A Pakistani delegation, led by Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, has arrived in Tehran to mediate the ongoing conflict between the US and Iran, following initial talks in Islamabad.
Iran has presented a multi-layered proposal to the US in an attempt to break the deadlock in peace talks, focusing on de-escalation and nuclear programme discussions.
US President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Iran if a deal is not reached before the ceasefire ends, while Pakistan urged both sides to extend the truce and pursue diplomacy.
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.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said the US prefers a negotiated settlement and expects cooperation from Iran on securing nuclear-related materials.
Amid ongoing tensions with the US, Iran's IRGC Navy has issued new directives restricting maritime movement through the Strait of Hormuz, allowing only civilian vessels on Iranian-designated routes and barring all military ships.
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has confirmed the implementation of a naval blockade on Iranian ports, enforcing strict measures on vessels entering or departing, significantly escalating tensions between the two nations.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for the Strait of Hormuz to remain open for normal passage of ships, describing it as an 'international waterway' amid rising tensions between the US and Iran.
The Indian rupee appreciated by 23 paise to settle at 92.91 against the US dollar, driven by a weakening American currency, retreating crude oil prices, and renewed foreign institutional investor (FII) inflows amid increasing hopes of easing geopolitical tensions.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has welcomed the ceasefire between the US and Iran and invited delegations from both countries to Islamabad for peace negotiations.
'In a volatile global market, India is pursuing a low-risk, low-return policy, akin to a SIP -- slow, steady investment.' 'Pakistan is following a high-risk, high-return policy.'
US President Donald Trump has indefinitely extended the ceasefire with Iran at the request of Pakistan, aiming to allow Tehran's leadership time to form a unified proposal to end the seven-week war.
Trump has said he would be present at the signing ceremony in Islamabad. Don't be surprised if the Pakistani hosts make it a grand event in the geopolitics of the region. Trump would love that, notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday called for the opening of direct negotiations with Lebanon, as tensions persist along the border despite a two-week ceasefire aimed at halting hostilities in West Asia.
India has voiced its deep concern over reports of increasing civilian casualties in Lebanon due to Israeli strikes, emphasising the protection of civilians and the importance of international law.
US Vice President J D Vance stated that while progress was made during peace talks in Islamabad, it is now up to Iran to further the discussions and address US concerns regarding its nuclear ambitions.
The US has threatened to prosecute those buying or selling sanctioned Iranian oil and has announced a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz after peace talks failed.
The intriguing bit is that Trump is likely to attend the talks in Islamabad this weekend -- if he does, it will be the clearest signal yet that the US is ready to exit the war with some sort of win to show, since he cannot afford to go for the talks and return empty-handed, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War
'On behalf of the Islamic Republic of Iran, I express gratitude and appreciation for my dear brothers HE Prime Minister of Pakistan Sharif and HE Field Marshal Munir for their tireless efforts to end the war in the region.'
Gold and silver prices saw a significant decline in the national capital, with silver falling by Rs 7,800 to Rs 2.43 lakh per kilogram and gold by Rs 1,500 to Rs 1.54 lakh per 10 grams, as investors booked profits amid persistent doubts over the durability of the West Asia ceasefire.
There are enough people at the top decision-making level in Tehran who are still willing to negotiate, provided Trump can create the right setting for the negotiation to acquire a dynamic of its own, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Trump seems to have estimated that Ghalibaf is a pragmatic politician who is receptive to close relations with the US and is enthusiastic about fostering business and economic ties in particular, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Iranian military spokesperson said that stability in the region would be ensured only by the strength of Iran's armed forces and warned that energy and oil markets would not return to previous levels unless this reality was acknowledged.
Former US President Donald Trump claimed victory over Iran, stating they agreed to never have a nuclear weapon and provided a 'significant prize' related to the Strait of Hormuz. He also suggested a change in Iranian leadership and acknowledged Pakistan's role in facilitating talks.
US Vice President JD Vance leads a delegation to Islamabad for talks with Iran, expressing optimism while warning against bad faith negotiations from Tehran.
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.
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.
Despite President Trump's optimistic prediction of a swift resolution to the ongoing conflict with Iran, Tehran dismisses any possibility of diplomatic breakthroughs, citing deep distrust and highlighting the complexities of US-Iran relations.
India and Israel have elevated their relationship to a special strategic partnership, focusing on enhanced cooperation in trade, technology, and defense, while also addressing regional peace initiatives.
Israel has for more than two decades and several US presidencies worked to draw the United States into a full-scale war with Iran. Having finally achieved that, the last thing it wants is Trump declaring victory and going home, as he is prone to do. Ali Larijani was the figure most capable of handing Trump a negotiated exit with something to show for it. Without Larijani, the road to an exit gets considerably narrower. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
An inconclusive end to this war will pose high risk for Netanyahu of a cascading demand for a regime change in Israel, predicts Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
India, the world's third biggest oil consumer, meets more than 80 per cent of its oil needs through imports.
India's involvement in the port development was not strictly under the international sanctions that had been imposed on Iran.
In a major diplomatic breakthrough, the foreign ministers of United States and Iran will hold talks on Tehran's controversial nuclear drive at a landmark meeting on Thursday -- the first between the two states in more than 30 years.
'While the US-Pakistan relationship has been stabilised, it's still mired in uncertainty.'
The reversal of Trump's policy with regard to Iran, like the withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, may not be a matter of just turning the clock back, but one of patient negotiations, with uncertain consequences in the post-COVID-19 world, observes Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.
PM Narendra Modi said to carve out new routes of peace and prosperity is the common goal of India, Iran and Afghanistan.
The implications of the interim deal between Iran and the world's big powers go far beyond the nuclear programme, says Nitin Pai
The US Government Accountability Office, in a recently released report, moved ONGC Videsh Ltd, the overseas arm of state explorer Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, and three others, including Petronet LNG Ltd, out of the list.
Here are the few candidates who are in contention for the readers' choice for Time magazine's 'Person of the Year' in 2016.
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