July 16, 2026 8:25 AM

US launches multiple strikes on Iran, which retaliates against US targets in region

The U.S. launched two waves of attacks on Iran's coastal defenses and missile sites on Wednesday after reimposing a naval blockade of its ports, while Iran struck back by targeting U.S. military sites in neighboring countries in what it called an "existential war" with America. The latest escalation comes days after a fragile truce collapsed, raising the specter of a return to full-scale war, with Iran once again threatening to shut off more regional energy exports. Hostilities have intensi...

July 13, 2026 4:09 PM

Piyush Goyal dismisses reports of deadlock in India-US trade talks, says negotiations progressing well

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday dismissed reports of a deadlock in the proposed India-US bilateral trade agreement (BTA), calling them "completely false, baseless and misleading," while asserting that negotiations between the two countries are progressing positively. Rejecting a news report that claimed India was delaying an early agreement in pursuit of a better deal, Goyal said both countries remain committed to concluding a balanced and commercially meaningful trade pac...

July 12, 2026 1:38 PM

US strikes Iran, Tehran says Strait of Hormuz closed, Gulf states hit

The U.S. military launched fresh strikes on Iran after it struck a container ship on Sunday, while Tehran said it had again closed the Strait of Hormuz and escalated attacks on U.S. facilities in states across the Gulf. A series of attacks between the U.S. and Iran over the past several days led President Donald Trump to declare the end of a ceasefire meant to halt the fighting that the U.S. and Israel began on February 28, though Trump has left the door open to continued negotiations. Iran sa...

July 12, 2026 11:30 AM

Iran’s supreme leader pledges revenge for slain father and predecessor

A written statement from Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei threatened vengeance for the death of his predecessor and father on Saturday, but added that it would depend not only on Iran but also on "free people around the world". In the supreme leader's first public message since funeral ceremonies for his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, began a week ago, the statement read on state television said that vengeance was "the demand of the nation" and "must certainly" take place. Aya...

July 11, 2026 12:42 PM

US issues fresh Iran-related sanctions as conflict flares

The U.S. issued new Iran-related sanctions on Friday targeting a key financier for Iran's new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei and 13 other individuals and entities, following Tehran's resumed attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, the Treasury Department said. The sanctions took aim at Ali Ansari, an Iranian banker and businessman based in Dubai who had previously been sanctioned by Britain for his role in financially supporting the activities of Iran's Revolutionary Guards a...

July 11, 2026 12:37 PM

Trump says US, Iran agree to continue talks but ceasefire over

President Donald Trump said the U.S. and Iran had agreed to continue talks despite an escalation of hostilities this week but he declared that the ceasefire reached between the two sides last month was over. The United States also stepped up demands on Friday that Iran stop attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, where recent hostilities have pushed oil prices higher, a politically sensitive issue for Trump ahead of November congressional elections. Trump's comments came on a day of relative...

July 5, 2026 10:37 AM

Trump offers to help Putin find deal with Ukraine, also speaks with Zelenskiy

U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking to Russian leader Vladimir Putin by telephone for nearly 90 minutes, offered to help find a solution to the Ukraine war, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said in comments made public early on Sunday. Ushakov said Trump made the offer during the call on Saturday, U.S. Independence Day, in the context of his participation next week at the NATO summit in Turkey. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he also spoke to Trump. "The American president once again ...

July 5, 2026 10:36 AM

Trump appears on National Mall for July 4 speech after storm-related delay

After a storm-related delay, U.S. President Donald Trump took the stage on the National Mall on Saturday to deliver a campaign-style speech to mark the country's 250th anniversary. Trump said he would have been willing to wait longer if necessary. "There's no way we can be deterred," he said, shortly after taking the stage at 11:15 p.m. ET (0315 GMT on Sunday). Authorities allowed the crowd to return to an open field near the Washington Monument where Trump was due to speak, after ordering a w...

July 5, 2026 12:40 PM

PM Modi extends greetings to US on 250th anniversary of Independence

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday extended warm greetings to United States President Donald Trump and the people of the United States on the country's historic 250th anniversary of Independence. In a post on X, the Prime Minister said, "On behalf of 1.4 billion Indians, I extend my warmest congratulations to President Trump and the people of the United States on the historic 250th anniversary of your Independence." Highlighting the close ties between the world's two largest democracies,...

June 30, 2026 12:57 PM

Doha diplomacy faces early test as U.S. and Iran differ on talks

Diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions in West Asia have encountered an early hurdle as the United States and Iran offer conflicting accounts of the next stage of discussions in Doha. Uncertainty has grown over the future of U.S.-Iran engagement after President Donald Trump indicated that fresh talks could be held in Doha. However, Tehran has firmly rejected the claim, saying no negotiations with the United States are currently planned. Iranian officials maintain that their immediate focus is on...