Iran | Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: As efforts continue to prevent the conflict in the Gulf from widening, Iran on Friday called for expanding strategic cooperation with Pakistan, describing Islamabad’s diplomatic engagement as an important contribution to regional peace and stability. “Pakistan has played a constructive diplomatic role in facilitating negotiations and advancing efforts towards regional peace and stability,” Iran’s Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam said while delivering the keynote address at a roundtable discussion, organised by the Centre for International Strategic Studies. “Strengthening our bilateral cooperation is essential for addressing contemporary security challenges in West Asia,” he said. The discussion, titled Pakistan-Iran Relations and Strategic Stab­i­lity in West Asia, brought together diplomats, academics, defence analysts and researchers to examine the future trajectory of Pakistan-Iran relations against the backdrop of an increasingly volatile regional security environment. Opening the di...

US forces launched a fresh wave of strikes on Iran for the thirteenth consecutive day early on Friday after President Donald Trump vowed “major military punishment” for Tehran and its Houthi allies over attacks on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea by the Yemeni rebels. The Houthi rebels, who control northern and western Yemen, said this week they were imposing a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, which has diverted millions of barrels of oil per day by pipeline to the Red Sea to get around Iran’s blockade of Gulf oil through the Strait of Hormuz. Now, attacks in the Red Sea have extended the Middle East war to a second major shipping chokepoint. Fears that the disruption could widen to block another sea route sent global oil prices surging in one of the steepest rises of the war, which began with US-Israeli attacks on Iran in late February. Brent crude rose more than six per cent on Thursday, piercing the level of $100 a barrel for the first time since May. Early on Friday, Brent futures eased 72 cents, or 0....

• Says will hold Iran accountable if Houthis attack ships • Iran warns US troops against carrying out 'manifestly u

The Republican-led US House of Representatives backed a resolution on Thursday directing President Donald Trump to halt military action against Iran unless he obtains Congress’ approval, but the Senate voted hours later to block a separate, similar measure. The House vote, the latest rebuke of Trump from Congress, was 214-208 in favour of the war powers resolution as four Republicans joined Democrats in voting for it. But the Senate voted 49 to 47 to block its own war powers measure within hours of the House vote. The House resolution, introduced by Representative Pramila Jayapal, a Washington Democrat, directed Trump “to remove the use of United States Armed Forces from hostilities” against Iran unless Congress authorises it. However, it was largely symbolic. Lawmakers have passed similar resolutions repeatedly in recent months, but they have not led to a cessation of the war. US Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is followed by reporters as he walks back to his office in the US Capitol Building on July 23, 2...

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Hostilities in the Middle East flared on Thursday as the Yemen’s Houthis said that they attacked two Saudi Arabian oil tankers in a military operation, while the United States carried out strikes in Iran for a 12th consecutive night. A Saudi news agency confirmed one of the two vessels was ablaze after an assault while sailing in the Red Sea. The Saudi Arabian state news agency SPA, citing an official source at the General Transport Authority, said an attack caused a fire on the bow of the tanker Encelia but all crew members were safe. SPA did not say who had targeted the vessel. Authorities have secured the vessel and its crew and taken measures to protect the marine environment, describing the attack as a violation of international law, SPA reported, citing the source. In their statement, the Houthis said they attacked two tankers, the Encelia and Layla, saying the vessels had violated a naval blockade imposed by the group on Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea. The Houthis said they targeted the tankers with a num...

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and Iran on Wednesday agreed to enhance cooperation in the fields of counterterrorism, counternarcotics, and combating irregular migration as well as human smuggling.

Pakistan and Iran reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation in security, border management and regional stability as Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni held wide-ranging talks with Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi during his three-day official visit to Islamabad.

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Tehran is red and black when I arrive. Millions of people in black mourning attire carried red flags, the stark emblem of blood and martyrdom, seeking revenge for their leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated on February 28. “We Must Rise,” declare the banners. War songs ricochet off the walls in streets punctuated by elegies on the martyrdom of Imam Husayn and his Companions at Karbala. This is collective grief channelled as state resilience. An elderly supporter I meet, Akbar Ali Jafari, puts it like this: “The war has given the Revolution a new lease on life.” The founding purpose is resurrected and its leadership cast as embattled defenders of the nation rather than an ageing, contested regime. A vehicle carrying coffins of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his family members, makes its way as people attend a funeral procession for Khamenei. — Reuters In early July, a towering fist was constructed a few days before the funeral proceedings of the slain leader. The Islamic R...

Fresh US strikes triggered air defences in Tehran on Wednesday after President Donald Trump warned he was “not finished” with a war on Iran that has already cost his nation $37.5 billion. After the foes’ fighting over the strategic Strait of Hormuz led to the collapse of a preliminary deal, the Middle East war has expanded to include the region’s other key chokepoint for global oil supplies. The US military said its latest attacks hit targets such as “military logistics infrastructure” while Iranian state media reported strikes around the country, including Bushehr, which hosts a nuclear power plant. “News sources reported minutes ago that air defence activity was heard in the west, east and northeast of Tehran,” state TV posted on Telegram. As the war nears the five-month mark and November legislative elections approach, Trump has faced intense political pressure to end the conflict, which is unpopular even with segments of his base. Critics have pointed to the cost of the war that Pentagon Chief Pete Hegset...

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that Pakistan was ready to extend cooperation with Iran in all fields. He made the remarks as he met with Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, who is currently in Pakistan on an official visit. A smartly turned-out contingent of the Federal Constabulary presented a guard of honour to the visiting minister upon his arrival, according to a statement issued by the interior ministry. It said that the two ministers held one-on-one talks, followed by delegation-level discussions. It said that the two ministers reviewed bilateral relations, trade, regional developments and avenues for cooperation. According to the interior ministry, both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in counter-terrorism, counter-narcotics, prevention of illegal immigration and efforts against human trafficking. The two ministers also emphasised the need for joint efforts to curb drug smuggling and terrorism “originating from the Afghan border”, while agreeing to improve coordination between the releva...

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and Iran have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation in education, science, research, innovation, and higher learning during a meeting between Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training and Iran’s Minister of Science, Research and.

Iran targets US military bases in Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain

• Stresses peace, stability in region • Momeni lauds Pak diplomatic role • Iran interior minister also meets CDF

Budget strain cuts military training as renewed Iran fighting threatens to drive defence costs even higher

Iran targeted US radar and air defence installations in the Gulf on Tuesday, warning Washington of “more decisive and powerful” attacks to come as the US military completed a fresh round of strikes on the country. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had attacked and stopped two “non-compliant oil tankers” attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz, part of an effort to tighten its grip on the vital waterway while the war reignited. Following the deaths of at least three US soldiers in the past several days, the United States launched a new round of attacks against Iran late on Monday which it said were “designed to further degrade Iranian military capabilities used to attack commercial shipping” in the strait. It later said that it had completed the strikes during which US forces “struck Iranian military command centres, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and air defence systems to degrade Iran’s ability to continue attacking commercial vessels flowing through the Strait of Hormuz”. “Com...

Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni on Monday night arrived in Islamabad on an official visit. Upon his arrival in Pakistan, the senior Iranian official was received by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. The visiting dignitary is accompanied by a high-level delegation. During his visit, Momeni will meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, reported state-run Pakistan TV. Earlier reports had suggested that Momeni was likely to engage with Pakistani officials who previously mediated a now-collapsed interim ceasefire between the US and Iran. Momeni’s visit comes as mediator Pakistan continues its diplomatic efforts to rescue the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed last month between the US and Iran. In the ninth consecutive night of attacks on Monday, Washington expanded its strikes across Iran, including a city hosting a nuclear power plant. Iran kept up its own attacks across the region in response, with its Islami...