The question is whether the clocks allow enough time for two deeply mistrustful sides to get there, and whether the surface calm holds long enough for the paddling to produce something before the ceasefire ends on April 22, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War.
'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.'
Addressing members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, armed forces, and police, Trump said they must lay down their weapons and accept complete immunity or face 'certain death'.
Negotiating a sustainable compromise with Iran is not getting any easier, and this delay might not yield the desired result of bringing Tehran's nuclear programme under stringent limits, says Claude Smadja
Trump claimed on social media that recent US-Iran discussions were 'very good and productive' and aimed at a 'complete and total resolution' of the conflict.
The US president said new sanctions would be imposed, adding 'America will not be held hostage to nuclear blackmail'.
A recently finalised peace deal between the US and Iran, set to be signed on June 19, is expected to significantly benefit India's economy by boosting exports to West Asia, stabilising the rupee, and easing inflationary pressures, according to exporters and experts.
Donald Trump has dismissed the ceasefire with Iran as being on 'massive life support', signalling continued tensions between the US and Iran amid ongoing negotiations.
Following attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, including Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz, the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) has stated that the attacks are a violation of international law and that Iran's nuclear industry will continue its development.
A lesson for India is to clearly define objectives beforehand, so that the adversary or other parties do not attempt to mitigate them midway.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Saturday criticised the United States over its stance on Russian oil, claiming Washington was now "begging" countries across the globe, including India, to purchase Russian crude.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE are actively pushing Trump to take the war to its bitter finish and 'erase' Iran's presence in the geopolitics of the region. Simply put, the two most powerful Sunni Arab oligarchies are on the same page as Israel. Such interference increases the risk of a breakdown in dialogue between the US and Iran, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
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.
Pakistan is set to host face-to-face talks between the United States and Iran, aiming to solidify a fragile ceasefire and prevent further conflict in West Asia. The discussions will focus on a long-term peace arrangement, including sanctions relief, regional security, and Iran's nuclear program.
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.
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.
"We have eyes onto the Iranian nuclear programme and we would be aware of any so-called breakout move by the Iranians towards building a nuclear weapon. That has not occurred, but that window of opportunity will close at some point," the White House Press Secretary, Jay Carney, told media persons at his daily news conference.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asserted that Iran is no longer capable of enriching uranium or producing ballistic missiles, following a joint military campaign with the US.
The meeting follows a ceasefire agreement that was announced and welcomed by Shehbaz Sharif, who also extended invitations to both delegations for further negotiations.
Applauding United States President Donald Trump's 'bold decision' to hit Iran's nuclear facilities, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said that it demonstrated 'peace through strength' and will lead to a future of peace and prosperity in the region and beyond.
This sharp Iranian response came after a series of uncompromising remarks from the US president.
Gold prices surged in futures trading due to escalating US-Iran tensions, driving demand for the safe-haven asset.
Trump has made it clear: the US will not lift its blockade of Iranian ports until a deal is signed.
The White House has responded cautiously to reports of Pakistan offering to mediate between the US and Iran, amid ongoing tensions and potential talks.
China's official media on Sunday criticised United States bomb attacks on Iranian nuclear sites as a further step toward the abyss, while experts in Beijing said the American bunker-buster bombs used in strikes may not be enough to destroy Iran's nuclear plants hidden deep underground.
US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are travelling to Pakistan for direct talks with an Iranian delegation as part of efforts to end the seven-week war, the White House announced.
'To suddenly give the impression of taking a position that is hostile to Iran, or, at least, not friendly to Iran, is not a good thing.'
Amidst the stalling of high-level peace talks between Tehran and Washington, Iran continues to endure severe digital isolation as the nationwide internet blackout reached its 44th day on Sunday.
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.
Representative of Iran's Supreme Leader in India, Abdul Majid Hakeem Ilahi, expressed doubts about the United States' intentions regarding negotiations, citing conflicting actions and a desire to force Iran into accepting US demands.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is actively engaged in diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions in West Asia, offering to host talks between the US and Iran and engaging with regional leaders to promote peace and stability.
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.
In a high-risk military operation early Sunday, the United States launched coordinated airstrikes on three of Iran's most fortified nuclear sites -- Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan -- marking a decisive escalation in the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict.
Tensions escalate as Iranian forces attack a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz after Trump announced the ceasefire extension.
'Much will depend on the position of the United States.' 'It will have to be seen to what extent the US will be more interested in achieving some form of a deal and to what extent Israel will be allowed to continue to carry out both airstrikes and the killing of Iranian officials.'
The British government has called for a negotiated solution to prevent further escalation of conflict in the Middle East following joint strikes by the US and Israel on Iran, emphasizing the safety of UK nationals and the need to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
Foreign ministers trying to reach an agreement on Iran's nuclear programme in Vienna are considering extending the negotiations as the Monday deadline looms large with "serious gaps" in the dialogue.
Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, special envoy, foreign ministry of Israel, has asserted that the situation has effectively been a "multi-front regional conflict" since its inception, while claiming significant military and strategic gains against adversarial forces.
...reopen for up to six months. Until then, the Strait stays nearly closed. The world pays. And no one, including the man who started this, can say when it ends, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War.
International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors have discovered that Iran had produced and experimented with Polonium.
