Page 19 - Latest Updates on West Asia Conflict

Iran's unused oil storage shrinks to 22 days or less amid US blockade

The Islamic Republic has enough unused storage capacity to last another 12 to 22 days

No Brics joint statement on West Asia war due to lack of consensus: MEA

MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said a joint statement was not possible because a general consensus could not be reached among the members

Iran's foreign minister Araghchi lands in Pakistan again after Russia talks

Araghchi's latest stop follows a series of high-level engagements across multiple countries, including Russia and Oman

Iran turns to Caspian Sea to secure food supplies amid US naval blockade

With the United States trying to squeeze Iran by blockading goods from entering or exiting its ports, food suppliers are rerouting imports via the Caspian Sea to ensure food keeps getting into the country. The head of the Association of Iran's Food Industries said Monday that alternative import routes are being "incorporated into the supply chain for essential goods". "At present, there is no problem with the country's food security, but maintaining this situation requires careful planning," Mohammad Reza Mortazavi said, according to the state-owned Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting. The Caspian is the world's largest inland body of water and its southern coastline stretches more than 430 miles (700 km) in northern Iran. Iran is a net importer of food staples like grain and cooking oil.

US, Iran clash at UN atomic treaty review over Tehran's nuclear programme

The United States and Iran clashed over Tehran's nuclear programme as a review of the treaty meant to prevent the spread of atomic weapons got underway Monday at the United Nations, a confrontation almost certain to be repeated during the monthlong meeting. At issue was the election of Iran as one of 34 vice presidents of the conference, where 191 parties to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty are reviewing its implementation as they have done every five years since it took effect in 1970. Iran was a candidate of what has been dubbed the "nonaligned movement," made up of 121 mainly developing countries. Tensions over Tehran's nuclear programme escalated ahead of the Iran war, with President Donald Trump vowing to ensure the country cannot build an atomic weapon. Iran has enriched uranium to near weapons-grade levels, but Tehran insists its programme is only for civilian purposes. The meeting began as Iran offered to reopen the Strait if Hormuz if the US lifted its blockade of Iran

US forces turn back 38 ships from Iranian ports as blockade continues

US forces are actively preventing ships from entering or exiting Iranian waters as part of a sustained effort to monitor and control movement into strategic coastal hubs

Russia trip opportunity to coordinate after war: Iranian foreign minister

Prior to his arrival in Russia, the top Iranian diplomat held pivotal meetings in Islamabad to further this regional agenda

Asian shares mixed; Nikkei hits record as oil rises on West Asia tensions

Shares were mixed in Asia, and Tokyo's Nikkei 225 index hit a fresh record Monday after US stocks ended last week with new highs. The price of oil gained more than USD 1 as talks on ending the war with Iran hit more snags. The White House cancelled plans to send envoys to Pakistan for more negotiations, and US President Donald Trump cited a lack of progress. "If they want, we can talk, but we're not sending people," Trump told Fox News on Sunday. He said earlier on social media: "All they have to do is call!!!" This week will bring decisions on interest rates by top central banks, including the Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank, the Bank of Japan and the Bank of England. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 surged 1.4 per cent to 60,564.18, touching new intraday highs. The Kospi in South Korea jumped 2.1 per cent to 6,617.94. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index edged 0.1 per cent lower to 25,951.86, and the Shanghai Composite index was up 0.2 per cent at 4,089.04. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 ..

What to know about US-Iran peace talks: Key issues, hurdles, latest moves

An Iranian negotiator returned to Pakistan on Sunday, despite the United States abruptly calling off a trip there by its two top negotiators

Iran offers new proposal to US to reopen Strait of Hormuz, end war: Report

Pakistani mediators have given the proposal to the White House, but it's unclear whether the US wants to explore it, an Axios report said

Oil prices jump nearly 2% amid stalled peace talks between US, Iran

Brent crude futures rose $2.16, ‌or 2.05%, to $107.49 a barrel by 2346 GMT, the highest since April 7, and US West Texas Intermediate was at $96.17 a barrel, up $1.77, or 1.88%

'They're in really bad shape': Trump signals US-Iran conflict may end soon

Trump added that internal divisions within Iran's leadership could further accelerate the path to an outcome

Best of BS Opinion: Hopes fade for early resolution of West Asia crisis

From rising West Asia tensions and oil shocks to heat stress on food systems and women farmers' role in India, here are the key insights from Business Standard's Opinion page today

Weekly economy wrap: West Asia shock tests India, demand holds firm

Economy wrap April 20-26: From RBI caution to export resilience and trade tensions, the week showed an economy navigating global risks while leaning on domestic demand

Talks in Pak on hold as Iran's diplomat leaves, Trump's envoys are no-show

Attempts at ceasefire talks between the United States and Iran fell flat after Tehran's top diplomat left Pakistan, and President Donald Trump's envoys stayed away after he told them not to travel to Islamabad. The US president indicated the ball was now in Iran's court. "If they want to talk, all they have to do is call!!!" Trump said on social media. The negotiations were meant to follow historic face-to-face talks earlier this month between the US, led by Vice President JD Vance, and Iran, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. But Iranian officials have questioned how they can trust the US after its forces started blockading Iranian ports in response to Iran's grip on the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi left Islamabad, Pakistan's capital, on Saturday evening, two Pakistani officials told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to talk to the media. Araghchi went on to Oman, on the other si

Iran sent new offers 10 minutes after US team's Pak trip cancelled: Trump

Amid the stalled negotiations with Iran, US President Donald Trump said the Iranians sent over a new peace proposal, but that it "could have been better," and rejected it. "They gave us a paper that could have been better, and interestingly, immediately when I cancelled it, within 10 minutes we got a new paper that was much better," Trump said to reporters on Saturday before boarding Air Force One to return to Washington from Florida. The President wouldn't offer specifics about what was in the latest proposal other than saying "they offered a lot." But he stressed that one of his conditions is that Iran "will not have a nuclear weapon." Trump said he cancelled the latest rounds of negotiations with Iran because it was "a lot of travelling" and because his negotiators, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, "weren't meeting with the leader of the country." Trump said the US will "deal by telephone and they can call us anytime they want" before adding that "we have all the cards.

'We have all the cards': Trump cancels US negotiators' Pakistan trip

The development came shortly after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi concluded his visit to Pakistan

Araghchi leaves Islamabad, conveys Tehran's demands to end war to Pakistan

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi left Pakistan on Saturday evening, two Pakistani officials told The Associated Press. He met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and other senior officials, the officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media. Aragchi's visit comes amid regional tensions and efforts by Islamabad to facilitate a second round of talks between the United States and Iran. Two US envoys had been planning to fly in Islamabad on Saturday. The White House declined to comment on when they were expected to arrive. Senior Pakistani officials were present at an airport near Islamabad to see him off, two officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media.

Iran's foreign minister Araghchi meets Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday met Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir here, as Islamabad continued its efforts to facilitate engagement between the US and Iran. The meeting, according to a short video posted by the Iranian embassy on social media, was also attended by Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, and Iran's ambassador Reza Amiri Moghadam. Araghchi calls on Munir, the embassy said in the video caption. It did not provide further details about the discussions. Araghchi arrived here late Friday for engagements with the Pakistani leadership. He was received by senior officials, including Munir, foreign minister Ishaq Dar and interior minister Mohsin Naqvi. However, there is no clarity on whether direct talks between Washington and Tehran will take place during the visit. "No meeting is planned to take place between Iran and the US. Iran's observations would be conveyed to Pakistan," Baqaei said in a social media post on ...

US says it's hunting for explosive mines in latest push to open Hormuz

President Donald Trump says the US Navy is clearing Iranian mines from the Strait of Hormuz, a vital sea route for oil shipments whose disruption is increasingly threatening the global economy. Sweeping for underwater explosives could take months despite a tenuous ceasefire between the United States and Iran in the weekslong war, experts say. Any future claims that the US cleared the waterway where 20 per cent of the world's oil typically passes might fail to convince commercial freighters and their insurers that it is finally safe. "You don't even have to have laid mines - you just have to make people believe that you've laid mines," said Emma Salisbury, a scholar at the Foreign Policy Research Institute's National Security Program. "And even if the US sweeps the strait and says everything's clear, all the Iranians have to do is say, Well, actually, you haven't found them all yet,'" said Salisbury, who is also a fellow at the Royal Navy Strategic Studies Centre. "There's only so mu