America on high alert ahead of July 4, DHS & FBI issue chilling lone wolf attack warning
'Be careful': DHS warns governors in urgent calls over possible Iran sleeper cell attack on US soil
Biden warns Israel as conflict with Iran peaks: 'Any response should be proportionate…'
'Degrade Iran's capacity…': US defends strikes on nukes at UN, says threat to Israel was real
'Degrade Iran's capacity…': US defends strikes on nukes at UN, says threat to Israel was real
'Another stain on US history': Iran warns of response after strikes, blasts Trump and Netanyahu
'Another stain on US history': Iran warns of response after strikes, blasts Trump and Netanyahu
'US won't get anywhere with threats…': Iran warns Trump against threats, rejects Houthi proxy claims
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The Hindu
39 minutes ago
- The Hindu
France says Iran sanctions decision depends on detainees' release
France said on Thursday (July 3, 2025) it would decide whether to reimpose sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme depending on whether Tehran released two French detainees charged with spying for Israel. "Freeing Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris is an absolute priority for us," Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said. "We have always told our interlocutors from the Iranian regime that any decisions on sanctions will be conditional on resolving this issue." Iran officially suspended its cooperation with the United Nations nuclear watchdog on Wednesday. The move came after a 12-day conflict last month between Iran and Israel, which saw unprecedented Israeli and US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities and sharply escalated tensions between Tehran and the International Atomic Energy Agency. The United States and other Western countries, along with Israel, accuse Iran of seeking a nuclear weapon. Tehran denies that, but has gradually broken away from its commitments under a 2015 nuclear deal it struck with world powers, after the United States pulled out of it in 2018. Israel has maintained ambiguity about its own atomic arsenal, neither officially confirming nor denying it exists, but the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimates its arsenal amounts to 90 nuclear warheads. The landmark 2015 Iran nuclear deal provided Tehran with sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its atomic programme to be monitored by the UN nuclear watchdog. The deal included the possibility of UN sanctions being reimposed through a mechanism called "snapback" if Iran failed to fulfil its commitments, an option that expires in October. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has urged European signatories of the 2015 deal to trigger the "snapback" mechanism and reinstate all UN sanctions on Iran. Kohler, 40, and Paris, her 72-year-old partner, have been held in Iran since May 2022 on espionage charges their families reject. But Iran has now charged the pair with spying for Israel's intelligence agency Mossad, diplomatic and family sources told AFP on Wednesday. They were also accused of "corruption of Earth" and "plotting to overthrow the regime", the sources said. All three charges carry the death penalty. Tehran has not confirmed the new charges. A French diplomatic source described the allegations as "completely unfounded". Iran is believed to hold around 20 European nationals, many of whose cases have never been publicised, in what some Western governments including France describe as a strategy of hostage-taking aimed at extracting concessions from the West. Three other Europeans, who have not been identified, have also been arrested in the wake of the current conflict, two of whom are accused of spying for Israel, according to the authorities.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
India's ‘Trump Card' on trade deal? How India can handle US pressure and seal agreement
As the US and India look to seal a trade deal ahead of Donald Trump's self-imposed July 9 deadline, India seems to be resisting American pressure - joining a select group of countries refusing to budge to tactics of the world's largest economy. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now While smaller economies like Vietnam have capitulated by slashing tariffs and opening markets, India can use its growing energy imports as a strategic bargaining chip, and refuse to budge on sensitive issues like agriculture, believes Swaminathan Aiyar, Consulting Editor at ET Now. India's 'Trump Card': Energy imports According to Aiyar, India is in a far better negotiating position than most. 'I really think we should be tough and hold out. Our strength is that because we are short of oil and gas, we can be among the very few countries that are going to shrink their trade deficit with the USA,' Aiyar said, according to an ET report quoting the TV channel. India's oil imports from the US jumped to 439,000 barrels per day in June, up from 280,000 bpd the month before. That's exactly the kind of stat Trump loves, evidence that a trading partner is helping reduce the US trade deficit. Also read: Aiyar added, 'Other countries will find it very difficult because I do not think they are in a position to massively increase imports of energy.' Agri and dairy: Red lines for India But if Trump expects a wide-ranging trade deal, India's agricultural sector is where things hit a wall. Aiyar warned that any move to open India's markets to genetically modified (GM) crops, such as GM soy, maize, and wheat, which dominate US agriculture, would trigger domestic and international consequences. 'If we allow this in, then we will not be allowed to export to Europe because Europe won't take genetically modified crops,' Aiyar was quoted as saying. The issue is politically sensitive, especially after months of nationwide farmer protests. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Any move to allow GM food imports could spark widespread backlash. So while Trump's farm lobby is pushing hard, India is unlikely to grant access. Also read: Vietnam's deal: More optics than economics Trump recently announced a deal with Vietnam, claiming zero-duty access and market entry. But Aiyar dismissed this as 'largely theatrical.' Vietnam, he said, imports very little from the US to begin with, so zero tariffs don't amount to much. 'The plain and simple fact is that they import very little from the USA… If they say import duty on cars comes down to zero, how many American companies are going to be competitive compared with the Japanese, Koreans, or Europeans?' Aiyar asked. Vietnam was already willing to offer zero tariffs on certain goods, and Trump's deal is more about symbolism than substance. Japan and EU are holding firm too India is not alone in resisting Washington's aggressive trade agenda. Both Japan and the European Union have rejected what they see as unfair, one-sided demands from the Trump administration. 'They are saying they are going to continue and have very serious problems with US proposals. We are not going to keel under,' Aiyar said. 'That sends a message to India and others, don't cave in.' With the July 9 deadline looming, Aiyar believes Trump is more focused on the headlines than the fine print. 'Even where there are partial agreements, as may be the case with India, he will play that up. He's a performer. A stage actor,' he said.
Economic Times
an hour ago
- Economic Times
The Quad is in good health
Agencies The leaders of Quad Quad foreign ministers signed on to an expansive criticism of 'unilateral actions' covering political, economic and strategic spheres — without naming the unilateral 'actor', China. The meeting was an affirmation that Quad is in good health. Quad ministers also announced a new initiative on critical minerals to reduce dependency on China. The idea is to diversify and create new supply chains, and 40 private companies from Quad countries were here to discuss ideas. Plans are also afoot for a leaders' summit later this year. And, yes, the Americans have committed in writing that Donald Trump will travel. The dates will be decided later as the Indian side works to design a summit to suit the times. Going by the Trump rule —what can't be said in one page is not worth saying — long speeches won't be ideal. All said and done, Quad is moving along despite doubts from certain quarters and a general suspicion of 'groups' among Trump supporters. The US system seems to see value in the Quad, even if the president appears indifferent. S Jaishankar also met top US officials, including defence secretary Pete Hegseth, FBI director Kash Patel, director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, besides his counterpart Marco Rubio. The visit was India's first political engagement with the US since Operation Sindoor. Jaishankar insisted the matter of Trump's repeated claims of mediation did not come up. What did come up was Quad members — who maintained neutrality when India launched Op Sindoor — 'unequivocally' condemning all acts of terrorism, including cross-border terrorism —without naming Pakistan. The language was mostly a repeat from older statements, but updated with the location of the latest atrocity, Pahalgam. After the shock of the SCO statement where Pahalgam wasn't mentioned at all — but Balochistan was —and Rajnath Singh refused to sign, the Quad joint statement was an improvement with all boxes checked. The ministers have pared down the group's agenda to four main pillars: maritime and transnational security, economic security, critical and emerging technology, and humanitarian assistance. Will the 'common minimum programme' encourage Trump to remember the Quad? Frankly, Trump is too busy making deals with China after threatening massive tariffs and then backing down when the shoe started pinching, after China restricted supplies of critical minerals. Now it seems Trump wants to visit China with a large business delegation.'America First' means jobs at home, and if China can create them, he doesn't mind. For Trump, tech denial is a temporary tool, not astrategy that when combined with unpredictability can be lethal. What do these confusing signals mean for the Quad? Remember, it was created, revived and propagated to balance/counter China. Meanwhile, even as the July 4 'deadline' for firming up the IndiaUS trade deal is upon us — not to mention the expiry date for the 90-day Trump tariffs on July 9 — Trump has given the green signal to senator Lindsey Graham to move his bill in Congress that threatens 500% tariffs on countries trading with Russia. Graham wants to drop this 'economic bunker buster' on India and China, since they are the largest buyers of Russian oil. Whether the bill would pass is unclear. Diplomatic efforts are underway to persuade the senator to give India a carveout to keep the Big, Beautiful US-India strategic partnership going. And Quad too. Incidentally, all three other Quad members are simultaneously experiencing problems with the US. But they have decided to keep calm and carry on. Japan and Australia are upset after Pentagon abruptly demanded they up their defence spending to 3.5% after initially asking for 3%. As for India, no need to repeat the amount of political difficulty caused by the 'peace president'. As Jaishankar says, 'The world is complicated and is growing in its complexity.' In fact, it's grown so complicated that on Tuesday when Rajnath Singh spoke to his counterpart Pete Hegseth on the phone and Jaishankar met him in person at the Pentagon, Pakistan's air force chief Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu was also in the building to meet USAF chief of staff David Allvin, and other senior officials. Sidhu discussed how to 'boost interoperability', do joint exercises, and training and 'technology exchange'. He also went to the State Department. The army and air force chiefs coming in quick succession means Washington wants Pakistan back in the game. What's past is prologue, as the Bard of Avon said. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are that of the writer. 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