'Mojtaba Khamenei supervised the most recent repression in December 2025 and January 2026 which remains ongoing.'
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.
'The flip side of this is that he won't hesitate to call out India if he thinks its policies are hurting US economic interests or border US foreign policy goals.'
Amidst the escalating conflict in West Asia, India is actively engaged in diplomatic efforts to protect its energy security interests and ensure the safety of its diaspora in the region.
Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty experienced a decline in early trade, mirroring weak global market trends and persistent outflows from foreign institutional investors (FIIs), exacerbated by ongoing geopolitical uncertainties in West Asia.
Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty experienced a significant slump, with the Sensex tumbling 719.08 points, driven by escalating West Asian tensions, a sharp rise in crude oil prices, and a global sell-off in technology stocks.
Private bus operators in Sri Lanka warn of potential service disruptions and a nationwide strike due to significant fuel price increases, impacting public transport and raising concerns about inflation.
Iran has reimposed restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz, with its forces opening fire on a passing tanker and forcing at least two Indian vessels to reverse course, escalating tensions in the region and raising concerns over energy supplies.
'US and Iran have not annulled the ceasefire, and the possibility of continuing negotiations remains open.'
India is the only significant power that all parties trust, or at least do not distrust, notes former defence secretary Ajay Kumar.
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 rupee recovered to 95.18 against the US dollar after hitting an all-time intra-day low of 95.44. The recovery was supported by possible RBI intervention amid renewed Gulf tensions and rising crude oil prices.
...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.
Indian Grandmaster Koneru Humpy has withdrawn from the FIDE Women's Candidates Tournament, citing concerns over her personal safety amidst the West Asia conflict.
A vessel carrying 20,000 metric tonnes of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) arrived at Deendayal Port Authority in Kandla, Gujarat, after crossing the Strait of Hormuz amid the West Asia crisis.
The rupee weakened to a record low against the US dollar due to Gulf tensions, rising oil prices, and foreign capital outflows.
The clock on the ceasefire is running out. But everyone's already whispering about round two, possibly as soon as this weekend.
Explore the resilient daily life in Tehran, where residents navigate geopolitical tensions and economic challenges with routine activities, showcasing a striking contrast between normalcy and underlying uncertainty.
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.
A new report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) indicates that India has expanded its nuclear arsenal and is developing long-range weapons capable of reaching targets across China, while also maintaining focus on its rivalry with Pakistan.
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.
With the Middle East tensions flaring up, Air India has temporarily suspended its Tel Aviv flights and airlines have charted alternative flight paths to avoid the Iranian airspace.
A Pakistani man with ties to Iran has been convicted in a US court for plotting to assassinate former US President Donald Trump and other American politicians.
Iran was the chance to arrange a concert of nations, to actually be a Vishwaguru. Instead, we are watching from the sidelines as Pakistan, the same country that is apparently still at war with Afghanistan, hosts talks between US-Israel and Iran. The irony is hard to miss, points out Amberish K Diwanji.
Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz has stated that Israel is prepared to escalate military action against Iran, pending approval from the United States. This comes as US President Donald Trump says he would not use nuclear weapons in any conflict with Iran, while also claiming the US has 'total control' over the Strait of Hormuz.
Three Indian nationals were injured in a drone attack on the Fujairah Petroleum Industries Zone (FOIZ) in the UAE. The UAE has condemned the attack, attributing it to Iran.
The Indian government has imposed a new windfall gains tax of Rs 3 per litre on petrol exports, while simultaneously reducing the levy on diesel to Rs 16.5 per litre and aviation turbine fuel (ATF) to Rs 16 per litre, effective May 16.
Qatar has halted liquefied natural gas (LNG) production after its facilities came under attack amid the ongoing West Asia conflict, disrupting supplies to India and squeezing feedstock availability for key domestic sectors.
A new report suggests that prolonged conflict in the Middle East could significantly impact India's GDP growth and inflation.
One of the most uncivilised characteristics of this war has been the total disregard for international law and the laws of armed conflict, asserts Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).
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.
What lies behind Vaibhav's amazing journey over the last couple of years is something beyond mere analysis. By any stretch of imagination, some of the shots he has played seem to remain in the realm of impossibility. Doubtless reams will be written about this and we will still not have a clue, because he would have moved on to newer peaks, notes Shreekant Sambrani.
Indian equities on Dalal Street saw volatility as global market trends and oil price hike impacted investor sentiment. Track Sensex, Nifty50 movement and key market drivers for Apr 23, 2026.
'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.
Petrol and diesel prices have been increased by Rs 3 per litre each, marking the first hike in over four years, as state-run fuel retailers pass on some of the impact from surging global crude prices, which have been exacerbated by the Iran war.
The big question is whether Trump is any longer in command of the situation. For all practical purposes, the war seems set to cascade as the US is preparing for a potential ground operation in Iran and threatens to destroy 'bridges next, then electric power plants', points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Alliances fight wars effectively only when they share an endgame. If Israel acted without US knowledge, then the military alliance is operating without real coordination at the level of strategic targeting. Neither picture is reassuring in a war that is no longer regional in its consequences. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
A 44-year-old Iranian woman with a US Green Card was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on suspicion of trafficking weapons on behalf of the Iranian government and is expected to appear in court on Monday.
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.
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.
