TEHRAN (Iran News) In a statement on Tuesday, Baqaei expressed sympathy with the people and government of India, while praying to God Almighty for mercy and forgiveness for the victims and for the injured to recover.

At least 42 Indian pilgrims lost their live and one was wounded after a bus carrying them from Mecca collided with a fuel tanker, some 160 kilometers from the city of Medina, on Monday. Passengers did not get any time to escape as fire quickly engulfed the vehicle.

According to the Indian media reports, most of the victims were from the southern city of Hyderabad, in Telangana province.

While there was no official word on the fatalities, people familiar with the matter were cited as saying that 44 deaths were confirmed, including 42 Indian nationals and two Saudi citizens who were acting as facilitators for the pilgrims.

At least 42 Indian pilgrims lost their live and one was wounded after a bus carrying them from Mecca collided with a fuel tanker, some 160 kilometers from the city of Medina, on Monday. Passengers did not get any time to escape as fire quickly engulfed the vehicle.

According to the Indian media reports, most of the victims were from the southern city of Hyderabad, in Telangana province.

While there was no official word on the fatalities, people familiar with the matter were cited as saying that 44 deaths were confirmed, including 42 Indian nationals and two Saudi citizens who were acting as facilitators for the pilgrims.

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TEHRAN (Iran News) India and Pakistan have agreed to a U.S.-mediated ceasefire after days of military escalation that resulted in dozens of deaths and injuries on both sides.

The two countries have committed to a “full and immediate ceasefire after a long night of talks,” U.S. President Donald Trump announced in a social media post on Saturday, later confirmed by Islamabad.

“Congratulations to both countries for using common sense and great intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Trump further stated in his post.

Confirming the ceasefire, Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Senator Ishaq Dar said, “Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!”

India’s Minister of External S Jaishankar also confirmed the truce. “India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on the stoppage of firing and military action,” he said.

The announcement came after several days of rising tensions, with India and Pakistan exchanging deadly fire along the Line of Control (LoC) in the disputed Kashmir region.

Earlier today, Reuters reported 13 more fatalities and 50 injuries in Pakistan-administered Kashmir following Indian strikes. These attacks came in response to Pakistan’s military action earlier in the day, which led to the closure of all Indian airports in the northern part of the country.

The clashes between the two nuclear-armed neighbors followed an attack by an unknown group that left 27 Indian tourists dead in Kashmir’s Pahalgam area, about 90 kilometers from Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Indian officials blamed the attack on terrorists and accused Pakistan of involvement, an allegation Islamabad has denied, calling for an international investigation into the incident.

Tensions escalated after New Delhi launched “Operation Sindoor” on Wednesday, targeting multiple areas in Pakistan-administered Kashmir with missile strikes and fighter jets, resulting in significant civilian casualties.

In response, the Pakistani military launched “Operation Banyan al-Marsus,” retaliating with missile and drone attacks, while also claiming to have shot down several Indian fighter jets and drones.

India and Pakistan have already fought three full-scale wars over Kashmir, a disputed Himalayan region that both claim in its entirety but only partially control.

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TEHRAN (Iran News) In an interview with ILNA, Palmeh discussed the performance of Indian operators at Chabahar following a ten-year contract, as well as the potential for India to withdraw from the port due to U.S. pressures. He emphasized that increasing foreign investment in Iran’s ports naturally enhances the economic security of these ports. Connecting Iran’s interests with other countries in the maritime sector could provide stronger defenses against sanctions.

While Palmeh acknowledged the importance of foreign investment, he criticized the current situation. Originally, India had planned to invest $220 million in Chabahar. However, on the ground, the actual investment appears far less, with only partial investments visible, such as the arrival of six cranes. Despite these efforts, critical infrastructure, such as “gantry cranes,” which are essential for speeding up unloading and loading processes, is still lacking.

Palmeh also pointed out that Iranian private sector companies should be in charge of managing commerce, marketing, and operations at Chabahar. He highlighted the positive changes resulting from the presence of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines at the port, which has contributed to a significant increase in container operations compared to the previous year. He stressed the need to strengthen such mechanisms to boost private investment in the port.

On the issue of monopolistic practices, Palmeh criticized the Shipping Company for not supporting the private sector in transporting containers, particularly those owned by private shipping companies and forwarders. This practice, he argued, harms the port’s development and could be improved by collaborating with the private sector to optimize the use of shipping space.

Palmeh also revealed that the Shipping Company has been monopolizing the port for over a year. He hopes that within the next two weeks, the first private-sector-managed shipping service from the UAE to India via Chabahar will be launched, which could lead to reduced shipping rates and more competition.

Finally, in response to concerns about Chinese investment in Pakistan’s Gwadar Port, Palmeh stated that China’s presence in Gwadar does not preclude potential Chinese investment in Chabahar. He emphasized the need to make Chabahar attractive enough to incentivize China to invest, despite its significant investments in Pakistan. For China to shift its focus from Gwadar to Chabahar, Palmeh stressed that the port would need to offer substantial advantages that outweigh its investments in Pakistan.

This comes as Chabahar Port’s future investment prospects remain uncertain, with ongoing geopolitical and economic challenges affecting foreign participation in the project.

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TEHRAN (Iran News) According to the Iran Ports and Maritime Organization, the third joint working group was held in Mumbai, India, with the presence of Hossein Shahdadi, the Deputy Director of Port and Economic Affairs of Chabahar,

The participants discussed the capacity and infrastructure of transportation and the obstacles in this field.

Presenting the necessary proposals to facilitate commercial transactions through Chabahar was also on the agenda of the meeting. Transportation and transit of goods from Chabahar were also discussed.

Officials from the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways of India, along with ambassadors of Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Iran in India, and Indian diplomats attended the event.

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TEHRAN (Iran News) Russia, Oman, Saudi Arabia, India, Thailand, Pakistan, Qatar, and Bangladesh are participating in the naval drill, according to the IMEX 2024 spokesman, Rear Admiral Mostafa Tajeddini, on Saturday.”Maritime Exercise”

“Together for the safe and secure Indian Ocean” is the main theme of the exercise, he noted.

The message of IMEX 2024 is peace, friendship, empathy, and collective participation, he added.

The drill is to enhance sustainable collective security and within the region and promote multilateral cooperation among the participating nations.

The event will serve as a platform for Iran to demonstrate its naval strengths and expand its relations with nations invested in the safety and security of the Indian Ocean.

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