On the evening of 1 March 2026, Sir Keir Starmer addressed the House of Commons and set out a seemingly firm boundary. Britain, he stated, would permit American forces to use selected UK bases for narrowly defined defensive operations against Iranian missile sites nothing beyond that. There would be no British aircraft conducting strikes and no deployment of troops into active combat. His language was deliberate and restrained. Yet within an hour, a drone struck the runway at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. The aircraft involved had taken off before Starmer had even finished speaking.
Tag: United States
While the Missiles Fall, Beijing Watches and Learns
The public record on China’s response to the Iran war is clear and unremarkable. Since US and Israeli forces launched Operation Epic Fury on February 28, Beijing has condemned the strikes as violations of international law, called for an immediate ceasefire, and dispatched Special Envoy Zhai Jun to the region. It has evacuated over 3,000 Chinese citizens from Iran. Foreign Minister Wang Yi has made calls to counterparts in Russia, Iran, Oman, France, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
The 2026 India-US Trade Reset and the Future of the Indo-Pacific
The India-US relationship came to a standstill during the Trump 2.0 administration, with skyrocketing tariffs up to 50 percent since August 2025, creating an economic burden on India. Within the unpredictable geopolitical environment, the interim trade agreement between India and the United States finally came to terms in February 2026, but the recent ruling of the US Supreme Court brought the deal to a halt. The Supreme Court struck down Trump’s sweeping global tariffs, ruling that he cannot use the 1977 emergency powers law to slap blanket duties on nearly every country.
NATO’s Most Dangerous Member Just Got More Dangerous
When the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28, 2026, every NATO member was forced to decide where it stood. Most followed Washington’s lead quietly, if not enthusiastically. Spain refused use of its bases and triggered a furious response from the White House. France and Germany called for restraint. Turkey reacted in a way that was more complex than the other countries. It condemned the strikes as a violation of international law and blocked coalition forces from using its airspace and bases. When Iran’s Supreme Leader was assassinated, Turkey publicly mourned the loss
Was the Sinking of IRIS Dena by the United States a War Crime?
At 5:08 in the morning of March 4, 2026, a distress call crackled out from a position roughly 40 nautical miles south of Galle, Sri Lanka. By the time Sri Lankan naval vessels reached the coordinates, IRIS Dena, an Iranian Moudge-class frigate, commissioned in 2021, carrying approximately 180 sailors had already vanished beneath the Indian Ocean. What remained were spreading oil slicks, floating debris, and men treading water far from shore. The US government later confirmed, with apparent pride, that one of its nuclear-powered attack submarines had fired a single Mark 48 torpedo at the vessel.
After Khamenei: Iran’s Uncertain Path to a New Supreme Leader
The death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would represent one of the most consequential political turning points in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Since succeeding Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989, Khamenei has served as the central authority within Iran’s political system. The Supreme Leader holds ultimate control over the military, the judiciary, intelligence services, and nuclear policy, making the position the most powerful office in the country. With Khamenei gone, Iran would face an uncertain leadership transition that could reshape both its domestic political order and its regional strategy
Assassination of Khamenei, India’s Silence and the Crisis of International Morality
After bunker-buster bombs dropped by American bombers killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with his merely 14-month-old granddaughter, close relatives, and high-ranking officials, the Iranian government declared him a “martyr” and announced 40 days of national mourning. The incident has drawn mixed reactions globally. Some countries condemned it, while others maintained silence or expressed support. However, in recent days, a strange trend was visible on social media. After the news of Khamenei’s killing, in some sections of India there was more celebration than mourning
Escalation in West Asia: U.S.-Israel Joint Offensive and Iran’s Retaliation
On 28 February 2026, the United States and Israel initiated coordinated large-scale strikes against targets in Iran, marking a significant escalation in the longstanding tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme, ballistic missile capabilities, and regional influence. The operation, designated “Operation Epic Fury” by the United States and “Operation Roaring Lion” by Israel, commenced in the early hours local time with explosions reported across multiple Iranian cities, including the capital Tehran
India-U.S. Trade: A Strategic Reset in an Uneven Global Economy
In early February 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled an interim framework for a trade agreement, marking an important milestone that goes beyond a simple commercial arrangement: it highlighted a developing economic partnership influenced by both geopolitical factors and market needs. This agreement, which decreases effective tariffs on Indian products entering the American market and enhances reciprocal access, was formulated amid previous trade conflicts and tariff disputes between the two nations
Strategic Dynamics and Stakes in the Iran-U.S. Nuclear Talks
For twenty years, Iran’s nuclear program has been a key point of contention in U.S.–Iran relations. After the U.S. exited the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Tehran gradually increased its enrichment levels beyond the established limits. Diplomatic attempts in 2025 led to indirect talks facilitated by Oman and Italy, but these efforts fell apart due to escalating tensions, particularly following a 12-day conflict involving U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear and military facilities in June 2025.