Iran

Iran Sets Seven Conditions for US Talks, Warns of “Decisive War” if Demands Are Rejected

Iran Sets Seven Conditions for US Talks, Warns of “Decisive War” if Demands Are Rejected

Tehran (Rajeev Sharma): Iran has conveyed a set of seven conditions to the United States through Qatar as Tehran explores the possibility of restarting negotiations to end the ongoing conflict, while simultaneously warning that it is prepared for further military confrontation if Washington rejects its terms. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Qatar had passed Tehran’s message to Washington and that Iran was now awaiting a response from US President Donald Trump. Among the conditions publicly identified are an end to hostilities on all fronts, the release of frozen Iranian funds and the lifting of the…
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India Signals Tough Response as US Moves Ahead With Russia-Iran Sanctions

India Signals Tough Response as US Moves Ahead With Russia-Iran Sanctions

New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): India has warned that the latest US sanctions legislation could create fresh complications for bilateral ties, while making it clear that the country will take steps to defend its trade and economic interests. The reaction followed the passage of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 by the US Congress. The legislation gives President Donald Trump the authority to impose tariffs of as much as 100 per cent on countries that continue to purchase Russian oil and gas. For India, the development is particularly significant because Russian crude has become an important…
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US-Iran Tensions Escalate as Washington Strikes Five Oil Tankers, Tehran Targets Jordan

US-Iran Tensions Escalate as Washington Strikes Five Oil Tankers, Tehran Targets Jordan

Washington/Tehran (Rajeev Sharma): Tensions between the United States and Iran intensified on Tuesday after American forces destroyed five Iranian oil tankers, while Tehran launched a fresh missile attack toward US-linked positions in Jordan, marking another sharp escalation in the more than six-month-old conflict. The latest exchange of strikes has renewed concerns that repeated military confrontations could push the two countries further away from a negotiated settlement and deepen the economic fallout from the war. Jordan Intercepts Iranian Missiles Iranian state media reported that Tehran fired missiles toward American targets in Jordan following the US strikes on Iranian tankers. Jordan’s armed…
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CENTCOM Says 83 Ships Redirected During US Blockade Operations Against Iran

CENTCOM Says 83 Ships Redirected During US Blockade Operations Against Iran

Arabian Sea (Rajeev Sharma): The United States has redirected 83 commercial vessels as part of its ongoing efforts to enforce a blockade against Iran, according to the US Central Command (CENTCOM). In an update issued on August 30, CENTCOM said its forces had taken action against commercial shipping operating in the region. Besides the 83 vessels that were redirected, three ships were reportedly disabled and two others were boarded as part of the enforcement operation. The US military command also released an image showing a sailor guiding an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter onto the flight deck of the USS Delbert…
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Iran Vows Retaliation as Trump Administration Tightens Sanctions on Tehran

Iran Vows Retaliation as Trump Administration Tightens Sanctions on Tehran

Tehran/Washington (Rajeev Sharma): Iran has warned the United States against escalating its economic campaign, saying it is prepared to respond after the Trump administration announced a fresh round of sanctions targeting Tehran's financial and energy networks. The latest measures announced by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent target 60 individuals, entities and vessels. Washington has also signalled that countries continuing significant trade with Iran could face restrictions affecting their access to the US financial system. Bessent stopped short of immediately imposing the most severe penalties on Iran's major trading partners. He said governments and companies would be given time to comply…
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Middle East Tensions Mount as Iran Dispute With Qatar Emerges, Lebanon Violence Escalates

Middle East Tensions Mount as Iran Dispute With Qatar Emerges, Lebanon Violence Escalates

Tehran (Rajeev Sharma): Fresh tensions surfaced across the Middle East as Iran accused Qatar of holding three pilots who disappeared months ago, while Doha rejected the allegation. Elsewhere, Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon killed 11 people, and a UAE-linked tanker came under attack in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. The latest incidents came as regional hostilities continued to spread across multiple fronts, involving Iran and its allies as well as Israel and other countries in the region. Tehran alleges pilots are in Qatari custody Iran's Armed Forces General Staff said three pilots who disappeared after their aircraft were shot…
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Iran-US Conflict: Washington Signals Prolonged Hormuz Standoff as Gulf Shipping Comes Under Pressure

Iran-US Conflict: Washington Signals Prolonged Hormuz Standoff as Gulf Shipping Comes Under Pressure

Washington (Rajeev Sharma): The confrontation between the United States and Iran is showing signs of entering a prolonged phase, with Washington warning that its naval presence around Iran can be sustained for as long as necessary while tensions continue to mount around the Strait of Hormuz. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the American military has the capacity to keep the blockade in place indefinitely by rotating naval assets in and out of the region. The remarks come as diplomatic efforts to ease the conflict remain stalled. Hormuz becomes central flashpoint The Strait of Hormuz has emerged as one of…
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Iran Signals Readiness for Long Conflict With US, IRGC Adviser Says

Iran Signals Readiness for Long Conflict With US, IRGC Adviser Says

Tehran (Rajeev Sharma): Iran is prepared for a prolonged confrontation with the United States and could seek to sustain the conflict until the end of US President Donald Trump's term, a senior adviser to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has said, as tensions remain high over the Strait of Hormuz. Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naqdi, an adviser to the IRGC commander, made the remarks during an interview with PBS NewsHour. His comments came against the backdrop of reports that the Trump administration could consider ending hostilities if Tehran agrees to reopen the key maritime route. Naqdi argued that keeping the…
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Iran Links Strait of Hormuz Reopening to US Concessions as Oman Talks Advance

Iran Links Strait of Hormuz Reopening to US Concessions as Oman Talks Advance

Tehran (Rajeev Sharma): Iran has made clear that any reopening of the strategically important Strait of Hormuz will depend on the United States meeting a series of demands, even as diplomatic efforts involving Oman appear to be making progress towards a new framework for maritime traffic. The latest position from Tehran comes amid continued tensions in the region, with the movement of commercial vessels through the waterway remaining a major issue in ongoing negotiations. IRGC says reopening will have conditions Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesperson Sardar Mohebi said the decision to restore access through the strait would be based on…
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Donald Trump Says Diplomacy Preferred Over Military Action, Reasserts Iran Nuclear Red Line

Donald Trump Says Diplomacy Preferred Over Military Action, Reasserts Iran Nuclear Red Line

Washington, D.C. (Rajeev Sharma): US President Donald Trump has once again underlined his administration's preference for diplomacy over armed conflict with Iran, while maintaining that Tehran will never be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon.Addressing the ongoing tensions between the two countries, Trump claimed the United States had been on the verge of launching an extensive military operation before deciding to pursue negotiations instead. He said his administration deliberately chose dialogue over force to prevent unnecessary casualties.According to Trump, Iranian officials had reached out seeking talks and requested that Washington refrain from carrying out the planned military action. However, he…
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