Regional
Two killed in attack on Pakistani polio vaccination team
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries in the world still struggling to eradicate polio.
Unidentified assailants opened fire on a polio vaccination team in northwestern Pakistan on Wednesday, killing one of those handing out doses and one policeman escorting him, police said.
The attack in the region bordering Afghanistan comes two days after Pakistan launched its latest national campaign to stamp out the virus, which still poses a health threat in the South Asian nation, although mostly eradicated elsewhere, Reuters reported.
“Unidentified armed men opened fire on polio vaccination team in a subdivision of Bajaur tribal district as they were on the vaccination campaign,” district police officer Waqas Rafique told Reuters.
No group has claimed responsibility, but previously Islamist militant groups in the region have claimed similar attacks on polio teams, falsely portraying the inoculation campaigns as a Western conspiracy to sterilise children.
Pakistan began its latest national campaign earlier this week, aiming to administer the vaccine to up to 30 million children, the prime minister’s office said.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries in the world still struggling to eradicate polio, read the report.
A local police union group called for a strike by policemen and a boycott of security duties for the vaccination campaign in the Bajaur district following the killing of their colleague.
Key U.S. allies in the Middle East are moving closer to direct involvement in the conflict with Iran, as sustained attacks on Gulf infrastructure intensify pressure on regional governments, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
Both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are reportedly weighing deeper coordination with the United States and Israel, following repeated Iranian missile and drone strikes that have disrupted their economies and threatened regional energy security.
While neither country has formally committed troops, recent developments suggest a shift toward more active participation. The report indicates that Gulf support is already enhancing U.S. operational capabilities, including facilitating airstrike logistics and potentially opening new avenues to target Iran’s financial networks.
Saudi Arabia signals shift in stance
Saudi Arabia appears to be reassessing its position as attacks on critical infrastructure continue. Riyadh has reportedly allowed U.S. forces access to the King Fahd Air Base, a move that could support expanded military operations.
Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan warned that the kingdom’s tolerance for Iranian attacks is limited. “Any belief that Gulf countries are incapable of responding is a miscalculation,” he said following recent strikes on energy facilities.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is said to be considering stronger action to restore deterrence, with officials suggesting it may be only a matter of time before Saudi Arabia takes a more direct role in the conflict.
According to the WSJ report, one source said that “it is only a matter of time before the kingdom enters the war.”
UAE ramps up pressure on Tehran
The United Arab Emirates has also taken steps to increase pressure on Tehran, particularly through economic measures. Authorities in Dubai have shut down Iranian-linked institutions, including the Iranian Hospital and Iranian Club, citing violations of national laws and alleged links to state-backed activities.
Officials warned that further action could include freezing billions of dollars in Iranian assets held within the UAE, a move that could significantly impact Iran’s already strained economy.
Long regarded as a key financial hub for Iranian businesses, the UAE’s shift signals a notable escalation in its stance, even as it continues to deliberate over potential military involvement.
Regional tensions and strategic stakes
The growing alignment among Gulf states follows a series of attacks on energy facilities across Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, and Qatar. Doha has condemned the strikes as a dangerous escalation and a direct threat to regional stability.
At the center of the war remains control over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global oil shipments. Iran’s ability to disrupt traffic through the strait continues to give it significant strategic leverage.
Risk of wider regional war
As the conflict approaches the one-month mark, Gulf states are maintaining close coordination with Washington over next steps. However, analysts warn that continued Iranian strikes could force regional powers into open confrontation.
With economic, security, and geopolitical stakes rising, the prospect of a broader regional war is becoming increasingly likely unless tensions are quickly contained through diplomatic efforts.
Claims by Donald Trump that the United States is engaged in “good and productive conversations” with Iran have been firmly denied by Tehran, further clouding the already tense standoff between the two sides.
Iran’s Parliamentary Speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, dismissed the assertion, stating that no negotiations are currently taking place. In remarks posted on social media, he accused Washington of spreading “fake news” in an attempt to manipulate global financial and oil markets during a period of heightened volatility.
“No negotiations have been held with the US, and fake news is used to manipulate the financial and oil markets and escape the quagmire in which the US and Israel are trapped,” he said late Monday.
The denial comes after Trump signaled a temporary pause in planned military strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure, including power plants, following his earlier ultimatum that Tehran reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours or face attack.
Analysts question timing of “talks”
Political analyst Mitchell Plitnick suggested the claim of ongoing talks may have been aimed more at calming markets than reflecting genuine diplomatic progress.
“He saw that markets were likely to react negatively to threats of attacking Iran’s electrical grid and moved to stabilize the situation,” Plitnick said, adding that there is no evidence of active communication between Washington and Tehran.
Iranian officials have consistently maintained that there has been no direct contact with the U.S., reinforcing skepticism over Trump’s statements.
Strategic stakes remain high
The dispute is closely tied to control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint through which a large share of the world’s oil supply passes. Iran has warned it could restrict or even close the waterway if its territory or infrastructure is targeted, a move that could have far-reaching consequences for global energy markets.
Analysts note that this leverage gives Tehran a significant strategic advantage in the ongoing war, particularly as fears of supply disruptions continue to influence oil prices and global economic stability.
Fragile pause amid risk of escalation
While Trump has delayed potential strikes for several days, the situation remains highly volatile. The absence of confirmed diplomatic engagement raises concerns that the pause may be temporary, with the risk of rapid escalation still looming.
As tensions persist, international observers continue to call for transparency, restraint, and renewed diplomatic efforts to prevent a broader conflict in the region.
Regional
Trump backs down on strikes on Iran’s power network, says US and Tehran holding talks
Iranian attacks have effectively closed the Strait, which carries a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas.
President Donald Trump backed down on targeting Iran’s power network on Monday, saying the U.S. and Iran have held constructive talks and that he would postpone any strikes on power plants and energy infrastructure, Reuters reported.
Trump’s statement came after Iran threatened to attack Israel’s power plants and those supplying U.S. bases across the Gulf region if the U.S. targets Iran’s power network.
The dollar plunged and stocks surged following Trump’s post.
The United States and Iran “have had, over the last two days, very good and productive conversations regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
“I have instructed the Department of War to postpone any and all military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for a five-day period, subject to the success of the ongoing meetings and discussions.”
On Saturday, Trump warned that Iranian power plants would be destroyed if Tehran failed to “fully open” the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping within 48 hours. Trump set a deadline of around 7:44 p.m. EDT (2344 GMT) on Monday.
Iranian attacks have effectively closed the Strait, which carries a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas, read the report.
More than 2,000 people have been killed in the war the U.S. and Israel launched on February 28, which has upended markets, driven up fuel costs, fuelled global inflation fears and convulsed the postwar Western alliance.
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