Middle East conflict

June 18, 2026 1:26 PM

US-Iran Agreement Takes Effect, Opening New Diplomatic Chapter in West Asia

A landmark memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran has come into effect, bringing an immediate halt to nearly four months of direct conflict and opening a 60-day window for negotiations on a comprehensive peace settlement. The 14-point agreement, signed electronically ahead of a planned meeting in Switzerland, establishes an immediate ceasefire, commits both sides to refrain from hostile actions, and sets out a framework for addressing longstanding disputes over Iran's nuc...

June 18, 2026 9:34 AM

PM Modi meets US President Trump on sidelines of G7 Summit in Evian

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday met US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Evian, France. During the meeting, PM Modi commended President Trump for his efforts that had resulted in an understanding to end the ongoing conflict in West Asia and restore peace and stability across the broader region. He also underlined the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation and unimpeded commerce in the Strait of Hormuz and the need to ensure the safety of seafarers. ...

June 17, 2026 3:07 PM

Trump criticises Israel’s Lebanon campaign as Iran warns of ‘harsh response’

US President Donald Trump has publicly criticised Israel’s military campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon, saying the conflict has gone on for too long and resulted in excessive civilian casualties. Speaking on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France, Trump said Israel was "fighting Hezbollah too long" and that "too many people are being killed", urging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to act more responsibly. Trump also suggested that Syria's leadership could be better positioned to...

June 16, 2026 10:39 AM

US and Iran agree on peace framework; formal signing set for Geneva

A major diplomatic breakthrough has raised hopes of a broader de-escalation in West Asia after the United States and Iran announced a framework agreement aimed at ending nearly four months of conflict. Officials from both countries confirmed that a memorandum of understanding has already been signed electronically, with a formal signing ceremony scheduled to take place in Geneva, Switzerland, on Friday. The agreement is expected to pave the way for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, restoring marit...

June 15, 2026 2:00 PM

PM Modi welcomes US-Iran peace understanding, hopes for stability in West Asia

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday welcomed the understanding reached between the United States and Iran to end the ongoing conflict in West Asia, expressing hope that the agreement would help restore peace, stability, and freedom of navigation in the strategically important region. In a post on X, PM Modi said, "I welcome the understanding reached between the United States and Iran on ending the conflict in West Asia, which has caused serious economic disruption across the world and led to...

June 12, 2026 5:02 PM

Iran Says No Final Decision on U.S. Deal as Diplomatic Efforts Face Crucial Test

Diplomatic efforts to stop the fighting in West Asia remain on shaky ground today, after Iran announced that it has not made any final decision on a proposed agreement with the United States. That statement directly contradicts U.S. President Donald Trump, who earlier suggested a breakthrough was just days away. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said talk of a finalized deal or a signing ceremony is premature, though he did confirm that much of the negotiating text has been ...

June 10, 2026 10:19 AM

Fragile Israel-Iran pause persists as violence escalates in southern Lebanon

A fragile pause in direct hostilities between Israel and Iran appeared to hold on Tuesday, easing fears of an immediate return to large-scale cross-border exchanges that had raised concerns across West Asia. However, prospects for a broader and lasting ceasefire remained uncertain as fighting continued on other fronts, particularly in southern Lebanon. Iranian state media reported funeral ceremonies in Tehran for air defence personnel killed during the recent confrontation, while Iranian officia...

June 10, 2026 9:54 AM

Iran targets US bases in Jordan and the Gulf after Trump orders strikes near Hormuz

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they had carried out attacks against a U.S. base in Jordan and 21 other targets in the Gulf on Wednesday in retaliation for American strikes around the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian media reported. The clashes mark one of the biggest exchanges in hostilities since the two countries agreed to a ceasefire in April. The Iranian strikes, which included attacks in Kuwait and Bahrain, came after the U.S. military said on X it had targeted Iranian air defence, ground cont...

May 18, 2026 9:56 PM

Iran Faces Mounting Global Pressure as G7 Pushes Sanctions and Gaza Flotilla Is Seized

Iran is facing intensifying diplomatic and economic pressure on multiple fronts today, as G7 finance ministers gathered in Paris called for tighter coordination on sanctions, Israeli naval forces intercepted a Gaza-bound aid flotilla near Cyprus, and a new Amnesty International report laid bare the scale of executions inside the country. At the G7 finance ministers' meeting in Paris, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called on allied nations to align behind a coordinated sanctions regime aime...

May 18, 2026 7:05 PM

Fuel supplies remain stable, over 3,200 Indian seafarers repatriated amid West Asia crisis

The Centre on Monday said that fuel supplies across the country remain stable despite the evolving crisis in West Asia, with more than 1.72 crore LPG cylinders delivered in the last four days and over 3,217 Indian seafarers safely repatriated from the Gulf region so far. At an inter-ministerial media briefing held at the National Media Centre in New Delhi, officials from the Ministries of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Ports, Shipping and Waterways, External Affairs, and Chemicals and Fertilizers o...