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US-Iran lock horns on strategic Hormuz waterway

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US-Iran lock horns on strategic Hormuz waterway

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s reaction to the US threat of bringing Tehran’s oil export to “zero” by early November has triggered a “war of words” which may lead to a huge crisis. The US military has reiterated its promise once again to keep Gulf waterways open to oil tankers.

According to Associated Press, Captain Bill Urban, a spokesman for the US military’s Central Command told on Wednesday that US sailors and its regional allies “stand ready to ensure the freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce wherever international law allows”.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday said in Bern, “The Americans have claimed they want to completely stop Iran’s oil exports. They don’t understand the meaning of this statement because it has no meaning for Iranian oil not to be exported, while the region’s oil is exported.”

Read More: US asks nations to stop Iranian oil import by Nov.4 or face sanctions

Iranian officials in the past have threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz, a major oil shipping route, in retaliation for any hostile US action against Iran.

Meanwhile, Major General Qassem Soleimani, the head of Qods Force engaged in foreign operations of Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), who played important role in defeating Daesh (IS) in Iraq and Syria, has appreciated President Rouhani for his timely statement and expressed readiness to implement such a policy if needed.

Read More: US Pressure to Stop Buying Iran’s Oil May Trigger Crisis

In his letter to Rouhani, Soleimani said that they were ready to prevent regional oil exports if Iranian oil sales were banned by the US.

Iran’s official IRNA news agency, quoted Soleimani’s letter to the President saying, “I kiss your (Rouhani’s) hand for expressing such wise and timely comments, and I am at your service to implement any policy that serves the Islamic Republic.”

The US President Donald Trump has pulled out of a multinational Iran nuclear deal, also known as JCPOA, in May and announced for imposing sanctions by early November.

Read More: India under US pressure to cut oil imports from Iran, Govt says exploring all options

A senior US Department of State official has recently said that all countries must halt all imports of Iranian oil from November 4 or face financial measures, with no exemptions.

The European Union, once Iran’s biggest oil importer, have vowed to keep the 2015 deal alive without the US by trying to keep Iran’s oil and investment flowing. However, they also acknowledged that US sanctions would make it difficult to give Tehran guarantees.

Read More: Saudi Arabia Agrees To Pump More Oil to Maintain Balance

Iran’s Rouhani, who was in Vienna on Wednesday in a bid to salvage the nuclear deal, said that “if the remaining signatories can guarantee Iran’s benefits, Iran will remain in the nuclear deal without the US.” He visited Bern, the Swiss capital, before reaching Austrian capital Vienna.

Meanwhile, the foreign ministers from China, France, Germany, Britain and Russia will meet Iranian officials on Friday in Vienna to discuss how to keep a 2015 nuclear accord alive.

During Iraq-Iran 1980-1988 war, when most of the GCC and western states were supporting and financing Iraq’s Saddam Hussein regime, Tehran had threatened to block Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway connecting most of the Gulf states to the Indian ocean.

Observers believe that a serious confrontation may erupt in case a situation arises when Iran choose to block the oil shipment through the Strait of Hormuz. This could lead stoppage of oil export from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and UAE causing worldwide oil crisis.

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Trump rejects Iran’s 7-day peace plan, says deal can come after US polls

US President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s seven-day proposal to end hostilities and indicated that a deal could come after the US midterm elections in November.

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Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump has rejected Iran’s latest proposal aimed at bringing an end to the ongoing conflict, while indicating that a possible agreement could come after the US midterm elections in November.

Iran had proposed a seven-day framework under which hostilities could be brought to an end, the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened and negotiations over its nuclear programme could resume.

Iran’s seven-day proposal

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had put forward the proposal through intermediaries. Under the plan, the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened by the end of the seventh day if specified conditions were met, while broader nuclear discussions would restart.

The proposal was based largely on an earlier understanding reached between Washington and Tehran, but Iran sought to implement the latest framework much faster. The earlier arrangement had provided a longer period for negotiations.

The Strait of Hormuz is a strategically important waterway for global energy shipments, making its reopening a key element of any effort to ease the wider conflict.

Trump points to US midterm elections

Trump, speaking at the United Nations, showed no indication that he was ready to immediately resume negotiations on the terms proposed by Tehran.

He called for the economic isolation of Iran and said he believed a deal could be reached after the US midterm elections in November. Trump also said Iran was waiting to see how he performed in the midterm elections.

The remarks came as Iranian officials signalled that they remained open to diplomacy and described the UN General Assembly as an opportunity to revive negotiations.

Nuclear talks remain part of Iran proposal

Iran’s latest plan links the easing of hostilities with the resumption of negotiations over its nuclear programme.

The proposal follows the collapse of an earlier US-Iran arrangement. According to reporting on the latest proposal, the new framework is intended to compress the timeline for implementing commitments that had previously been discussed by the two sides.

For now, Trump’s remarks indicate that Washington is not accepting Tehran’s seven-day framework as presented, while Iran continues to put diplomacy and negotiations forward as part of its proposal.

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Iranian President Pezeshkian at UN says Iranians have been victims of US terrorism

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said at the UN General Assembly that Iranians had been victims of US terrorism and insisted that Iran had acted in self-defence.

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States of subjecting Iranians to what he described as terrorism while addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.

Pezeshkian said Iran had defended itself against attacks and rejected the characterisation of the country as a terrorist actor. His remarks came during a rare wartime appearance at the UN as tensions between Iran and the United States remain high.

Pezeshkian accuses US and Israel of attacks

Speaking at the General Assembly, Pezeshkian said Iranian civilians had been targeted by attacks and described the actions against his country as aggression.

“We have only defended ourselves. We are not terrorists,” he said, according to the report.

Pezeshkian also accused the United States and Israel of attacking Iran, while maintaining that Tehran’s response was an act of self-defence.

The Iranian president displayed photographs of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and more than 150 schoolchildren who, according to his account, were killed during the early days of the conflict.

Iran’s message at the UN

Pezeshkian’s address came against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States and heightened tensions in the region.

Iranian officials had indicated ahead of the UN visit that they intended to highlight what Tehran considers attacks against its people and raise concerns over the international response to the conflict.

The Iranian delegation’s visit to New York also comes amid restrictions imposed by the United States on the delegation’s movement and other aspects of its stay, according to reporting ahead of the address.

Pezeshkian says Iran defended itself

Pezeshkian’s central message at the UN was that Iran’s military actions should be viewed as a response to attacks rather than terrorism.

His description of the conflict and the allegations against the United States and Israel represent the Iranian government’s position. They should therefore be attributed to Pezeshkian rather than presented as independently established facts.

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PM Modi’s Canada visit could help wrap trade talks, says Canada PM Mark Carney

Canadian PM Mark Carney said he is looking forward to hosting PM Narendra Modi, with both countries aiming to conclude their ongoing trade negotiations.

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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he is looking forward to hosting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as India and Canada continue efforts to advance their bilateral relationship and conclude ongoing trade negotiations.

The two countries have been working towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), with both sides previously setting a target to conclude the negotiations in 2026.

Carney and Modi have held discussions on strengthening economic ties between India and Canada, including trade and investment. Their engagement has gained momentum following Carney’s visit to India earlier this year.

India-Canada trade talks

India and Canada formally resumed efforts towards a broader trade agreement after a period of strained bilateral ties. The two sides have committed to advancing negotiations on a CEPA covering their economic relationship.

In June, Carney and Modi reviewed progress in bilateral economic cooperation during their meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France. They expressed satisfaction with the progress in CEPA negotiations and reaffirmed their shared objective of concluding the talks in 2026.

During Carney’s visit to India in March, the two leaders had also agreed to accelerate negotiations on the CEPA and work towards finalising the agreement during 2026.

Modi’s proposed Canada visit

Carney had invited PM Modi to visit Canada in 2026, and the two leaders agreed to remain engaged through diplomatic channels to work towards a mutually convenient date for the visit.

The proposed visit comes as New Delhi and Ottawa seek to build on renewed diplomatic and economic engagement, with trade negotiations remaining a key part of the relationship.

The focus on completing the trade talks comes as both countries look to expand commercial ties and establish a broader economic framework through the proposed CEPA.

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