United News of Bangladesh

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam on Sunday said the situation could deteriorate further, affecting the world, if a solution does not emerge from the US-Iran peace talks. "Every country will be affected - economically, socially, and in every way. We don’t want that at all," she told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noting that they want the talks to be expedited and a resolution to be reached. Meanwhile, the State Minister requested Iran to consider facilitating the safe passage of Bangladesh-bound vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. She raised the issue when Ambassador of Iran to Bangladesh Jalil Rahimi Jahanabadi met her.  

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday said the U.S. Navy would “immediately” begin a blockade to stop ships from entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz, after U.S.-Iran peace talks in Pakistan ended without an agreement. Trump sought to exert strategic control over the waterway responsible for the transportation of 20% of global oil supplies before the war, hoping to take away Iran’s key source of economic leverage in the fighting. The president added that he has “instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran. No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas.” Trump also said the U.S. was ready to “finish up” Iran at the “appropriate moment," stressing that Tehran's nuclear ambitions were at the core of the failure to end the war. Face-to-face talks ended earlier Sunday after 21 hours, leaving a fragile two-week ceasefire in doubt. U.S. officials said the negotiations collapsed over what they described as Iran’s refusal to commit to abandoning a path to a nuclear weapon, while Iranian officials blamed the U.S. for the breakdown of the talks without specifying the sticking points. Neither side indicated what will happen after the 14-day ceasefire expires on April 22. Pakistani mediators urged all parties to maintain it. Both said their positions were clear and put the onus on the other side, underscoring how little the gap had narrowed throughout the talks. “We need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon, and they will not seek the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon,” Vice President JD Vance said after the talks. Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who led Iran in the negotiations, said it was time for the United States “to decide whether it can gain our trust or not.” He did not mention the core disputes in a series of social media posts, though Iranian officials earlier said the talks fell apart over two or three key issues, blaming what they called U.S. overreach. Iran has long denied seeking nuclear weapons but has insisted on its right to a civilian nuclear program. It has offered “affirmative commitments” in the past in writing, including in the landmark 2015 nuclear deal. Experts say its stockpile of enriched uranium, though not weapons-grade, is only a short technical step away. Since the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28, it has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, 2,020 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states, and caused lasting damage to infrastructure in half a dozen Middle Eastern countries. Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz has largely cut off the Persian Gulf and its oil and gas exports from the global economy, sending energy prices soaring. Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said his country will try to facilitate a new dialogue between Iran and the U.S. in the coming days. “It is imperative that the parties continue to uphold their commitment to cease fire,” Dar said. The deadlock — and Vance’s take-it-or-leave-it proposal that Iran end its nuclear program — mirrored February’s nuclear talks in Switzerland. Though Trump has said the subsequent war was meant to compel Iran’s leaders to abandon nuclear ambitions, each side's positions appeared unchanged in negotiations following six weeks of fighting. An Iranian diplomatic official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the closed-door talks, denied that negotiations had failed over Iran's nuclear ambitions. “Iran is not seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, but it has the right to nuclear energy for peaceful purposes,” they said, reiterating Iran's longstanding negotiating position. There was no word on whether they would resume, though Iran said it was open to continuing the dialogue, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported. “We have never sought war. But if they try to win what they failed to win on the battlefield through talks, that’s absolutely unacceptable,” 60-year-old Mohammad Bagher Karami said in downtown Tehran. US moves to shift status quo in Strait of Hormuz The United States and Iran entered talks with sharply different proposals and contrasting assumptions about their leverage to end the war. Before negotiations began, the ceasefire was already threatened by deep disagreements and Israel’s continued attacks against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iran’s 10-point proposal ahead of the talks called for a guaranteed end to the war and sought control over the Strait of Hormuz. It included ending fighting against Iran’s “regional allies,” explicitly calling for a halt to Israeli strikes on Hezbollah. Pakistani officials told The Associated Press in March that the U.S. 15-point proposal included monitoring mechanisms and a rollback of Iran’s nuclear program. Speaking on condition of anonymity as they weren’t authorized to discuss details, they said it also covered reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Indeed, Iran’s closure of the strait has proved its biggest strategic advantage in the war. During the talks, the U.S. military said two destroyers transited the critical waterway ahead of mine-clearing work, a first since the war began. Iran’s state media, however, reported the country's joint military command denied that. “We’re sweeping the strait. Whether we make a deal or not makes no difference to me,” Trump said as talks extended into early Sunday morning. Israel presses ahead in Lebanon The impasse raises new questions about fighting in Lebanon. Israel has pressed ahead with strikes since the ceasefire was announced, saying the agreement did not apply there. Iran and Pakistan claimed otherwise. Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported six people were killed Sunday morning in an Israeli strike in Maaroub, a village near the southern coastal city of Tyre. Though Israel’s strikes over Beirut have calmed in recent days, its attacks on southern Lebanon have intensified alongside a ground invasion it renewed after Hezbollah launched rockets toward Israel in the opening days of the Iran war. Negotiations between Israel and Lebanon are expected to begin Tuesday in Washington, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s office has said, after Israel’s surprise announcement authorizing talks despite the lack of official relations between the countries. Protests erupted in Beirut on Saturday over the planned negotiations. Israel wants Lebanon's government to assume responsibility for disarming Hezbollah, much like was envisaged in a November 2024 ceasefire. But the militant group has survived efforts to curb its strength for decades. The day the Iran ceasefire deal was announced, Israel pounded Beirut with airstrikes, killing more than 300 people in the deadliest day in Lebanon since the war began, according to the country's Health Ministry.

The Strait of Hormuz has been drawing global attention due to rising tensions that have disrupted shipping along one of the world’s most important oil routes. This narrow waterway carries a large share of global energy supplies, meaning any disruption quickly affects oil prices and international politics. But scientists say the existence of this critical passage is linked to an ocean that vanished millions of years ago, known as the Tethys Sea. Around 250 million years ago, Earth looked very different, with two massive landmasses, Laurasia in the north and Gondwana in the south, separated by the Tethys Sea. Over time, shifting tectonic plates reshaped the planet. The Arabian Plate gradually moved north and collided with the Eurasian Plate, causing parts of the Tethys Sea to shrink. This collision formed the Zagros Mountains in present-day Iran and squeezed the remaining water into a narrow channel, now known as the Strait of Hormuz. Today, the strait stands as a remnant of that ancient ocean, linking the Persian Gulf with the Arabian Sea. The same ocean also played a key role in forming the Himalayas, located thousands of kilometres to the east. About 50 to 40 million years ago, the Indian Plate collided with the Eurasian Plate. Instead of one plate sliding beneath the other, both crumpled due to their thickness. Sediments from the floor of the Tethys Sea, including limestone and marine deposits, were pushed upward over time, creating the Himalayan mountain range. This is why marine fossils can still be found high in the Himalayas, including near the summit of Mount Everest, showing that these rocks were once part of an ocean floor. Experts say the Tethys Sea disappeared gradually over millions of years, but left behind very different features. In the west, it formed the narrow and strategically important Strait of Hormuz, while in the east, it gave rise to the world’s highest mountain range. Despite their distance, both the strait and the Himalayas share a common geological origin rooted in the same ancient ocean. With inputs from NDTV

Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has said Tehran will take the management of the Strait of Hormuz “into a new phase,” as tensions persist over access to the critically important waterway despite a fragile ceasefire with the United States. In a statement broadcast by state media, Khamenei said Iran would “seek compensation for every single loss inflicted” and pursue damages for those injured in the war. While he did not clarify what the new phase of Hormuz management would entail, the remarks signal a potential shift in Tehran’s strategy over the vital global oil route. He stressed that Iran “never sought war and we’re not seeking war,” but warned it would “not back off from seeking our legitimate rights in any way,” including support for what he described as the “entire resistance front.” He also called on pro-Iran supporters to mobilise publicly, saying their voices could influence the outcome of ongoing negotiations. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said Israel would “scale back” strikes on Lebanon ahead of talks with Iran in Islamabad, expressing optimism about a potential deal. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the notion of a truce in Lebanon, declaring “there is no ceasefire” and vowing continued attacks against Hezbollah. Netanyahu says Israel to hold direct talks with Lebanon amid ceasefire dispute The conflicting positions have cast doubt on the durability of the two-week ceasefire, with disputes over Lebanon and the Strait of Hormuz emerging as key sticking points. Heavy Israeli strikes on Beirut shortly after the truce announcement further deepened uncertainty. Diplomatic efforts are set to continue, with Pakistan hosting talks in Islamabad involving senior officials from the US, Iran and Pakistan, as both sides test the possibility of a broader settlement. Pakistani officials have disclosed the names of key figures expected to attend the upcoming negotiations aimed at ending the conflict between Iran and the United States. The talks are tentatively scheduled for Saturday in Islamabad, though officials said details are still being finalised and the list of participants may change, reports Al Jazeera. From Pakistan, expected attendees include Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and National Security Adviser Asim Malik, who also heads the country’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The US delegation is likely to feature Vice President JD Vance, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, senior presidential adviser Jared Kushner, and Admiral Brad Cooper, head of the US Central Command (CENTCOM). Iran’s side is expected to be represented by Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi. Officials emphasised that the final list of participants could be updated as preparations continue. The talks come amid a two-week ceasefire between Iran and the US, providing a window for diplomatic engagement. With inputs from BBC

Iran has reiterated its rejection of a temporary ceasefire, insisting on a permanent end to the conflict with guarantees to prevent future war, as tensions rise ahead of a deadline set by US President Donald Trump. Iran’s representative to the United Nations said Tehran would not accept a short-term truce and instead seeks a lasting peace with verifiable assurances. The position reflects Iran’s consistent stance amid the ongoing crisis, reports Al Jazeera. Responding to Trump’s warning that a “whole civilisation will die,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the strength of a “civilised nation” would ultimately prevail over the logic of brute force. Diplomatic sources say the gap between the two sides remains wide, making any agreement difficult and protracted. Meanwhile, the White House has denied reports that it is considering the use of nuclear weapons against Iran, even as Trump maintained strong rhetoric, warning Tehran to strike a deal or face a massive assault. The US president had earlier set a deadline of 8pm Eastern Time (local time 6:00 AM in Bangladesh), demanding Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz—a vital route for global energy supplies—or risk attacks on key infrastructure. Trump warns ‘whole civilization’ could die, says Iran still has time to act Vice President JD Vance said the US could use tools “not yet decided,” sparking speculation, though the White House dismissed claims that nuclear options were implied. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said only the president knows the final course of action. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) warned it would retaliate strongly if civilian infrastructure is targeted, raising fears of wider regional consequences. At the UN Security Council, Iran’s Ambassador Amir-Saeid Iravani criticised a draft resolution on the Strait of Hormuz as “biased and indefensible,” saying it misrepresents Iran as the aggressor while ignoring the root causes. He maintained that Iran’s actions were in self-defence. Adding to concerns, a nuclear expert warned that any strike on Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant could trigger a disaster comparable to Chernobyl or Hiroshima, with long-term environmental and humanitarian consequences across the Gulf region.

China and Russia vetoed a draft resolution at the UN Security Council that called for coordinated defensive efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz, diplomats said. The Gulf-backed draft received 11 votes in favor, while Pakistan and Colombia abstained, according to BBC report. The resolution underwent weeks of negotiations and was significantly softened. Initially proposed under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, which authorizes the use of force, it was later revised to remove that provision and instead “strongly encourage” defensive measures by states. Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, who chaired the meeting, said the draft aimed to address what he described as repeated hostile actions by Iran in the strategic waterway. He warned that failure to act could have serious global consequences and risk similar disruptions in other key maritime routes. The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical global oil transit chokepoint, and tensions in the region have intensified amid ongoing geopolitical disputes.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned that “a whole civilization” could be destroyed, while urging Iran to agree to a deal ahead of his looming deadline. The warning came about 12 hours before a deadline set by Trump for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face severe military strikes. In a post on his social media platform, Trump wrote, “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again,” adding, “I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will.” Despite the stark warning, Trump signaled there was still a chance to avoid escalation, saying that “maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen.” The comments come amid heightened tensions between the United States and Iran, with fears growing over possible military action if no agreement is reached.

Asian stock markets mostly rose Tuesday amid cautious trading, as oil prices surged ahead of a U.S. deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face possible attacks on its infrastructure. Japan’s Nikkei 225 edged up 0.1% to close at 53,429.56. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 jumped 1.7% to 8,728.80, while South Korea’s Kospi gained 0.8% to 5,494.78. China’s Shanghai Composite rose 0.3% to 3,890.16. Trading was closed in Hong Kong for a holiday. On Wall Street, stock indexes also moved higher. The S&P 500 added 0.4%, coming off its first weekly gain in six weeks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 165 points, or 0.4%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.5%. In energy markets, U.S. crude jumped $2.41 to $114.82 a barrel, while Brent crude rose $1.46 to $111.23 a barrel well above pre-war levels of around $70. Oil prices have been volatile amid uncertainty over the war with Iran and its impact on global oil and gas supplies. Iran rejected the latest ceasefire proposal Monday, calling instead for a permanent end to the conflict. Analysts at Mizuho Bank in Singapore said President Trump’s repeated ultimatums are part of a growing cycle of escalation. “Hopes for a complete resolution remain slim as countries seek bilateral solutions,” they said. Meanwhile, Iranian and Omani officials continued working on a plan to manage the strait, through which nearly a fifth of the world’s oil passes. In bonds, the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield held at 4.33%, above its pre-war level of 3.97%. In currency markets, the dollar edged up to 159.86 yen from 159.62, while the euro fell slightly to $1.1541 from $1.1543.

Two China-operated container ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz and exited the Gulf safely, according to ship tracking data. The vessels CSCL Indian Ocean and CSCL Arctic Ocean, both operated by COSCO Shipping transited the strategic waterway on Monday. According to MarineTraffic, the CSCL Indian Ocean crossed the strait at approximately 09:14 GMT, while the CSCL Arctic Ocean followed around 27 minutes later, maintaining a close interval as they transited the strategic waterway. Source: AL Jazeera

Around 90 ships, including oil tankers, have crossed the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of war with Iran, with the country continuing to export millions of barrels of oil even as the strategic waterway faces partial closure, according to maritime and trade data. Many vessels were “dark” transits, evading Western sanctions and likely linked to Iran, Lloyd’s List Intelligence reported. More recently, ships from India and Pakistan have also passed through after diplomatic talks with Tehran. Oil prices surged above $100 per barrel, prompting U.S. President Donald Trump to urge allies to send warships and reopen the strait to ease market pressure. Most shipping traffic has halted since early March, and about 20 vessels have been attacked in the area. Despite this, Iran exported over 16 million barrels of oil since March 1, with China remaining the main buyer due to sanctions-related risks. Analysts said Iran has used its control over the strait to maintain exports and profit from oil sales. Lloyd’s List Intelligence reported that of the 89 vessels passing the strait between March 1–15, 16 were oil tankers and more than one-fifth were Iran-affiliated. Pakistan- and India-flagged ships also successfully crossed, following negotiations with Tehran. Experts say Iran has effectively created a “safe corridor” near its coast for selected ships, while selectively restricting others. Oil market analysts warn that Iran may continue limiting tanker movements to maintain high energy prices.