President Donald Trump has indicated that renewed military intervention remains improbable because Iran's military capabilities are effectively diminished, pointing instead toward positive momentum for a diplomatic resolution. A recent White House meeting between Vice President JD Vance and the Qatari Prime Minister confirmed a shared preference for a negotiated path forward. Mediators are currently working to overcome a weeks-long deadlock between Washington and Tehran to secure an interim agreement. However, Tehran has explicitly threatened to target undersea cables and data centers in the Strait of Hormuz if attacks resume.
Key points
The White House is prioritizing diplomatic negotiations despite sustained pressure from I…: The White House is prioritizing diplomatic negotiations despite sustained pressure from Israeli leadership to resume offensive military operations.
The United States plans to maintain its naval blockade while regional partners advocate f…: The United States plans to maintain its naval blockade while regional partners advocate for preserving the current status quo.
Mediators are striving to resolve an ongoing diplomatic deadlock to formalize an interim…: Mediators are striving to resolve an ongoing diplomatic deadlock to formalize an interim agreement between Washington and Tehran.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been calling US President Donald Trump every day to urge him to resume military action against Iran, even as Arab and Muslim leaders along with officials in White House step up efforts to prevent a fresh escalation and push Washington towards negotiations.
"Netanyahu calls him every day [to urge him to resume the war]. Those who don't want a war within the White House and outside have been trying to combat that," a person briefed on the discussions told the Financial Times.
The person said regional leaders were urging Trump not to escalate the conflict and to prioritise negotiations. At least four Arab and Muslim leaders have spoken to the US president in recent days, seeking to persuade him to give diplomacy more time amid concerns that Washington could launch fresh strikes after last week's midterm elections.
The leaders include Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The disclosure from Sonia Gandhi's memoir offers a rare glimpse into internal power dynamics and leadership tensions within the United Progressive Alliance government. The revelation prompted a public pushback from Sharmistha Mukherjee, who argued that senior leaders with extensive governance experience naturally harbor top-level aspirations. This exchange underscores the delicate balancing act between party leadership and government authority during Manmohan Singh's tenure.
Severe winter weather has devastated displaced populations living across the Gaza Strip, sweeping away shelters and escalating risks of disease and structural collapses. With Israeli forces occupying nearly 70 percent of the territory, displaced civilians are confined to unsanitary, crowded spaces while vital relief materials remain blocked at the border. Pressure is growing on the Israeli government to fulfill its legal obligations as the occupying power by allowing stalled humanitarian supplies into the enclave.
The judicial determination resolves an extraordinary public standoff between the royal palace and prosecutors that briefly saw the former leader returned to custody after being released. He will remain confined to his Kuala Lumpur residence until August 2028 under a conditional royal pardon following the payment of a major financial penalty. However, the arrangement offers only partial relief as he continues to challenge a separate lengthy prison term tied to the wider 1MDB scandal.