strategic autonomy and geopolitical alignment, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla said that the BCCI completely agrees with the ICC and the Indian cricket board won't make any comments on the boycott until we speak with the ICC.
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.
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has warned that Islamabad will enter into an 'open war' with Kabul if the ongoing peace talks in Istanbul fail, TOLO News reported.
New Delhi might have loudly welcomed an age of multipolarity, hedging and strategic autonomy. But it seems the winner in that game is Islamabad, not us, points out Mihir S Sharma.
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