Washington, July 14 (IANS) US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the Strait of Hormuz had been reopened for global shipping under US military protection, but announced a “FULL Blockade” on vessels sailing to Iranian ports or transporting Iranian cargo, while dropping a proposed 20 per cent reimbursement fee in favour of new trade and investment deals with Gulf states. In a post on Truth Social, Trump credited the US military with restoring maritime traffic through one of the world’s bus…
Latest Gulf states News & Updates
Tehran, July 13 (IANS) Iran has condemned the statement by the United Nations on the military escalations in the region, framing recent Iranian strikes on US bases in Bahrain and Kuwait as lawful self-defence rather than aggression, citing US-Israel attacks starting February 28 that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. Tehran accused the US of using Gulf states’ territories as launchpads, asking the UN to urge those countries to halt support and hold aggressors accountable under internation…
Washington, June 25 (IANS) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said America’s Gulf partners remain confident in Washington’s security commitments and pledged that the United States would not pursue any agreement with Iran that undermines the security of its longstanding regional allies. Speaking to reporters at Kuwait International Airport after meetings in the Gulf on Wednesday (local time), Rubio said the US security relationship with Gulf states was built on decades of cooperation and a permane…
Washington, June 13 (IANS) The Trump administration said Friday that a proposed nuclear agreement with Iran is designed to support a broader regional peace framework involving Israel, Lebanon, Gulf states and Tehran, while preserving the right of all parties to defend themselves against future attacks.The comments came as a senior administration official expressed growing confidence that a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Washington and Tehran could be signed within days.While much of t…
Washington, June 7 (IANS) The US military said it shot down two Iranian drones after they allegedly threatened traffic in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday (Indian time). “Earlier today, US forces in the Middle East shot down two Iranian one-way attack drones that threatened international maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz,” the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on X.CENTCOM said on Friday that US forces had intercepted multiple ballistic missiles and drones launched by Iran toward the Strait…
New Delhi, May 29 (IANS) Behind Pakistan’s negotiations for new bailout packages from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), a silent yet highly consequential power struggle is unfolding between the IMF and the Pakistani military over control of the country’s key economic power structures, according to an article published by Pressenza International Press Agency.State-owned enterprises, energy facilities, mines, ports and banks are facing a confrontation between two competing models of econo…
Canberra, May 21 (IANS) Pakistan’s propaganda gained traction in international media, reinforcing the impression that Islamabad had emerged as a central point for United States-Iran negotiations. However, later developments cast doubts on the accuracy and durability of those claims, with core elements of the claimed process failing to take shape, a report has detailed. According to a report in ‘The Australia Today’, Pakistan’s current diplomatic positioning for a considerable time was seen…
New Delhi, May 9 (IANS) Pakistan’s exports in the first three quarters of FY26 reached Rs6.39 trillion, a 7.14 pr cent decline in rupee terms compared to the previous year, widening the trade deficit to new heights, according to a new report.The report in The Express Tribune says that a slump in economic growth amid the adverse regional situation is set to impact balance of payments as the fiscal year comes to an end. “Trade deficit is anticipated to be one of the biggest concerns as imports…
New Delhi, May 5 (IANS) The conflict between the United States and Iran has triggered a severe energy price shock through Pakistan’s economy which is in dire straits with rising inflation, dwindling foreign exchange reserves and a fast depreciating currency.According to an article in India Narrative, this is not merely a transient shock for Pakistan, one of South Asia’s most fragile states, but a structural blow to the economy. It points out that Pakistan is the “primary casualty” in the…
New Delhi, May 1 (IANS) Pakistan is confronting its most serious fuel‑price shock in over half a century, which could trigger a cascade of economic problems and undermine Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government, a new report has said.The report from Aljazeera said soaring global oil costs have hit Pakistan particularly hard because the country is heavily dependent on imported energy and remittances from Gulf states, along with an “already precarious balance-of-payments position.” The West…