The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Sunday issued a stark warning that American and Israeli universities in West Asia could be treated as 'legitimate targets' in retaliation for alleged United States and Israeli strikes on Iranian academic institutions and cultural infrastructure.
Following US and Israeli strikes in Iran, reports have surfaced questioning the wellbeing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, prompting a swift denial from Iranian officials and condemnation of the military action.
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.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has announced a series of military operations against US and Israeli targets in retaliation for earlier airstrikes. The IRGC claims to have launched multiple missile and drone strikes, and has warned against any potential ground operations within Iranian territory.
Amidst rising tensions, Iran threatens to close the Strait of Hormuz to those not adhering to its new regulations, signaling a potential escalation in the region's geopolitical landscape and raising concerns about global oil supply routes.
'Jews are very much safe in Iran. They are our brothers. There is a difference between a Jew and a Zionist.' A conversation around a tea table in Mumbai serves as an eye-opener for Syed Firdaus Ashraf.
Karex, the Malaysian company that makes roughly one in five of the world's condoms -- about five billion a year, supplying Durex and Trojan among others -- announced this week that it is raising prices by up to 30 percent. The reason is the Strait of Hormuz.
People across Kashmir have donated generously to Iran, which has been ravaged by war. Donations included cash, gold, silverware, and copper utensils. A woman even donated gold kept as a memento of her husband, who died 28 years ago. The Iranian Embassy in New Delhi has expressed its gratitude for the support.
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.'
A spokesperson said the government is carefully assessing these communications in the context of the ongoing regional crisis.
The clock on the ceasefire is running out. But everyone's already whispering about round two, possibly as soon as this weekend.
The ministry of defence of the United Arab Emirates on Monday said its air defence systems successfully intercepted multiple aerial threats launched from Iran, as tensions in the region continue to rise.
In a further escalation of the assault on the heavily fortified site, a missile strike also reportedly targeted the "helipad" at the embassy, as documented by Al Jazeera.
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.
Facing escalating threats from the US, Iran is mobilizing its citizens to form 'human chains' around power plants as a defensive measure against potential airstrikes, raising concerns about international law and civilian safety.
'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.
According to a report in the New York Times, United States President Donald Trump has been briefed in recent days on a range of military options targeting Iran.
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.
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'.
'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.
Both sides have now revealed a preference for escalation over strategic defeat, and each new provocation narrows the space for the next pause. The Touska seizure, Iran's refusal to negotiate under blockade, Israel's strikes on Iranian oil infrastructure -- all of these add up to an increasingly untenable situation. This makes the wild card -- Trump and his motormouth -- more consequential than ever, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War.
Russia and China vetoed a Bahrain-backed UN resolution aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz. A resolution that was already diluted to secure their abstentions.
The operation reportedly extended to American assets, with the IRGC claiming that "US military bases in the region, namely Ali al-Salem in Kuwait, as well as al-Minhad and al-Dhafra in the United Arab Emirates, were also targeted."
'Without ground troops the US will not be able to oust the Iranian Islamic regime. Political change does not happen just by using bombs or planes.'
Amidst escalating tensions in West Asia, Iran claims to have inflicted heavy casualties on US forces in Dubai, a claim vehemently denied by the US Central Command, raising concerns about regional stability.
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.
Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei on Sunday said that the recent meeting with US officials was the longest round of negotiations they have had in the past year.
Iran's participation in this year's World Cup has been called into question after co-hosts the United States launched joint air strikes at the country along with Israel at the weekend.
'US and Iran have not annulled the ceasefire, and the possibility of continuing negotiations remains open.'
Trump also brushed off criticism of his expletive-laden references to causing destruction in Iran if they failed to make a deal to end the war.
...is a way out, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War. What the indefinite extension produces is a prolonged condition of not-war-not-peace, in which oil markets cannot stabilise, Asian refineries cannot plan, European governments cannot stop subsidising consumption they cannot afford, and the next flashpoint -- a seized tanker, a miscalculated drone strike, a Truth Social post that claims too much -- is one news cycle away.
Ebrahim Azizi, head of Iran's National Security Committee, stated that diplomatic talks with the US are governed by national interest and security, viewing negotiations as an extension of military efforts.
'The next two to three weeks will not be decided in Washington.' 'They will be decided in Tehran, in whatever calculation Iran makes about the costs of continued resistance against the costs of appearing to have yielded.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump discussed the Middle East crisis, with a focus on the Strait of Hormuz.
The question is no longer whether the war will expand. It has. The next few days will tell us whether the war stabilises around Hormuz or whether the Strait itself becomes the trigger for a far larger rupture. What to watch for over the next 48 hours is simple: Any move by the US toward direct naval control of the Strait; any credible Iranian attempt to disrupt or mine shipping lanes and, critically, whether energy infrastructure in the Gulf continues to be targeted.If those lines are crossed in tandem, the war will no longer be containable within the region.
Sardar Azmoun, one of Iran's top football players, has been expelled from the national team for a perceived act of disloyalty to the government, Iranian media has reported.
Iran has launched a fresh wave of missile attacks against Israeli and United States-linked targets as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it fired some of its heaviest missiles in the latest phase of its retaliatory campaign, while Israel Defence Forces alleged that many of the projectiles carried cluster bomb warheads.
The threat has raised concerns about possible asymmetric attacks outside the region. Iran has also stepped up attacks on energy infrastructure in Gulf countries.
...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.
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.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances