Iran | Pakistan

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held separate telephone conversations with the Foreign Ministers of Iran, Abbas Araghchi, and Egypt, Badr Abdelatty, to discuss the evolving regional situation and ongoing diplomatic efforts.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday said that Tehran’s leadership “never refused to go to Islamabad” for possible peace talks that Pakistan has offered to host to bring the ongoing US-Israeli war on the Islamic republic to an end. “Iran’s position is being misrepresented by US media,” Araghchi wrote on X. “We are deeply grateful to Pakistan for its efforts and have never refused to go to Islamabad. What we care about are the terms of a conclusive and lasting END to the illegal war that is imposed on us,” he emphasised. He also shared a video showing Iranians waving Pakistan’s flags in an apparent show of appreciation for Pakistan and its people. The Iranian official ended his post with “Pakistan Zindabad” written in Urdu. Araghchi’s statement comes a day after the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), citing unnamed mediators, reported that the “current round of efforts by regional countries led by Pakistan to reach a ceasefire” between the United States and Iran had reached a “dead end”. Deputy Prime Min...

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Saturday stressed political unity in the country amid the economic crisis triggered by the US-Israeli war on Iran. He made the remarks while speaking in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh to mark the 47th death anniversary of PPP founder and former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. “We feel that there should be consensus in Pakistan and political differences should be kept aside in order to work together,” he said. He also appreciated Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi for constructively participating in consultations held with the president and the prime minister. He thanked Afridi for participating in the meetings, and playing a “positive role” in the process. “Together, the Centre, provinces, political parties … will face these difficulties as one. If there is no division among us, there is no force in the world that can break Pakistan,” he said. In his remarks, Bilawal had also condemned the US-Israeli war on Iran, saying that the entire world, including Pakistan, was...

Iran’s forces were hunting on Saturday for a missing United States pilot from one of two warplanes downed over Iran and the Gulf, officials from both sides said, while two airmen were rescued. The incidents show the risks still facing US and Israeli aircraft over Iran as the war entered its sixth week, despite assertions by President Donald Trump and his Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that US forces had total control of the skies. The prospect of a US service person alive and on the run in Iran raises the stakes for Washington in a conflict with low public support among Americans and no sign of an imminent end. Tehran mocks Trump’s war aims Iranian fire brought down a two-seat US F-15E jet, officials in both countries said, while two US officials said the pilot ejected from an A-10 Warthog fighter aircraft that crashed in Kuwait after being hit by Iranian fire. Two Black Hawk helicopters engaged in the search for the missing pilot were hit by Iranian fire but made it out of Iranian airspace, the two US offici...

LONDON: Four ships, including one co-owned by a Japanese company and one by a French company, crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday as Iran said it is drafting a peacetime protocol to supervise maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz with Oman. The near closing of the Strait due to US-Israeli war against Iran in Middle East has led to fuel shortages and soaring energy prices across the globe. The few vessels that have crossed the chokepoint have passed using an Iranian-approved route through its waters near Larak Island, dubbed the “Tehran Toll Booth” by leading shipping journal Lloyd’s List. Two laden very large crude carrier (VLCC) — the Habrut and the Dhalkut — and one empty Sohar LNG tanker crossed the strait on Thursday morning. The Sohar LNG is the first LNG tanker to have crossed the strait since March 1, when Iranian attacks against ships near the Strait of Hormuz reduced crossings to a near stop. Earlier, a French-owned container ship passed through the Strait of Hormuz, according Marine Tra...

Iranian and American forces were racing each other early Saturday to recover the crew of the first US fighter jet to go down inside Iran since the start of the war. Tehran said it had shot down the F-15 warplane, while US media reported American special forces had rescued one of two crew members. It was unclear which of the two crew members was recovered, and the US official who confirmed the recovery did not offer any details on how it took place. Iran’s military also said it downed a US A-10 ground attack aircraft in the Gulf, with US media saying the pilot was rescued. A statement from Ebrahim Zolfaghari, the spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al Anbiya central headquarters, said that the F-15 was shot down using Iran’s “new advanced defence system”, and that “an advanced hostile fighter jet was also targeted south of Qeshm Island, crashing into the waters between Qeshm and Hengam Islands”. US Central Command did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the loss of the F-15, but White House Press Se...

Russia, China urge halt to US-Israeli strikes on Iran; US backs Gulf allies

United States President Donald Trump asked lawmakers on Friday to approve a massive $1.5 trillion defence budget for 2027, as the country faces rising costs from its war on Iran and mounting global security commitments. The proposal would lift Pentagon spending by more than 40 per cent in a single year — the sharpest increase since World War II — as Washington seeks to sustain military operations and rebuild depleted weapons stockpiles. The request highlights the growing financial pressure of a conflict now in its fifth week, and sets up a political battle in Congress over how to fund a dramatic expansion of military spending. US media — citing closed-door congressional briefings — have reported that the Iran war could be costing as much as $2 billion per day, underscoring the scale of the burden even before longer-term reconstruction and resupply costs are factored in. To offset part of the increase, the administration is proposing around $73bn in cuts to non-defence spending — roughly 10pc — targeting a ran...

Dozens of countries sought ways to restart vital energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday after US President Donald Trump vowed more aggressive attacks on Iran, sending oil prices higher again and deepening strain on consumers. After speculation proved untrue that Trump might discuss ending the war in a speech on Wednesday, the president persisted with threats on Thursday, saying in a social media post: “IT IS TIME FOR IRAN TO MAKE A DEAL BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE”. He also posted video of the US bombing a newly constructed bridge on Thursday between Tehran and the major northwest suburb of Karaj. The B1 bridge was scheduled to open to traffic this year. According to Iran’s state media, eight people were killed and 95 others were wounded in the US attack. “Striking civilian structures, including unfinished bridges, will not compel Iranians to surrender,” Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in a statement. In the speech on Wednesday night, Trump repeated his threats against Iran’s civilian po...

WASHINGTON: US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has abruptly forced Army Chief of Staff General Randy George into immediate retirement amid the ongoing war with Iran, multiple US media outlets reported on Friday. The outlets described the move as one of the most consequential Pentagon leadership upheavals in decades. The decision also included the removal of General David Hodne, head of the Army’s Transformation and Training Command, and Major General William Green, chief of the Army Chaplain Corps, in actions first reported by The Washington Post and later confirmed by CBS News and other organisations. The ouster cuts short General George’s tenure roughly one and a half years into what is typically a four-year term and comes as US forces enter the fifth week of active operations against Iran. CBS News quoted US defence officials as saying that Hegseth wanted leadership more closely aligned with President Donald Trump’s and his own vision for the Army. George’s removal breaks with tradition and underscores grow...

ISLAMABAD: Amid a continuous surge in the global market, Pakistan on Thursday said it would seek flexibility in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme to create room for evolving contingencies following the US-Israeli war on Iran and pass on the burden of petroleum prices to consumers. This was announced by the Ministry of Finance after a meeting between Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and the US Charge d’Affaires Natalie Baker ahead of upcoming spring meetings with the IMF and the World Bank later this month. An official statement by the ministry said both sides discussed Pakistan’s ongoing engagement with international financial institutions and development partners, including efforts to maintain reform momentum under the IMF programme. “The finance minister reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to fiscal discipline while seeking flexibility in light of evolving global and regional challenges,” the statement said. The minister also briefed the US diplomat on ongoing efforts to manage energy sector c...

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump signalled that the ongoing US-Israeli military campaign against Iran could conclude within weeks, even as he warned of intensified strikes and issued sweeping claims about the scale of damage inflicted on Tehran. In a 19-minute prime-time address from the White House, Trump described the conflict as a “decisive, overwhelming victory” and said the United States was “getting very close” to finishing the “job” in Iran. “We are going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks. We are going to bring them back to the Stone Age, where they belong,” Trump said during the address from the White House. “In the meantime, discussions are ongoing.” While suggesting that the war may soon end, the president made clear that military operations would intensify before any resolution. He did not define the terms of the “deal” he is demanding from Tehran, nor did he outline a diplomatic framework. Trump claimed Iran’s military capacity had been severely degraded. He said its mi...

WASHINGTON: Democrats sharply criticised United States President Donald Trump following his national address on the ongoing war in Iran, framing the conflict as deadly, costly, and lacking clear objectives. In a 19-minute prime-time address from the White House, Trump described the conflict as a “decisive, overwhelming victory” and said the US was “getting very close” to finishing the “job” in Iran. “We are going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks. We are going to bring them back to the Stone Age, where they belong,” Trump said. “In the meantime, discussions are ongoing.” Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Ken Martin said Trump’s address was a failed attempt to justify a war that has already burdened Americans and strained the economy. “Tonight, Americans watched Donald Trump desperately try to justify his deadly and costly war of choice in Iran that has killed over a dozen brave service members and injured hundreds more,” Martin said. “Trump offered no new information to the A...

The return of Pakistani nationals from Iran is ongoing for the 33rd consecutive day, as authorities continue to facilitate arrivals through key border crossings following recent regional tensions involving Israel.

“Paper tiger”. “Cowards”. As US President Donald Trump grapples with the fallout of his war on Iran, much of his anger has been redirected onto another target: the Nato military alliance. Enraged by European allies who have refused to back his fight, rejected demands to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, or denied access to US jets, Trump’s tone has grown increasingly menacing. “I was never swayed by Nato. I always knew they were a paper tiger,” Trump told British newspaper The Telegraph on Wednesday, suggesting he was strongly considering pulling the United States out. The ire from the president — who has also blasted Nato allies as “cowards” over Iran — is just the latest existential crisis to grip the 77-year-old alliance since his return to power last January. A few months ago, he rocked Nato’s foundations by threatening to seize the vast Arctic island of Greenland from fellow member Denmark — before abruptly backing off. That followed him repeatedly pulling the rug from under Ukraine in the war against Ru...

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump is set to address his nation at 9pm EST on Wednesday (6:00am on Thursday in Pakistan) to provide what the White House has described as “an important update on Iran,” fuelling speculation that he may declare an end to the five-week conflict — with or without a negotiated settlement. US media outlets, reporting the announcement, noted that Trump has brushed aside the need for a formal agreement to end hostilities. Speaking to reporters at the White House on Tuesday, he said US forces would likely leave Iran in “two or three weeks.” “We leave because there’s no reason for us to do this,” Trump said. “We’ll be leaving very soon.” In remarks that appeared to redefine the war’s objectives, he suggested that a negotiated settlement was no longer essential. “Iran doesn’t have to make a deal. It’s a new regime. They are much more accessible,” he said, adding that if the war has prevented Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, “then we’ll leave whether we have a deal or not.“ Domes...

On the 31st day of the US-Israeli war on Iran, the economic dimension of the war continued to become more pronounced as the conflict remained locked in a high-intensity, multi-domain phase, with exchanges continuing across Iran, Israel, and the wider region. Inside Iran, US and Israeli strikes continued to target the civilian infrastructure besides military and strategic targets, including hits on research facilities and air defence systems. The goal seems to be to degrade both Iran’s operational military capability and technological depth. Moreover, there have been attacks on energy sites, leading to power outages in major urban centres such as Tehran and Karaj. Despite these pressures, Iran’s retaliatory capacity remained intact, with continued missile and drone launches targeting Israeli industrial zones and infrastructure, as well as assets in Gulf countries. In Israel, the impact of these strikes has become more visible with a second confirmed hit on the Haifa Bazan oil refinery — one of the country’s mo...

A scrubby island in the Gulf that is roughly one third the size of Manhattan, Kharg Island is the nerve centre of the Iranian oil industry — and at the heart of US President Donald Trump’s latest efforts to pressure Tehran. On Monday, Trump vowed that a failure by Iran to agree a deal to end the war could see the United States “completely obliterating” the export hub. A day earlier, he had said the United States could take the island, eyed by the Pentagon for ground operations, “very easily”. So what are Trump’s options, and how might Iran react if he presses on this pressure point? What is Kharg Island? It may be a mere scrap of land, but Kharg handles around 90 per cent of Iran’s crude exports, according to a report by US bank JP Morgan. Located in the north of the Gulf, around 30 kilometres from the Iranian coast and more than 500km from the Strait of Hormuz, it has no oil wells. But it has Iran’s largest oil terminal, oil pipelines, storage tanks and related infrastructure. It also has military facilities...

The war in the Middle East has caused serious disruption to the economies of frontline countries, and is dimming the outlook for many economies that had just started to recover from previous crises, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned on Monday. In a blog published by the global lender’s top economists, the IMF said the war started by US and Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28 was causing a global, but asymmetric shock and leading to tighter financial conditions. Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz and damage to regional infrastructure had caused the largest disruption to the global oil market in history, according to the International Energy Agency. Much would depend on how long the war lasts, how far it spreads and how much damage it inflicts on infrastructure and supply chains. The IMF said low-income countries were at particular risk of food insecurity due to higher food and fertiliser prices and may need more external support, even as many advanced economies were scaling back their in...

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Sunday that both the US and Iran had expressed confidence in Pakistan to facilitate talks between them amid the ongoing Middle East conflict. He made these remarks in a televised address after a quadrilateral moot on the ongoing Middle East crisis. The meeting in Islamabad was also attended the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt. Dar said he had also held “very productive” bilateral meetings with the three foreign ministers, who also called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. “As you know, the purpose of this visit of the foreign ministers was to participate in the second meeting of consultations among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt, which was held today in Islamabad. “You may recall that our first meeting was held in Riyadh on March 19, 2026,” he added. Sharing details of today’s quadrilateral meeting, Dar said the four foreign ministers had a very detailed and in-depth discussion on the current regional situation. “We al...