Iran has formally turned down a proposal from the United States for a 48-hour ceasefire, according to Al Jazeera, citing reports from the semi-official Fars news agency.
Amid rising tensions, Iran reportedly launched ballistic missiles toward a US-UK military base, prompting concerns about regional stability and the potential for escalating conflict in the Middle East.
Former US President Donald Trump has criticised Iran's stance on the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a form of 'extortion' amid ongoing negotiations for a peace deal. The remarks come as Iran considers imposing transit fees on vessels crossing the strategic waterway.
Indian stock markets rallied in early trade after US President Donald Trump announced a halt to planned military strikes on Iran, citing requests from Gulf leaders and ongoing "very big discussions" that could lead to a deal. This de-escalation, coupled with foreign fund inflows and gains in IT and Adani group stocks, contributed to the positive market sentiment. Track Sensex and Nifty on May 19, 2026.
'Pakistan has pitched Islamabad as a possible venue for talks as early as this week involving senior figures from the Trump administration and Iran,' the Financial Times reported.
If Trump wants peace with Iran, Pakistan will offer to help. If Trump seeks Pakistan's aid to spy on Iran, then too Munir will not hesitate to chip in. At the same time, the ISI will not hesitate to tip off Iran now and then, points out M R Narayan Swamy.
The diplomatic intervention follows various media reports which attributed comments to Iranian lawmaker Alaeddin Boroujerdi, suggesting that merchant vessels were being charged USD 2 million for safe passage through the "conflict-hit Hormuz."
The Congress party has criticised the Modi government over Pakistan's involvement in US-Iran peace talks, calling it a 'monumental setback' for India's diplomatic efforts.
The IRGC said the strikes were conducted in support of offensives by Hezbollah and residents of southern Lebanon, and described them as the beginning of a series of pre-announced operations against Israel.
Yash has confirmed that Toxic will no longer release on June 4, with the team opting to recalibrate its timeline for a globally-coordinated rollout, even as anticipation for the film continues to grow.
US President Donald Trump has claimed that China has committed to halting weapon supplies to Iran, following his personal diplomatic interventions with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Donald Trump issued a fresh warning to Iran as negotiations remained deadlocked over uranium stockpiles, sanctions relief and war compensation. The US President's sharp remarks came just hours after Iranian media revealed Washington's core conditions for resuming negotiations.
India has advised its citizens residing in Iran to leave the country due to the evolving security situation, including protests and fears of potential US military action.
China has criticised the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a dangerous and irresponsible move, and urged Washington and Tehran to honour the ceasefire. Beijing also denied aiding Iran militarily and threatened countermeasures if the US imposes tariffs.
Two India-bound LPG tankers have crossed the Strait of Hormuz amid heightened tensions in the region, while an India-flagged vessel sank after being hit near the strategic shipping corridor.
The ministry of external affairs said in a statement that the Indian embassy remains in touch with the community with a view to extend all feasible assistance.
US President Donald Trump has rejected Iran's proposal to end the ongoing war, deeming it 'totally unacceptable'. This decision comes amid efforts to negotiate an end to hostilities that began on February 28 and have disrupted global oil supplies.
If Iran and Oman choose to charge a fee for rendering services to vessels using their territorial waters, so be it. The US is indulging in an irrationally self-destructive act, notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Indian stock markets concluded Tuesday's trading session lower, reversing intraday gains due to late-session selling in blue-chip stocks like HDFC Bank and Reliance Industries. The decline was primarily driven by the Indian rupee hitting a new record low against the US dollar and elevated global crude oil prices, compounded by geopolitical uncertainties.
US President Donald Trump announced he halted planned military strikes on Iran following requests from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, citing ongoing discussions that could lead to a deal.
A Financial Times report reveals Pakistan's crucial role in brokering a temporary ceasefire between the US and Iran, driven by White House concerns over rising oil prices and Iran's resilience.
Iran's ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, has described India as a "reliable and compassionate" partner while asserting Tehran's territorial authority over the Strait of Hormuz amidst ongoing regional tensions.
Citizens in the city of Ilam formed a human chain on Tuesday to demonstrate their defiance against recent threats from US President Donald Trump.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi spoke with Indian counterpart S Jaishankar to discuss the West Asia crisis, following discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Quoting assembly of experts member Mirbaqeri, the report stated that while a "majority consensus over Khamenei's successor has been reached," the transition process is not yet fully complete as "some obstacles regarding the process need to be resolved."
Protests on multiple fronts disrupted the atmosphere outside the FIFA Congress in Vancouver on Thursday, as demonstrators raised sharply different concerns over global politics and local issues.
US-Iran talks in Islamabad collapsed after 21 hours, exposing deep divisions over nuclear ambitions and sanctions.
Far from it; the country's resistance to the US, its nuclear ambitions, and its pursuit of influence and proxies across the Middle East are driven by a constant search for independence and security. Thus, Iran will never capitulate. Trump will learn this home truth ultimately, and it is going to be a humbling personal experience that may even destroy his presidency, predicts Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The US Navy seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman, escalating tensions as ceasefire talks face uncertainty. The incident raises concerns about the fragile ceasefire and the ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Indian equity benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, tumbled nearly 2 per cent for the fourth consecutive session, driven by elevated crude oil prices, escalating US-Iran tensions, unabated foreign fund outflows, and a depreciating rupee.
Indian equity benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, tumbled nearly 2 per cent for the fourth consecutive session, driven by elevated crude oil prices, escalating US-Iran tensions, unabated foreign fund outflows, and a depreciating rupee.
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 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.
US President Donald Trump on Friday referred to the Strait of Hormuz as a potential "gusher" for the world and spoken about "opening it for the world."
According to information shared with students, those enrolled at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, and Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences have been offered two evacuation routes -- either through Armenia or Azerbaijan.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump outlined key goals of the campaign, including degrading Iran's missile capabilities, dismantling its defence industrial base, eliminating naval and air power, preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear capability, and protecting United States allies such as Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The container ship SELEN, en route to Karachi, was denied passage by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy due to lack of permission and failure to coordinate with Iranian maritime authorities.
Tensions escalated dramatically on March 5, 2026, as the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran, triggering retaliatory explosions across Tehran, Sanandaj, and beyond.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the decision followed a request from the Iranian government and added that talks between the two sides were 'going very well'.
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.
