The United States has approved visas allowing Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to travel to New York for next week’s UN General Assembly, the BBC reported, even as relations between Washington and Tehran remain strained. According to the BBC, Pezeshkian and Araghchi are part of the core group within Iran’s delegation cleared to attend the General Assembly’s high-level week. A US State Department spokesman confirmed the decision Thursday, noting that the move aligns with America’s responsibilities as the country hosting the UN. The spokesman explained that allowing the Iranian delegation to attend was consistent with the…
Author: Web Desk
Pakistani security forces eliminated 10 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa militants tied to the India-backed Fitna al-Khawarij network during a series of clashes spanning September 15 to 17, the military’s media wing announced Thursday. The operations came at a cost, however, with six soldiers losing their lives in a roadside bomb attack. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the first operation was launched in North Waziristan district after intelligence reports flagged militant activity in the area. Troops moved in and engaged the fighters directly, resulting in a fierce firefight that left six Fitna al-Khawarij members dead. Second Clash in Hangu Adds to Militant…
Pakistan’s military has declared it will go to any length necessary to shield Saudi Arabia from harm, describing the Pakistan Saudi Arabia defense pact as a bond that carries no conditions or limits. Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Director-General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), delivered the statement during a Thursday interview with Arab News. He emphasized that Islamabad stands behind Riyadh on every front, both through diplomatic channels and direct physical support. The comments arrive at a tense moment for the region. Houthi forces based in Yemen have ramped up strikes against Saudi territory, adding fresh strain to a…
Pakistan issued a formal protest on Wednesday, condemning what it called a “highly provocative and unacceptable” manoeuvre by an Indian Navy vessel inside Pakistan’s Exclusive Economic Zone on September 15, 2026. The episode marks the first open military friction between the two nuclear-armed neighbours since last year’s intense four-day conflict, which had stoked fears of a broader regional war before a ceasefire brought it to a halt. Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan said in a statement that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the charge d’affaires of the Indian high commission in Islamabad to formally register Pakistan’s objection. What…
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Wednesday that circumstances had reached a stage where the Makkah Agreement Pakistan is party to would need to be put into effect, following a failed drone strike near the holy city. Speaking on the private television programme, Asif said the pact applies to Pakistan and that Islamabad intends to honour its commitments, though he declined to elaborate on the agreement’s specific provisions. He added that Pakistan considers the protection of Islam’s holiest sites a duty regardless of any formal pact. “If Makkah is attacked, there is no need for an agreement to protect it,”…
Security forces confirmed on Thursday that three terrorists were killed during an intelligence-based operation conducted in the Badrang area of Awaran district of Balochistan, according to security sources. Officials said the raid formed part of an ongoing string of intelligence-based operations under Rad-ul-Fitna-3, a broader counterterrorism campaign directed at dismantling networks linked to Indian-backed proxies operating in the province. Security sources added that a significant cache of weapons and ammunition was seized from the militants during the operation, though further details on the exact quantity were not disclosed. Second Strike Within Days Targets Fitna al-Hindustan Network This latest action follows…
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke by phone with Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces, Field Marshal Asim Munir, while on an official trip to Beijing, Iranian media outlets reported. The Araghchi Asim Munir call touched on recent regional developments along with other issues of shared concern between the two nations, according to the reports. The conversation came at a notable moment, as Araghchi was in China holding separate discussions with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on broader questions of regional security and de-escalation. Iran Outlines Diplomatic Outreach in Meeting With Wang Yi During his sit-down…
Pakistan’s Interior State Minister Talal Chaudhry has claimed that Afghan territory is being used for terrorism in Pakistan, pointing to an active arms and militancy network with cross-border links. Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Chaudhry stated that intelligence-based operations targeting terrorist elements are currently underway across the country. He said these operations have already uncovered key evidence linking militant activity inside Pakistan to facilitators operating from across the Afghan border. Evidence Presented on Afghan Territory Terrorism Network During the briefing, several video clips were shown to support the minister’s claims. Chaudhry confirmed that the so-called Action Committee in…
Pakistan’s top military spokesperson has clarified that the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, signed with Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, carries no offensive intent and is not aimed at expanding influence in the region. Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Director-General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), made the remarks during an interview with Al-Arabiya English on Wednesday. He explained that the agreement is built entirely around collective deterrence rather than aggression. “It is defensive, as the word also implies. There’s nothing aggressive. There are no regional aspirations. It is a collective deterrence,” Lt Gen Chaudhry said. Background of the Trilateral Pact The…
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has strongly denounced a failed drone strike targeting the Holy Site of Makkah Al-Mukarramah, calling it a shocking and inexcusable act of aggression. In a statement posted on X, the prime minister said the nation had been deeply shaken by news of the incident. He noted that no words could truly express the pain and outrage felt across Pakistan over such a disturbing act against one of Islam’s most sacred sites. Pakistan Lauds Saudi Forces’ Swift Response Shehbaz Sharif specifically commended the Royal Saudi Armed Forces for their alertness and bravery in neutralizing the threat before…
