India said it attaches a high priority to its multifaceted relations with the Arab nations.
Police sources said the bomber, belonging to the Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade that claimed responsibility for the attack, blew himself up in a line of people going through a customary security check at the mall's entrance.
Indian badminton star PV Sindhu was stranded at Dubai airport due to flight suspensions caused by escalating tensions in the Middle East, casting doubt on her participation in the All England Open.
'Why not ask for a change of leadership in Qatar, Bahrain or Saudi Arabia? Is there a constitution in Saudi Arabia? Are there elections in Saudi Arabia? Why no talk of democracy in these countries?' 'America said change the leader now, but is now ignoring the feelings of the Syrian moderate majority. Is that democracy,' asks H E Dr Riad Abbas, Syrian ambassador to India, in an interview to Cleo Paskal.
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.
India can play an important role in pushing ahead the peace process as it is an influential country due to the relations it has with the key players in the world.
United States president-elect Barack Obama has said he is prepared for immediate American involvement in the Middle East peace process. Obama, who takes over on January 20, said there could be delay in his election pledge to shut down Guantanamo Bay prison camps, but indicated reluctance to probe the charges that the previous administration eavesdropped and tapped the public at large.
Top leaders from the US, Iran, and Pakistan, along with other nations, have gathered in Switzerland for high-level talks aimed at restoring peace in West Asia. These negotiations follow a recently signed Memorandum of Understanding between the US and Iran, initiating a 60-day window for a deal. Discussions focus on Iran's nuclear programme and the fragile interim peace deal, amidst renewed tensions and the fluctuating status of the Strait of Hormuz.
US President Donald Trump on Sunday said that the Israeli strikes on Lebanon's capital of Beirut "should not have happened", warning that such escalation could jeopardise the peace agreement with Iran to achieve a complete solution to the West Asia conflict, which, according to him, is within reach.
The Indian stock market's movement this week will be significantly influenced by the outcome of US-Iran talks, global crude oil prices, and the trading activities of foreign institutional investors (FIIs), according to market analysts.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif clarified that the recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the US and Iran does not include provisions regarding Tehran's ballistic missile programme. This statement followed talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, with Sharif emphasising Iran's right to its defence capabilities and Pakistan's role as a mediator in the US-Iran peace process.
He said India can have a possible role in creating a multilateral forum of negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis.
A US-Iran memorandum of understanding is set to be signed, outlining sanctions relief, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and a 60-day negotiation window for Iran's uranium enrichment, but US President Donald Trump has underscored the deal's conditional nature, warning of military action if Tehran fails to comply.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the SCO summit in Bishkek, called for a united front against terrorism and its financing, rejecting double standards. He emphasised resolving conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy, not battlefields. Modi also highlighted that connectivity projects must respect national sovereignty and territorial integrity, a veiled reference to China's Belt and Road Initiative. India's vision for SCO rests on security, connectivity, and opportunity.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday (local time) announced a US-mediated framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon aimed at achieving "lasting peace and security".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the release of hostages in Israel and expressed support for President Trump's peace efforts in the region.
India has expressed strong concerns over attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, citing its importance to India's energy and economic security. Ambassador Yojna Patel highlighted the need to respect international law and ensure the safety of seafarers, while also addressing broader Middle East issues including the situation in Gaza and Lebanon.
US President Donald Trump announced that a deal to end the war with Iran would be signed on Sunday, with the strategic Strait of Hormuz immediately becoming 'open to all'. This follows indications from Pakistan that negotiations were in their final stages, though Iran has yet to comment on the timeline.
Hours after US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that the ceasefire deal with Iran was "over", the US President indicated that Washington could launch another round of strikes against the Islamic Republic, following strikes on Tuesday, saying it had already hit Tehran "very hard" and warning of further attacks.
As tensions in the Middle East approach a critical juncture, reports have surfaced regarding a draft memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran aimed at de-escalating the ongoing conflict, Iranian state media reported on Wednesday.
Following a joint attack by the US and Israel on Iran, India is calling for restraint and de-escalation to avoid further military confrontation in the Middle East.
The recently signed Gaza Peace Agreement is a 'landmark' step towards stability in the Middle East, India has said, reiterating that a two-state solution remains 'the only pragmatic path' to achieving durable peace between Israel and Palestine.
Trump added that the United States would assist in managing the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz.
National Conference President Farooq Abdullah has voiced his concern over the escalating violence in West Asia, urging all parties to prioritise dialogue and diplomacy to de-escalate tensions and protect civilian lives.
Pakistan has increased security measures in Islamabad and surrounding areas as the US and Iran prepare for another round of peace talks. The move follows an announcement by former US President Donald Trump that American negotiators would be in Pakistan for discussions aimed at resolving the conflict between the two nations.
US President Donald Trump has abruptly withdrawn from a peace deal with Iran, citing fresh intelligence of Iranian assaults on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. The decision, made just a fortnight after celebrating the deal, has led to a significant military escalation in the region, with the US launching extensive counter-operations against Iranian military infrastructure.
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.
India's foreign policy establishment is adjusting with alacrity in real time -- an extraordinary spectacle in itself, considering the manifest reluctance to indulge in public diplomacy critical of American moves, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
'We caught General Pervez Musharraf talking over the phone with his Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Mohammad Aziz. Musharraf was visiting China; Aziz was in Rawalpindi.'
Trump's comment marks a shift in his repeated statements that Iran hand over its enriched uranium to the US as a sticking point of any potential deal.
Double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu was stranded at Dubai airport en route to the All England Open badminton tournament due to flight suspensions caused by escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Poland's Secretary of State, Wladyslaw T Bartoszewski, has credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with preventing Russian President Vladimir Putin from using tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine in late 2022, highlighting Modi's significant influence on the Russian leader.
Head of the Iranian Parliament's National Security Committee Ebrahim Azizi on Saturday said that Iran has prepared a "professional mechanism" to regulate maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz through a designated route, which will be unveiled soon.
The United Nations Security Council has adopted a draft resolution endorsing United States President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan and authorising the establishment of an international stabilisation force in the enclave, with the American leader describing it as a 'moment of true historic proportion'.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's anti-tobacco crusade has a new target: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Politico reported.
US President Donald Trump is reportedly considering launching fresh strikes against Iran if ongoing negotiations fail to produce a peace deal, according to US media outlet Axios. This development comes as diplomatic efforts continue, with Pakistan and Qatar attempting to broker an agreement.
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."
"India, the second largest populated nation in the world and the biggest democracy with a booming economy, including hi-tech, could play an important role in the Middle East peace process," Abbas told PTI in an interview a day before leaving for New Delhi.
'What we have yet to see on either the US or the Iranian side is willingness to compromise on their ultimate demands and the flexibility to reach an agreement to end the war.
