Pakistan's cricket board has appointed former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed as the head coach of their Test team for the upcoming two-match series in Bangladesh, succeeding Jason Gillespie.
Trump seems to have estimated that Ghalibaf is a pragmatic politician who is receptive to close relations with the US and is enthusiastic about fostering business and economic ties in particular, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
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.
A new assessment by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reveals that a power struggle within Iran's leadership, with hardliners gaining influence, could significantly impact future negotiations with the United States.
A new report alleges Pakistan shielded Iranian military aircraft from potential US airstrikes, raising questions about its role as a neutral mediator in the ongoing US-Iran tensions.
The Iranian delegation, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, arrived in Islamabad for talks with the US, carrying images of victims from the Minab school attack on their official flight.
J D Vance heads to Islamabad for high-stakes US-Iran talks, balancing cautious optimism with a warning against bad faith. negotiations.
The United States and Iran concluded the first phase of in-person talks in Islamabad, with both delegations exchanging written texts to formalise areas of understanding. The discussions, involving key representatives from both sides, are aimed at reducing tensions and exploring possibilities of a structured understanding.
Iran blames the US for 'maximalism' and 'shifting goalposts' leading to the collapse of the Islamabad talks.
Pakistan's Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir held talks with Iranian leaders in Tehran to help resolve the conflict between the US and Iran, following a recent ceasefire agreement.
Pakistan has announced its commitment to continue facilitating talks between the United States and Iran, urging both nations to uphold the ceasefire agreement. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar highlighted Pakistan's role in mediating recent discussions and expressed hope for durable peace and regional stability.
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.
As the negotiations continued, the Iranian government said on social media that "talks between Iran and the US in Islamabad entered the expert-level stage as economic, military, legal, and nuclear committees joined in".
Iran has asserted that maritime movement through the Strait of Hormuz will be strictly controlled by Tehran, stating that passage will be allowed only through designated routes and under Iranian approval.
High-level peace talks between the US and Iran, facilitated by Pakistan, aim to de-escalate the conflict in West Asia and potentially reshape regional stability.
This year's roster sees ten players each placed in Categories B, C, and D. Notably, no player has been selected for Category A in this cycle, the PCB said in a statement.
Pakistan is playing a key role in facilitating talks between the US and Iran, but the future of these negotiations remains uncertain. Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, no dates have been set for a second round of discussions.
US Vice President J D Vance stated that while progress was made during peace talks in Islamabad, it is now up to Iran to further the discussions and address US concerns regarding its nuclear ambitions.
Will these brilliant Iranian filmmakers reflect the turmoil in their country?
US President Donald Trump expressed confidence in America's position amid US-Iran peace talks in Islamabad, stating that Washington stands to 'win' regardless of a deal.
A Pakistani delegation, led by Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, has arrived in Tehran to mediate the ongoing conflict between the US and Iran, following initial talks in Islamabad.
Chaffing under public ridicule in the US as well as internationally for having 'lost' the war, Trump is under immense pressure to do something, cautions Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
US Vice President JD Vance leads a delegation to Islamabad for talks with Iran, expressing optimism while warning against bad faith negotiations from Tehran.
Iran has reiterated that key preconditions must be met before negotiations with the United States can begin to resolve the conflict in West Asia, including a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of blocked Iranian assets.
Uncertainty surrounds the planned second round of peace talks between the US and Iran in Islamabad, as both sides engage in brinkmanship. Despite Pakistan's security preparations, Iran has yet to confirm its attendance, citing a lack of seriousness from the US in pursuing diplomacy and violations of the ceasefire.
'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.'
The deployment could include infantry and armoured units, in addition to the 82nd Airborne Division, which is already stationed in the region.
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.'
Iran has placed anti-personnel and anti-armour mines around the island, where US troops could potentially stage an amphibious landing.
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.
Iran has announced the Strait of Hormuz is open to commercial vessels, coinciding with a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel.
Bangladesh holds its general election on Thursday, February 12, amid an intense political campaign across major cities. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party and student-led National Citizen Party mobilise supporters through rallies in Dhaka and Sylhet.
Trump has made it clear: the US will not lift its blockade of Iranian ports until a deal is signed.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor discusses India's role in the US-Iran peace talks taking place in Islamabad, emphasising the importance of peace over competition with Pakistan and highlighting India's regional interests.
The Indian embassy in Tehran has earlier stated that it is facilitating the safe movement of nationals who wish to leave Iran.
'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.
The core issues to be settled -- access to Hormuz, Israel's aggression in Lebanon, the question of Iran's nuclear programme, sanctions relief and compensation -- are thorny enough to require weeks of patient negotiation. The most likely outcome of the opening sessions is that both sides take the measure of each other, establish what is and is not negotiable, and return home without having broken anything. That would count as progress.
The delegations from the US and Iran head to Islamabad on Friday, carrying a ceasefire that is already fraying, a Strait that is technically open and practically closed, and a negotiating agenda that would challenge even parties actually negotiating in good faith, which these groups are not. Prem Panicker continues his must read blog on the Iran War.
India has expressed condolences over the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei following a joint US-Israel strike, amidst rising tensions in West Asia and criticism over the sinking of an Iranian warship.
'Was the five-day pause ever meant to hold, or was it simply another instrument of signaling, of positioning, of buying time in a war where even the pauses are tactical?' asks Prem Panicker in his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
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