'US and Iran have not annulled the ceasefire, and the possibility of continuing negotiations remains open.'
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has announced an economic relief package to mitigate the impact of the West Asia conflict, including fuel price reductions and support from India for petrol and diesel supplies.
The Dhurandhar movies will undoubtedly shape the minds of the audience much more than news reports, court investigations, books and documentaries. But it is worth remembering that Pakistan's irridentist claims against India's national security have succeeded due to strategic planning, diplomacy, and the unsung heroines and heroes across government agencies, not due to a single maverick leader, points out Shweta Desai.But it is worth to remember that Pakistan's irredentist claims against India's national security have succeeded due to strategic planning, diplomacy, and the unsung heroines and heroes across government agencies -- not a single maverick, points out Shweta Desai.
Iran on Monday formally rejected a US-proposed ceasefire deal amid the escalating conflict in West Asia, instead unveiling its own 10-point plan aimed at permanently ending the ongoing war, as reported by the Iranian state news agency Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).
Reports indicate that Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran's Supreme Leader and a potential successor, is reportedly unconscious and receiving medical treatment in Qom, according to intelligence assessments.
A lighthearted joke by comedian Zakir Khan at the Chetak Screen Awards 2026 has ignited a debate within Bollywood about jealousy and artistic contribution following the success of 'Dhurandhar 2'. The film's box office triumph has exposed underlying tensions and prompted discussions about star power and creative content.
The White House has responded cautiously to reports of Pakistan offering to mediate between the US and Iran, amid ongoing tensions and potential talks.
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.'
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has offered to host talks between the US and Iran to help resolve the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, following reports of Pakistan's involvement in backchannel diplomacy.
A joint Pakistan-Afghanistan jirga in Peshawar has called for an immediate ceasefire to de-escalate tensions between the two countries, emphasising dialogue and mutual respect.
India's foreign secretary Vikram Misri on Thursday participated in a high-level meeting hosted by the United Kingdom on the evolving situation in West Asia, underlining concerns over maritime security, energy supply disruptions and the need for diplomatic de-escalation.
Vikram Doraiswami, a seasoned diplomat, has been appointed as India's new ambassador to China, succeeding Pradeep Kumar Rawat. This decision comes as both countries attempt to improve bilateral relations following a period of strain.
Indian markets on Dalal Street rallied sharply as easing tensions in the US-Iran conflict and stable oil prices boosted sentiment. Track Nifty 50 and BSE Sensex performance and key global triggers.
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.
Iran on Monday described the 15-point proposal from the United States to end the conflict in West Asia and reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz as 'excessively demanding', stating that it has prepared its own set of demands to end hostilities, which have now entered their second month.
US Vice President JD Vance leads a delegation to Islamabad for talks with Iran, expressing optimism while warning against bad faith negotiations from Tehran.
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'.
'The White House lunch that Trump hosted for Munir last year came just after Munir returned from a visit to Iran, at a moment when Israel and Iran were at war.' 'Trump said after that lunch that the Pakistanis know Iran very well. He likely views Munir as a useful interlocutor that can give helpful insights on Iran.'
'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.
China's week-long mediation between Pakistan and Afghanistan concludes without a formal agreement, though Beijing claims progress in exploring solutions to resolve their differences.
The clock on the ceasefire is running out. But everyone's already whispering about round two, possibly as soon as this weekend.
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.
Islamabad's attempt to position itself as a mediator in the West Asia conflict has come to naught with the Iranian side refusing to meet any US-led delegation in Pakistan, reports the Wall Street Journal.
India addresses the escalating conflict in West Asia, outlining its diplomatic efforts to ensure energy security, the safety of its citizens, and advocating for a peaceful resolution through dialogue.
Iranian news agencies have denied reports of Iranian officials travelling to Pakistan for negotiations with the United States, even as Pakistan prepares for potential talks and faces criticism from Israel.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened the Cabinet Committee on Security to address the impact of the West Asia conflict on Indian citizens, focusing on safeguarding them from the conflict's effects and ensuring the smooth flow of essential supplies.
The representative of Iran's Supreme Leader in India expressed gratitude towards Indians, calling India a land of 'loyalty and humanity'.
A US-sanctioned tanker carrying Iranian crude oil is heading to India, marking the resumption of oil imports from Iran after seven years.
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met with his counterparts from Egypt and Turkiye in Islamabad ahead of a quadrilateral summit, including Saudi Arabia, to discuss the ongoing conflict in West Asia and explore avenues for peace.
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.
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.
The Indian government has dismissed the US Commission on International Religious Freedom's (USCIRF) report on religious freedom in India, stating that it does not recognise the commission's authority to comment on the rights of Indian citizens.
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 President Donald Trump on Monday confirmed that his administration has received a proposal from Iran aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in West Asia, but described the offer as insufficient.
In his first major national address since hostilities began, Trump said the ongoing military campaign, dubbed 'Operation Epic Fury', has delivered 'swift, decisive, overwhelming victories'.
Taking Kharg would give the US control over virtually all of Iran's oil exports and thus provide significant leverage, notes Prem Panicker in his must read daily blog on the Gulf War. It would also put American troops within range of Iran's remaining missiles, drones, and artillery on a piece of real estate that is just eight square miles in size, and just 15 miles from the Iranian mainland.
Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar sustained a hairline fracture in his shoulder after a fall during a reception for his Egyptian counterpart. Despite the injury, he continued with scheduled meetings throughout the day.
Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has issued a chilling ultimatum to 18 major American corporations, warning that their regional infrastructure will be targeted following allegations of their involvement in hostile operations.
Officials from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and China are meeting in Urumqi to discuss regional security concerns and potential confidence-building measures.
The cost of the war is being counted not in the corridors of power in Washington or Tehran, but in Firozabad's darkened furnace rooms, Howrah's idle casting sheds, and a barbershop in Kochi where the wait is suddenly, inexplicably, an hour long, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War.
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