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.
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.
When missiles fly in this region, they are never just aimed at military targets.
Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has criticized the central government's directive mandating the singing of all six stanzas of Vande Mataram at official functions, alleging it violates religious freedom.
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.
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.
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.
'The BNP's election manifesto lists grievances against India, mirroring the attitude of past BNP governments.' 'Political parties have been careful not to say bad things about China.'
President Pezeshkian on Saturday said that Iran unequivocally denounces such "inhumane acts", Iran's embassy in New Delhi said in a post on X.
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.
United States President Donald Trump will host Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir for lunch at the White House on Wednesday.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited Pakistan and called on both India and Pakistan to "exercise restraint" amid rising tensions between the two countries following the Pahalgam terror attack. Araghchi, who is scheduled to travel to India on Thursday, emphasized the importance of easing tensions and preventing further escalation. During his talks with Pakistani officials, Araghchi and Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari reaffirmed their commitment to strong Pakistan-Iran ties and agreed to boost cooperation in trade, energy, and connectivity. Both sides also exchanged views on the situation in South Asia and the US-Iran talks, while agreeing that complex regional issues could be resolved through diplomacy and negotiations.
The Pakistan government, as well as the country's military establishment, have come under severe criticism from netizens on social media for recommending United States President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi addressed the controversy surrounding the absence of women journalists at a recent press interaction in New Delhi, stating there was no intention to exclude them. He also discussed trade and investment opportunities between Afghanistan and India.
The IDF said that all of its bases, including air bases, are operating as usual with no harm to their functionality.
The Taliban government in Afghanistan is not going anywhere. That being the case, why is the hesitation to establish formal diplomatic relations with the Taliban? asks Lieutenant General Prakash Katoch (Retd).
The BRICS nations condemned the Pahalgam terror attack, advocated for a zero-tolerance approach to terrorism, and criticized rising tariffs during their summit in Rio de Janeiro. They also addressed global challenges and called for reforms in international institutions.
The decision, which comes after a meeting with top government officials, marks a new phase in the easing of internet blockades that have restricted access to major global platforms for some time.
"It is still not too late. India must speak clearly, act responsibly, and use every diplomatic channel available to defuse tensions and promote a return to dialogue in West Asia," Gandhi asserted.
'Pakistan wanted India out of Afghanistan to which again the Taliban told Pakistan to take a walk.' 'Six months after they came back to power in 2021 India was back in Afghanistan at the request of the Taliban.' 'The Taliban realised that India has no agenda of its own in Afghanistan.'
'Pakistan will also try to turn Bangladesh into a base for terrorist attacks on India.'
Iran and Saudi Arabia have agreed to re-establish diplomatic relations and reopen embassies after talks in Beijing between officials from the two rival Middle East powers, Iranian state media reported on Friday.
The embassy said it was 'cognisant' that some may attempt to characterise this move as an internal conflict, allegedly involving diplomats who switched allegiance to the Taliban, adding "that this decision is a result of broader changes in policy and interests".
The central government has appointed advocate Narender Mann as special public prosecutor to conduct trials and other matters related to the National Investigation Agency case RC-04/2009/NIA/DLI against Tahawwur Hussain Rana and David Coleman Headley, who is in a US prison following a plea deal.
A one-day state mourning will be observed across India on Tuesday as a mark of respect for Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash, the Union Home Ministry has announced.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed its "deep concern" regarding the abduction of Indians, employed at the Diamond Cement Factory in Kayes.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, led the prayers at assassinated Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh's funeral in Tehran, on August 1, 2024, a rare honour for someone who is not Iranian.
The United States Soccer Federation temporarily displayed Iran's national flag on social media without the emblem of the Islamic Republic as a show of solidarity with protesters in Iran ahead of the two teams' World Cup clash on Tuesday.
As many as 73 people have been killed and 170 injured in twin blasts near the burial site of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani in the Iranian city of Kerman on Wednesday in what officials called a terror attack, according to state media, as per CNN.
The Indian diplomatic missions in Israel and Iran on Sunday issued fresh advisories for its nationals after Tehran launched an unprecedented drone and missile attack on the Jewish state, advising them to stay calm, adhere to safety protocols along with activating additional helpline numbers.
An inconclusive end to this war will pose high risk for Netanyahu of a cascading demand for a regime change in Israel, predicts Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Mahsa Amini's death in police custody has resulted in protests in several parts of Iran against the morality police.
This comes after the Hamas attack on Israel in which more than 1,400 Israelis were killed, mostly in the initial Hamas attack. In addition, 203 people were believed captured by Hamas during the incursion and taken into Gaza, the Israeli military has said.
Same-sex relationships are illegal in Qatar.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian met Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Saturday night in Qatar and agreed to cooperate for 'fully achieving' the goals of Hamas and the Palestinian people the Jerusalem Post reported.
President Rouhani will be accorded a ceremonial reception on February 17. He will call on President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Modi.
Defender Ehsan Hajsafi became on Sunday the first member of Iran's national team to speak out from the World Cup in Doha in apparent support of anti-government protests at home, saying players should be the voice of those suffering.
Rekabi's statement said not wearing her headscarf during the competition was unintentional, adding "there was poor scheduling and I was called to climb unpredictably".
From royalty to a tea vendor-turned-politician's wife and from a first lady to a Bengali actress, the 18 Muslim women who treaded the hallowed corridors of power in the Lok Sabha are an eclectic mix, with each of them having an interesting backstory, but one common thread -- their path to power was always strewn with struggle and hurdles.
Many Iranian fans on Monday wore t-shirts or waved signs printed with the mantra of the uprising: 'Woman Life Freedom' in the colours of the Iranian national flag.
