Here are the key events on day 1,211 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
This is how things stand on Thursday, June 19 :
Fighting
The death toll from a large-scale Russian attack on Kyiv earlier this week has risen to 28, with 130 injured, although rescue work is still under way.
The attack was carried out by 440 drones and 32 missiles, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Moscow characterised the attack as precision strikes on “military-industrial facilities in the Kyiv region”, although video footage showed the attack levelling parts of an apartment block in the Ukrainian capital.
Russia said it captured the village of Novomykolaivka in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region, where Russian forces have renewed their offensive. The region has been at the centre of fighting since the Russian invasion in 2022.
Diplomacy
Speaking to foreign media at a late-night news conference, Russian leader Vladimir Putin dismissed fears that he was planning to attack the NATO military alliance. He said the military bloc and its rearmament did not threaten Russia.
Putin said he would consider Germany to be a direct actor in the Ukraine war should it supply Kyiv with Taurus cruise missiles. Earlier this month, Germany’s Ministry of Defence said it did not have plans to do so, despite repeated requests from Ukraine.
Putin further said he does not consider Germany to be a “neutral state”, but a “party supporting Ukraine, and in some cases … as accomplices in these hostilities”.
Despite his remarks, Putin said he was prepared to meet with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, although he also expressed doubts about Germany’s role as a mediator in the Russia-Ukraine war.
Putin has offered to meet with Zelenskyy but only during the “final phase” of talks to end the conflict. Last month, Putin declined to attend a face-to-face summit in Istanbul with the Ukrainian president.
Zelenskyy is reportedly planning to attend a NATO meeting in The Hague next week, where members will discuss raising defence spending to 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).
Sanctions
Canada announced new sanctions targeting 77 individuals, 39 entities and 200 vessels in Russia’s “shadow fleet” of oil tankers. In addition to the sanctions, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney pledged a further $1.47bn in military support for Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin says Israel has given assurances about the safety of its personnel at Iran’s Russian-built nuclear power plant in Bushehr. Russia and Iran have been working on the joint project for three decades. He made the comments at a meeting with foreign press.
Iranian TV has aired footage of what it says is Iran’s air defences shooting down an Israeli Hermes 900 drone. It’s the first time Iran has aired footage of a drone takedown. The UAV crashed near the city of Isfahan.
Real Madrid draw 1-1 with Al Hilal in lively FIFA Club World Cup opener for the Spanish and Saudi giants in Miami.
Real Madrid laboured to a 1-1 draw against a spirited Al Hilal in the FIFA Club World Cup as Xabi Alonso’s managerial debut failed to launch in Florida.
The 15-time European champions delivered only flashes of promise on Wednesday in searing Miami heat at a nearly sold-out Hard Rock Stadium.
Gonzalo Garcia, stepping in for the fever-stricken Kylian Mbappe, gave Real the lead in the 34th minute with a composed finish after a fine passing move on the right flank.
Portuguese international midfielder Ruben Neves levelled from the spot before halftime, stepped up and sent keeper Thibaut Courtois the wrong way, as Simone Inzaghi’s men showed defensive grit and enough attacking intent to rattle their illustrious opponents.
A last-gasp missed penalty from Federico Valverde summed up a day when Real’s legs, and ideas, wilted in the heat and humidity.
Defeat would have been hard on Al Hilal under new coach Simone Inzaghi. Saudi Arabia’s most successful team had its own chances to win at Hard Rock Stadium before a VAR call saw Madrid awarded the late spot kick.
“The first half was not as good as the second; we improved and had better chances and control,” said Alonso, evaluating his side’s performance with the official broadcaster of the event, DAZN.
“Every game, we need to take positives, we can learn and keep improving.”
On the heat in Miami that hit 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius), Alonso added, “It was a really demanding environment.”
While it was an underwhelming start for Alonso, Inzaghi’s Al Hilal made an early statement of its potential by holding its own against the Spanish power.
It might have been even better. Leonardo had three chances in front of goal and failed to hit the target. Had star striker Aleksandar Mitrovic been fit and available, Al Hilal could have been celebrating a win.
RB Salzburg and Pachuca meet in the other Group H fixture later on Wednesday.
Real will next face the Mexican side on Sunday, while Al Hilal will take on Salzburg in what could prove a decisive clash for qualification to the knockout stage.
Alonso’s was not the only debut as Trent Alexander-Arnold made his first start for Los Blancos since joining from Liverpool.
“Incredible day to have made a debut for Real Madrid, almost every player dreams of it,” the England international defender told DAZN.
“Of course, there is disappointment not to have won the game, and that is the mentality you need as a Real player – to expect to win every game.
“Disappointed not to do that, but there were a lot of positives in the second half.
“We kept the ball better in the second half, in the heat here, it’s best to keep hold of it for as long as you can and let the other side do the running.
“We made them sit deep in the second half, put crosses in and got shots off. We had the late penalty, but these things happen in football.”
Alexander-Arnold confirmed his move to Real Madrid before the end of the season, having revealed he would not be renewing his contract with his boyhood club, and Premier League champions, Liverpool.
The 26-year-old added that he has already noticed the difference in size of the club since moving to Real, “We dominated the stands today as well, and the support was amazing. I felt support from the moment I signed for the club,” he said.
“Their fan base is truly global. You feel it everywhere, from the hotel to social media.”
Here are the key events on day six of the Israel-Iran conflict.
Here’s where things stand on Monday, June 18:
Fighting
The Israeli army continued to launch attacks across Iran, targeting the capital Tehran, where explosions were reported throughout the day, in the central province of Isfahan as well as near Kahraj.
Israel said it struck 40 sites in Iran, including weapons facilities. Other strikes targeted two centrifuge production facilities – one in Tehran and one in Kahraj, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Israel’s military claimed it is “operating freely” in Iranian skies, while confirming one of its unmanned aircraft was downed in Iranian territory. Iranian state media said Iranian forces shot down an Israeli drone and fighter jet.
An Iranian drone that entered airspace over the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights in Syria was also intercepted, Israel said, adding later that a second drone was intercepted in the south of the territory.
Iran also launched a wave of missile attacks towards Israel. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said long-range Sejjil missiles were used in its 12th wave of firings at Israel.
The IRGC warned that the skies above “occupied lands” are open to Iranian missiles and drones, adding that the attacks will be “focused and continuous”.
Explosions were reported in the greater Tel Aviv area and east of the city. Israel said it intercepted eight missiles in that salvo in the evening.
Casualties and disruptions
An Israeli strike on a vehicle in Isfahan’s Najafabad killed six people, including a pregnant woman and two children, according to local media reports.
Israel did not report any deaths on Wednesday.
Iran’s Ministry of Communications said it will temporarily limit internet access to prevent “the enemy from threatening citizens’ lives and property”.
The London-based internet watchdog NetBlocks also said that there was a “near-total national internet blackout”.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development in Iran announced the extension of domestic and international flight cancellations until early Thursday.
Public safety guidelines in Israel that heavily restricted activity were eased. Limited gatherings and work operations are now allowed in areas where people can quickly reach a “standard protected place” until Friday evening.
Diplomacy
Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei delivered his first televised address since Israel began its attacks on Friday, warning that any United States military intervention in the conflict would be met with “irreparable consequences”.
Esmaeil Baghaei, Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman, warned in an interview with Al Jazeera that any US intervention would be “a recipe for an all-out war in the region”.
US President Donald Trump spoke to reporters on the White House lawn, and when asked if the US was moving closer to striking Iran, he said: “I may do it. I may not do it.”
Trump also claimed that Iranian officials reached out to him and suggested visiting the White House. Iran has denied this, saying “the only thing more despicable than his lies is his cowardly threat to ‘take out’ Iran’s Supreme Leader”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Trump for his “support in defending Israel’s skies”, describing him as a “a great friend of the state of Israel”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated his country’s willingness to help mediate the crisis.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country wants to see the crisis resolved diplomatically and Ankara could play a constructive role, but accused Israel of waging “crazed” attacks against Iran that amount to “state terrorism”.
France is planning along with European partners to suggest a negotiated solution to end the conflict between Iran and Israel, the country’s presidency said, after President Emmanuel Macron chaired a Defence and National Security Council meeting.
Macron has indicated that military regime change in Iran is a strategic mistake, according to France’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations has requested an emergency UN Security Council meeting, saying the situation “has dangerously escalated due to mounting and undeniable evidence of direct US involvement”.
UN chief Antonio Guterres said he remains “profoundly alarmed” and reiterated calls for “immediate de-escalation leading to a ceasefire”.
Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz defended his comments, which drew outrage in some quarters, terming Israel’s attacks on Iran as “dirty work Israel is doing for all of us”.
Iran has consistently denied seeking a nuclear weapon, and IAEA chief Rafael Grossi told Al Jazeera that the UN nuclear watchdog has found no evidence that Iran was building one.
The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Friday. Iran requested the meeting, saying the situation “has dangerously escalated due to mounting and undeniable evidence of direct US involvement in this unlawful campaign”.
Following a sharp slowdown due to Trump’s tariff announcement, corporate loan activity is picking up, driven by improved pricing and investor appetite, though credit quality concerns still loom.
Speculative-grade corporate loan issuance in the US and Europe plummeted in April but has since recovered somewhat, providing corporate borrowers with a window to refinance or reprice existing debt—although lenders may be wary—and potentially take on new debt to pursue acquisitions or other capital-intensive moves.
The US saw record loan issuance in January and February, at $69.9 billion and $57.7 billion, respectively, according to PitchBook LCD. Following the Trump Administration’s tariff announcements, volume fell to $35 billion and took an even steeper drop to $19.7 billion in April.
Speculative debt issuance in the U.K. and elsewhere in Europe typically pales compared to the US market, but in April it plummeted as well, according to PitchBook, to $300 million from $2.5 billion in the U.K., and to $6.5 billion from $16.1 billion among other European borrowers.
In May and through the first half of June, however, volume across these regions staged a recovery, as demand from lenders increased, providing corporate borrowers with the opportunity to issue debt at more attractive rates.
Marina Lukatsky, global head of research, credit, and US private equity at PitchBook, said that pricing on new-issue loans in the US dropped from SOFR plus 375 bps in April to SOFR plus 365 bps in May, and while the current level is approximately 10 bps wider than in the first quarter, it’s tighter than most of 2024.
“As a result, borrowers approaching the market will find attractive spreads, especially high-quality companies from sectors isolated from tariff turbulence,” Lukatsky said.
Further underscoring the shift in market dynamics toward borrowers, she said, repricing existing debt re-emerged after the recent slump.
“LCD tracked $13 billion of these deals so far in June, more than March through May combined,” Lutatsky said.
The current window to approach the market, however, may not be fully open for all borrowers. Sean Griffin, CEO and executive director at the LSTA, pointed out that most companies seeking to refinance or reprice debt in US dollars have done so already, and loan maturities don’t pick up significantly until 2028. Consequently, lenders will look twice at borrowers approaching the market today.
“If a company has a pending maturity and it hasn’t done anything about it until now, lenders may suspect there’s an issue with the credit, indicating pricing on the wider-end,” Griffin said.
Lutatsky said the loan markets in the U.K. and other European countries saw similar drops and rebounds to the US in terms of loan issuance. They have also seen a jump in loans trading above par—increasing more than 40% by the end of May—that indicates repricing activity is resuming. She noted repricing deals for Ion Marks, Valeo Foods, and Eir Telecom that launched June 16.
“In terms of M&A activity to support volume levels, there does seem to be slightly more optimism in Europe, and there is some loan issuance supporting deals to be syndicated in the next few months,” Lutatsky said, pointing to Advent’s bid for French insurance broker Kereis, and Ardian’s investment in Diot-Siaci, a reinsurance brokerage and consulting group. “Year-over-year loan volume supporting M&A activity, she said, has more than doubled in 2025—$13.3 billion through June 13, compared to $6.1 billion in 2024 over the same time period.”
Published on 18/06/2025 – 18:37 GMT+2•Updated
18:43
ADVERTISEMENT
The conflict in the Middle East will further worsen the global economic outlook, already strained by ongoing trade disputes, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund (FMI) has told Euronews in an interview.
“Being hit by a trade war has consequences. We have projected a decline in global growth by half a percentage point,” Kristalina Georgieva said, adding: “What we witness now is more turbulence in the Middle East, which adds to uncertainty and therefore is bad for business.”
Since Donald Trump’s return to power as leader of the world’s largest economy, international trade has been disrupted by a wave of tariffs imposed by the US administration on its global partners.
Mexico and Canada were the initial targets, followed by a prolonged standoff between the US and China, which saw reciprocal tariffs between the pair soar to more than 100%.
On 2 April— a day he dubbed “Liberation Day”—Trump imposed tariffs on a wide range of countries, including the EU. He then declared a 90-day truce, set to expire on 9 July.
Negotiations are currently underway with the EU, which currently faces tariffs of 50% on steel and aluminum, 25% on cars, and 10% on all its exports to the US.
However, the director of the IMF, which is responsible for financial stability across the world and facilitate global trade, admitted that “the global economy has proven to be remarkably resilient to shocks, and that resilience continues.”
In her view, economic uncertainty is becoming the new normal.
“We live in a more shock-prone world, a world of higher uncertainty,” Georgieva said, adding: “For this world, countries need to work hard to be more resilient. Do reforms at home that would make your economies stronger.”
Georgieva, a former vice-president of the European Commission, also expressed optimism with the economic outlook despite the bleak growth figures.
She considered that the recent trade agreement between China and the US and the deal Trump has brokered with the UK to be good signs, saying: “We are in a better place.”
In an uncertain context, she also sees opportunities to be seized—an outlook shared by the European Commission, which is pursuing a strategy of diversifying its trading partners by expanding the number of trade agreements worldwide.
“In Europe, we see an increase in bilateral and plurilateral agreements, which I expect to be a big feature of the future of trade globally,” she told Euronews, adding that it is a great moment for Europe, “a defender of rules-based” global trade exchanges.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has warned the United States that joining Israeli strikes on his country would “result in irreparable consequences” for the US as his and US President Donald Trump’s war of words accelerates and the Israel-Iran hostilities rage for a sixth day.
In his first televised address since Israel began its attacks on Friday, Khamenei said on Wednesday that Iran “will not surrender to anyone”.
Iran “will stand firm against an imposed war, just as it will stand firm against an imposed peace”, he said.
Responding to threatening remarks made a day earlier by Trump, Khamenei said those who know Iran and its history “know that Iranians do not answer well to the language of threat”.
In recent days, Trump has strongly hinted that the US could join in Israel’s military operation against Iran, saying he is seeking something “much bigger” than a ceasefire.
In comments made on Wednesday on the White House lawn at a flag-raising ceremony, Trump said: “I may do it. I may not do it,” when asked if the US was moving closer to striking Iran.
He claimed, without offering any evidence, that Iran is “totally defenceless. They have no air defence whatsoever.” Iran has said it has had success in bringing down Israeli drones and fighter jets.
“The next week is going to be very big, maybe less than a week,” Trump said without elaborating.
The US has in recent days sent more warplanes to the Middle East and is also sending the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier.
The US president claimed Iranian officials reached out to him and suggested visiting the White House, something Iran denies.
“No Iranian official has ever asked to grovel at the gates of the White House. The only thing more despicable than his lies is his cowardly threat to ‘take out’ Iran’s Supreme Leader,” the Iranian mission at the United Nations said in a post on X.
No Iranian official has ever asked to grovel at the gates of the White House. The only thing more despicable than his lies is his cowardly threat to “take out” Iran’s Supreme Leader.
Iran does NOT negotiate under duress, shall NOT accept peace under duress, and certainly NOT…
— I.R.IRAN Mission to UN, NY (@Iran_UN) June 18, 2025
Trump’s comments came after he demanded on Tuesday Iran’s “unconditional surrender”, saying: “We now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran.” He also boasted that the US could easily assassinate Khamenei.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei echoed Khamenei’s sentiments, warning: “Any American intervention would be a recipe for an all-out war in the region.”
Iran is “under an attack by a genocidal” government and it will defend itself with “full force” against Israel’s “war of aggression”, Baghaei said.
Significantly, he added he trusted that Iran’s Arab neighbours would not allow the US to launch attacks on Iran from their countries.
Day 6 of Israel-Iran hostilities
The warnings were issued as Israel and Iran exchanged fire for a sixth consecutive day. The Israeli military said it struck 40 sites in Iran, including centrifuge production and weapons facilities.
The strikes targeted two centrifuge production sites – one in Tehran and one in Karaj, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera’s Tohid Assadi said explosions were heard near Payam International Airport in Karaj as well as in areas in eastern Tehran. An Iranian government spokesperson also confirmed cyberattacks on at least two of Iran’s banks, he added.
Translation: Another attack near the same previous location in northeast Tehran. Sadr Highway is visible in the footage.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israeli jets “destroyed the Iranian regime’s internal security headquarters” without providing evidence.
Israel’s military confirmed one of its remotely piloted aircraft fell in Iran after being shot at by a surface-to-air missile. “No injuries were reported, and there is no risk of an information breach,” the military said. Iranian state media earlier had said Iranian forces shot down an Israeli drone and fighter jet.
‘Crazed’ Israeli attacks
Israeli strikes have continued to target other areas of Iran, including the central province of Isfahan. An Israeli strike on a vehicle in Najafabad killed six people, including a pregnant woman and two children, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported.
According to Iran’s Ministry of Health and Medical Education, at least 240 people, including 70 women and children, have been killed since Israel began attacking the country.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Israeli army said it is “operating freely” in Iranian skies and had shot down 10 Iranian drones.
It also said its forces intercepted an Iranian drone that entered airspace over the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights in Syria.
Meanwhile, explosions were heard over Tel Aviv on Wednesday morning as the army said two barrages of Iranian missiles were launched towards the country.
Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh, reporting from Amman, Jordan, said Iran’s missile attacks are creating an unprecedented “disruption” of life.
“Over the past six days, the Israeli public has experienced something they haven’t in the past: a formidable army that is firing ballistic missiles at Israeli cities and sensitive Israeli sites,” Odeh said.
They’re seeing “reports in their back yard of dozens of buildings damaged and condemned for demolition,” she said. “There are more than 1,300 Israelis who now have to live in hotels because their homes are unliveable, damaged beyond repair.”
The attacks have continued to cause global concern, and many countries have expressed a need for de-escalation.
Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated his country’s willingness to help mediate the crisis.
Speaking to members of his ruling Justice and Development Party in parliament, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country wants to see the crisis resolved diplomatically and Ankara could play a constructive role.
Erdogan accused Israel of waging “crazed” attacks against Iran that amount to “state terrorism”.
Iran’s response, he said, has been natural, legal and legitimate.
Hassan Ahmadian, an associate professor at the University of Tehran, said he doubts the prospects for any diplomatic solution between Iran and the US, which had been trying to reach a new nuclear agreement before Israel launched its attacks.
“The minimal trust that led to the negotiations with the US is currently nonexistent,” Ahmadian said, adding that many Iranians now view the previous round of nuclear talks as little more than a distraction before the surprise Israeli attack.
“I don’t see much of a chance for diplomacy at this point – not until this confrontation ends and we see what comes next,” he told Al Jazeera.
Erick is expected to rapidly intensify and reach major hurricane strength as it approaches Mexico’s coast.
Hurricane Erick is forecast to bring heavy rain, strong winds, storm surge and possible mudslides to southern coastal Mexico, the United States National Hurricane Center (NHC) has said, causing potential “life-threatening flooding and mudslides.”
Initially a tropical storm, Erick grew into a Category 1 hurricane on Wednesday, packing maximum sustained winds of 120km/h (75 mph), the meteorological centre said. It was located 255km (158 miles) from the town of Puerto Angel in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca.
“Rapid strengthening is expected today, and Erick may reach major hurricane strength when it approaches the coast of southern Mexico Thursday,” the NHC said.
Forecasts predicted rainfall across the Mexican states of Oaxaca and Guerrero, as well as less heavy rains for the states of Chiapas, Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum urged the population to be alert.
The storm’s projected path would take its centre near the renowned resort of Acapulco, which was devastated in October 2023 by Hurricane Otis, a Category 5 hurricane that killed at least 52 people, and left a trail of destruction, after the storm severely damaged almost all of the resort’s hotels.
John, a Category 3 storm that hit in September last year, caused about 15 deaths.
India and Pakistan will meet in the round-robin stage of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 on October 5, five months after the most intense military escalations between the two nations, cricket’s governing body has confirmed.
The cricket powerhouses will also face each other in the group stage of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, with the marquee clash scheduled for June 14, according to the tournament’s schedule announced by the ICC on Wednesday.
India are hosting the 50-over World Cup 2025 from September 30 to November 2, but all of Pakistan’s fixtures – including any appearances in the semifinals and final – will be held in Sri Lanka as both countries agreed to an ICC-brokered deal in December 2024 to face each other at neutral venues at future ICC events.
India and Pakistan were engaged in a four-day conflict last month, their worst standoff since 1999, before a ceasefire was agreed on May 10. More than 70 people were killed in missile, drone and artillery fire on both sides, but there are competing claims on the casualties.
Following the escalations, several Indian media outlets reported that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has asked the ICC to avoid allocating them the same group as Pakistan in global tournaments.
However, BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla confirmed that while India does not “want to play with Pakistan in bilateral series because of the government’s stand”, the country will meet its western neighbour at ICC events “due to the ICC’s engagement”.
“The ICC is also aware, whatever is happening, they will look into it,” Shukla was quoted as saying by Indian media.
During the standoff, which led to fears of an all-out war, former and current cricketers from both countries made social media posts in support of their respective armed forces.
Given the gravity of the situation, the possibility of both nations meeting on a cricket field was under some doubt, but the ICC confirmed the 50-over tournament’s schedule on Monday, with the India-Pakistan round-robin stage match scheduled in Colombo, Sri Lanka, during the first week of the tournament.
The rest of Pakistan’s six fixtures will also be played in the Sri Lankan capital, with the R Premadasa Stadium the likely venue.
Should Pakistan qualify for the semifinals, they will play the first knockout match on October 29 in Colombo. If they do not qualify, the match will be played on the same date in Guwahati.
The fate of the final will also be decided in a similar manner, with Colombo bagging the hosting rights should Pakistan make it, and Bengaluru hosting it in case they do not.
The eight-team Women’s Cricket World Cup will begin on September 30 with hosts India taking on Sri Lanka at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Defending champions Australia, England, Bangladesh, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka are the other participant nations.
India and Pakistan meet only in global and regional cricket tournaments as they do not play bilateral cricket series [File: Altaf Qadri/AP Photo]
India and Pakistan will meet again in June next year, when they play their Group 1 match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in the United Kingdom.
The match will be played at Edgbaston cricket ground in Birmingham at 13:30 GMT.
The tournament, which was last won by New Zealand in 2024, will be held at seven venues across England and Wales.
Hosts England will play Sri Lanka at Edgbaston in the tournament opener on June 12 at 17:30 GMT.
Twelve teams, divided into two groups, will participate.
Group 1 comprises Australia, India, Pakistan, South Africa and two qualifiers, which will be decided at the end of the qualifying rounds in 2026.
Group 2 includes England, New Zealand, West Indies, Sri Lanka and two qualifiers.
The semifinals are scheduled for June 30 and July 2 at the Oval cricket ground in London, while Lord’s Cricket Ground will host the final on July 5.
The last meeting between India and Pakistan came at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in Dubai on October 6, when India eased to a six-wicket win in the group-stage encounter.
Last month, the US and the EU announced the relaxation of sanctions on Syria.
“It’s their time to shine. We’re taking them all off,” said US President Donald Trump in a speech that sparked an outburst of joy in Damascus.
After 14 years of war, 90% of the Syrian population live beneath the poverty line. Since the Assad regime fell in December, removing the sanctions to kickstart the economy has been a top priority of transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the leader of the victorious rebellion; but Syria has been under severe US restrictions since 1979 and lifting them won’t be simple.
The principal strictures are the 2019 Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act and the 2003 Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act (SALSA). Only Congress can fully repeal them, and that will take months, at best. The executive branch can issue temporary waivers, as the Treasury Department did in May, but the real impact on Syrian corporates and finan- cial institutions remains limited.
“Only the full cancellation of US Caesar and SALSA laws, and not just their temporary suspension, could open the door for long-term investment,” argues Samir Aita, president of the Circle of Arab Economists, a Paris-based think tank.
For Syrian banks, which remain largely cut off from global financial networks, rejoining the Swift system for transfer and reporting correspondent banking relationships is first on the agenda. “The Syrian market is very promising; it is almost virgin,” says Ali Awdeh, head of research at the Union of Arab Banks, “but honestly, no banks from the Arab region or elsewhere will dare to enter this market until there is a full lifting of US sanctions.” In Europe, the process is less complicated. Last month, the European Council lifted sanctions on several Syrian companies operating in key sectors like oil production, agriculture, finance, construction, telecoms, and media. Depending on how the situation in Syria develops, other companies could be delisted in the coming months. Restrictions will remain, however, for industries that pose security concerns, such as weapon sales.
For more than three decades, a familiar refrain has echoed from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: Iran is on the verge of developing nuclear weapons.
Since 1992, when Netanyahu addressed Israel’s Knesset as an MP, he has consistently claimed that Tehran is only years away from acquiring a nuclear bomb. “Within three to five years, we can assume that Iran will become autonomous in its ability to develop and produce a nuclear bomb,” he declared at the time. The prediction was later repeated in his 1995 book, Fighting Terrorism.
The sense of imminent threat has repeatedly shaped Netanyahu’s engagement with United States officials. In 2002, he appeared before a US congressional committee, advocating for the invasion of Iraq and suggesting that both Iraq and Iran were racing to obtain nuclear weapons. The US-led invasion of Iraq followed soon after, but no weapons of mass destruction were found.
In 2009, a US State Department cable released by WikiLeaks revealed him telling members of Congress that Iran was just one or two years away from nuclear capability.
Three years later, at the United Nations General Assembly, Netanyahu famously brandished a cartoon drawing of a bomb to illustrate his claims that Iran was closer than ever to the nuclear threshold. “By next spring, at most by next summer … they will have finished the medium enrichment and move on to the final stage,” he said in 2012.
Now, more than 30 years after his first warning, Israel has conducted attacks against Iran while Netanyahu maintains that the threat remains urgent. “If not stopped, Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in a very short time,” he argued recently, suggesting the timeline could be months, even weeks.
These assertions persist despite statements from the US Director of National Intelligence earlier this year saying Iran was not building a nuclear weapon.
For Netanyahu, the message has scarcely changed in decades — a warning that appears to transcend shifting intelligence assessments and diplomatic developments.
Ukraine’s leader was denied a meeting with his most powerful ally, after Donald Trump left the summit a day early.
The Group of Seven summit in Canada has ended without leaders issuing a joint statement in support of Ukraine, as Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that “diplomacy is now in a state of crisis”.
The summit of major industrial democracies, which wrapped up in the Canadian Rocky Mountain resort of Kananaskis late on Tuesday, had been intended to showcase unity on major global issues.
But unlike in previous years, when the group had jointly denounced Russian “aggression” against Ukraine, this time it was unable to issue a statement in support of the embattled Western ally, in a sign of growing differences within the group amid escalating global crises.
Zelenskyy met the leaders of Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Japan, along with NATO chief Mark Rutte, on the final day of the conference. However, a meeting with the leader of the group’s most powerful member, the United States – President Donald Trump – did not take place after he left the summit a day early to address the escalating hostilities between Israel and Iran from Washington.
Zelenskyy said after the meeting that he had told the remaining G7 leaders that “diplomacy is now in a state of crisis”, and asked them to continue calling on Trump “to use his real influence” to press for an end to the war, according to a post on his official Telegram account.
Statement on US resistance retracted
A Canadian official initially told reporters on the sidelines of the summit that plans for a joint statement on Ukraine had been dropped after meeting resistance from the US, which wanted to water down the content, news agencies reported.
But Emily Williams, a spokesperson for Canada’s prime minister, later retracted the briefing statement and said “no proposed statement regarding Ukraine was distributed to other leaders”, agencies reported.
A Canadian official said there had never been an attempt to issue a joint statement on Ukraine because of Trump’s wishes to continue negotiating with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the AFP news agency reported.
“It was clear that it would not have been feasible to find detailed language that all G7 partners could agree to in that context,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
Trump had underlined the differences in views towards Russia within the group on Monday, when he said it had been a mistake to expel Moscow from what was formerly the G8 in response to its invasion and annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea in 2014.
Canada pledges military support
Zelenskyy had arrived at the summit calling for support from Ukraine’s allies, and declaring he was ready for peace negotiations.
“We are ready for the peace negotiations, unconditional ceasefire,” he said. “But for this, we need pressure.”
He left with a pledge from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to provide 2 billion Canadian dollars ($1.47bn) in new military assistance for Kyiv, as well as to impose new financial sanctions on Russia.
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy, left, and Canadian PM Carney at the G7, June 17, 2025 [Suzanne Plunkett/AP Photo]
Trump did agree to a group statement before his departure, calling for a resolution of the Israel-Iran conflict. The statement, issued on Monday, backed Israel, calling Iran the principal source of regional instability and terror, and asserting that Israel has the right to defend itself.
The statement called for a “de-escalation of hostilities”, despite some bellicose social media posts from Trump hinting at greater US military involvement in the conflict.
As the conflict between Iran and Israel escalates, United States President Donald Trump’s administration is offering mixed signals about whether it still backs a diplomatic solution to Iran’s nuclear programme.
Publicly, it has backed a negotiated agreement, and US and Iranian negotiators had planned to meet again this week. As recently as Thursday, Trump insisted in a Truth Social post: “We remain committed to a Diplomatic Resolution.”
But 14 hours later as Israel began its attacks on Iran, Trump posted that he had given Iran a 60-day deadline to reach an agreement – and that the deadline had passed. By Sunday, Trump was insisting that “Israel and Iran should make a deal” and they would with his help.
On Monday as Trump prepared to leave the Group of Seven summit in Canada early, his warnings grew more ominous: He posted that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and “Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” The US president later denied speculation that he had returned to Washington, DC, early to negotiate a ceasefire, noting that it was for something “much bigger than that”.
Trump’s ambiguous statements have fuelled debate among analysts about the true extent of US involvement and intentions in the Israel-Iran conflict.
Debating Trump’s wink and a nod
Trump has denied any US involvement in the strikes. “The U.S. had nothing to do with the attack on Iran, tonight,” he wrote on Sunday.
Kelsey Davenport, director for nonproliferation policy at the US-based Arms Control Association, said Trump’s messaging had been clear. “I think that President Trump has been very clear in his opposition to the use of military force against Iran while diplomacy was playing out. And reporting suggests that he pushed back against [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu,” she said.
What’s more likely, Davenport said, is that “Israel was worried that diplomacy would succeed, that it would mean a deal” and “that it did not view [this as] matching its interests and objectives regarding Iran”.
Richard Nephew, a professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, agreed, saying it was Trump’s consistent march towards a deal that troubled Israel.
“I think it is that consistency that’s actually been the thing that’s the problem,” said Nephew, who served as director for Iran at the US National Security Council from 2011 to 2013 under then-President Barack Obama.
But Ali Ansari, a professor of Iranian history at St Andrews University in Scotland, disagreed.
“The US was aware. … Even if the specific timing did surprise them, they must have been aware, so a wink is about right,” he told Al Jazeera.
“At the same time, the US view is that Israel must take the lead and should really do this on their own,” he said.
Could Trump get sucked into the conflict?
Israel is believed to have destroyed the above-ground section of Iran’s uranium enrichment facility at Natanz. The facility has enriched uranium to 60 percent purity – far above the 3.67 percent needed for nuclear power but below the 90 percent purity needed for an atomic bomb. Power loss at Natanz as a result of the Israeli strike may have also damaged the underground enrichment section at Natanz, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
But in the IAEA’s assessment, Israel did not damage Iran’s other uranium enrichment plant at Fordow, which is buried inside a mountain and also enriches uranium to 60 percent purity.
“It’s likely that Israel would need US support if it actually wanted to penetrate some of these underground facilities,” Davenport said, pointing to the largest US conventional bomb, the 13,600kg (30,000lb) Massive Ordnance Penetrator.
“[With] repeated strikes with that munition, you could likely damage or destroy some of these facilities,” Davenport said, noting that Washington “has not transferred that bomb to Israel”.
Barbara Slavin, a distinguished fellow at the Stimson Center, a US-based think tank, also told Al Jazeera that Israel would need US weapons to complete its stated mission of destroying Iran’s nuclear programme.
Nephew, for one, did not discount the chances of that happening.
“We know that [Trump] likes to be on the side of winners. To the extent that he perceives the Israelis as winners right now, that is the reason why he is maintaining his position and why I think we have a wink [to Israel],” he said.
On Friday, the US flew a large number of midair-refuelling planes to the Middle East and ordered the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz to sail there. On Tuesday, it announced it was sending more warplanes to the region.
Ansari agreed that the initial success of Israel’s attacks could mean that “Trump is tempted to join in just to get some of the glory,” but he thinks this could force Iran to stand down.
“It may well be that the US does join in on an attack on Fordow although I think even the genuine threat of an American attack will bring the Iranians to the table,” Ansari said. “They can concede – with honour – to the United States; they can’t to Israel, though they may have no choice.”
Wary of American involvement, US Senator Tim Kaine introduced a war powers resolution on Monday that would require the US Congress to authorise any military action against Iran.
“It is not in our national security interest to get into a war with Iran unless that war is absolutely necessary to defend the United States,” Kaine said.
Diplomacy vs force
Obama did not believe a military solution was attractive or feasible for Iran’s nuclear programme, and he opted for a diplomatic process that resulted in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2015. That agreement called for the IAEA to monitor all of Iran’s nuclear activities to ensure that uranium enrichment only reached the levels required for energy production.
According to Nephew and Davenport, Trump indirectly fanned the flames of the military option when he pulled the US out of the JCPOA as president in 2018 at Israel’s behest.
Two years later, Iran said it would enrich uranium to 4.5 percent purity, and in 2021, it refined it to 20 percent purity. In 2023, the IAEA said it had found uranium particles at Fordow enriched to 83.7 percent purity.
Trump offered no alternative to the JCPOA during his first presidential term, nor did President Joe Biden after him.
“Setting [the JCPOA] on fire was a direct contribution to where we are today,” Nephew said. Seeking a military path instead of a diplomatic one to curtail a nuclear programme “contributes to a proliferation path”, he said, “because countries say, ‘The only way I can protect myself is if I go down this path.’”
Davenport, an expert on the nuclear and missile programmes of Iran and North Korea, said even the regime change in Tehran that Netanyahu has called for wouldn’t solve the problem.
“Regime change is not an assured nonproliferation strategy,” she said. “We don’t know what would come next in Iran if this regime were to fall. If it were the military seizing control, nuclear weapons might be more likely. But even if it were a more open democratic government, democracies choose to build nuclear weapons too.”
Donald Trump had said last month that the nuclear-armed neighbours agreed to a ceasefire after talks mediated by the US.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it clear to United States President Donald Trump that a ceasefire between India and Pakistan after a four-day conflict in May was achieved through talks between the two militaries and not US mediation, a top diplomat in New Delhi says.
“PM Modi told President Trump clearly that during this period, there was no talk at any stage on subjects like India-U.S. trade deal or US mediation between India and Pakistan,” Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said in a press statement on Wednesday.
“Talks for ceasing military action happened directly between India and Pakistan through existing military channels, and on the insistence of Pakistan. Prime Minister Modi emphasised that India has not accepted mediation in the past and will never do,” he said.
Misri said the two leaders spoke over the phone late on Tuesday on Trump’s insistence after the two leaders were unable to meet on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada, which Modi attended as a guest. The call lasted 35 minutes.
Trump had said last month that the nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours agreed to the ceasefire after talks mediated by the US, and that the hostilities ended after he urged the countries to focus on trade instead of war.
There was no immediate comment from the White House on the Modi-Trump call.
Pakistan has previously said the ceasefire was agreed after its military returned a call the Indian military had initiated on May 7.
In an interview with Al Jazeera in May, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar rejected claims that Washington mediated the truce and insisted Islamabad acted independently.
The conflict between India and Pakistan was triggered by an April 22 attack in Pahalgam, in Indian-administered Kashmir, in which 26 civilians, almost all tourists, were killed. India blamed armed groups allegedly backed by Pakistan, a charge Islamabad denied.
On May 7, India launched missile strikes at multiple sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Over the next three days, the two countries exchanged artillery and air raids, hitting each other’s airbases.
Pakistan said at least 51 people, including 11 soldiers and several children, were killed in Indian attacks.
India’s military said at least five members of the armed forces were killed in Operation Sindoor, under which it launched the cross-border strikes.
Misri said Trump expressed his support for India’s fight against “terrorism” and that Modi told him Operation Sindoor was still on.
A stunning header from the veteran Spanish defender delights the pro-Mexican fans as the European giants are held.
Sergio Ramos rolled back the years to score a brilliant header as Monterrey held Inter Milan to a 1-1 draw in their FIFA Club World Cup clash at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, United States.
The former Spain and Real Madrid defender towered above the Inter defenders to find the back of the net and give his Mexican club a lead in the 25th minute of their Group E fixture, much to the delight of the thousands of Monterrey fans gathered at the famous venue in Southern California on Tuesday.
European giants Inter levelled the scoreline in the 42nd minute, as Lautaro Martinez tapped in from close range from a Carlos Augusto pass in a superbly crafted team goal.
However, it was Ramos’s goal and ensuing celebrations – both by the player and the Monterrey fans – that stole the limelight on the fourth day of the club competition.
“There is always joy to contribute to the team by scoring, but if we can get points, that’s even better,” the Monterrey captain said after the match.
“We played very well as a team. Of course, football showcases the goal, but we’re here to share this experience.”
Both sides had plenty of opportunities to take the lead in the second half but missed their chances, with a Martinez strike being called offside in the 68th minute.
It was a hard-fought draw for Inter, who lost the UEFA Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on May 31 and welcomed new manager Cristian Chivu.
According to the 39-year-old Ramos, his team lacked the energy in the final moments of the game.
“For most of this match, we created quite a few chances, but at this moment, we don’t have much energy,” he said.
Fans of Monterrey cheer for their team during the game [Yuri Cortez/AFP]
Monterrey and Inter have one point apiece in the group led by River Plate, who beat Urawa Red Diamonds 3-1 in the earlier game in Seattle.
Goals from Facundo Colidio (12 minutes), Sebastian Driussi (48 minutes) and Maximiliano Meza (73 minutes) helped the Argentinian club beat their Japanese opponents with ease, but they lost their forward to an ankle injury while scoring the second goal.
A successfully converted 58th-minute penalty from Yusuke Matsuo brought Urawa back into the game momentarily, but Meza’s goal 15 minutes later consolidated River Plate’s lead again.
On the second match day for the group on Saturday, Inter take on Urawa, and Monterrey face River Plate.
In the Group F fixtures on Tuesday, Brazilian Serie A side Fluminense held German club Borussia Dortmund to a goalless draw at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, while Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa beat South Korean side Ulsan HD 1-0 in Orlando, Florida.
Iqraam Rayners scored in the 36th minute for Mamelodi, who now lead Group F with three points. Dortmund and Fluminense have one point each.
Urawa Red Diamonds’ Yoichi Naganuma, right, in action with River Plate’s Franco Mastantuono during their FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Group E match at the Lumen Field stadium in Seattle [Pablo Porciuncula/AFP]
Asian shares were mixed and oil prices remained high on Wednesday as investors closely tracked the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East.
US benchmark crude oil was down around 0.43% at $74.52 per barrel in the afternoon in Asia — or the morning in Europe. Brent crude, the international standard, slipped around 0.43% at $76.12, although both WTI and Brent remain historically high on the month.
Crude prices rose more than 4% on Tuesday after US President Donald Trump left a Group of Seven summit in Canada early and warned that people in Iran’s capital should evacuate immediately.
Within about eight hours, Trump went from suggesting a nuclear deal with Iran remained “achievable” to urging Tehran’s 9.5 million residents to flee for their lives. Iran and Israel continued to exchange air strikes on Wednesday.
The fighting has driven prices for crude oil and gasoline higher because Iran is a major oil exporter and it sits on the narrow Strait of Hormuz, through which much of the world’s crude passes. Past conflicts in the area have caused spikes in oil prices, though they’ve historically proven brief after showing that they did not disrupt the flow of oil.
Japan, meanwhile, reported that its exports fell in May as the auto industry was hit by Trump’s higher tariffs, with exports to the US falling more than 11%. But Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 jumped 0.78% to 38,837.48.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng dropped 1.17% to 23,698.65 while the Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.3% to 3,388.77.
The Kospi in Seoul gained 0.54% to 2,966.20 while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 shed 0.1% to 8,533.10.
On Tuesday, US stocks slumped under the weight of higher oil prices and weaker than expected retail sales in May.
Trump raised the temperature on Israel’s fight with Iran by calling for “Unconditional surrender!” on his social media platform and saying, “We are not going to” kill Iran’s leader, “at least for now”.
The S&P 500 fell 0.8% to 5,982.72 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.7% to 42,215.80. The Nasdaq composite fell 0.9% to 19,521.09.
On early Wednesday morning in the US, S&P futures rose 0.11% to 5,991.50, Dow Jones futures increased less than 1% to 42,245.00, while Nasdaq futures advanced by 0.13% to 21,759.00.
The markets will be looking to the Federal Reserve as it makes a decision on its interest rates today. The nearly unanimous expectation among traders and economists is that the Fed will make no move.
In currency trading early Wednesday, the US dollar fell 0.2% to 144.94 Japanese yen. The euro edged 0.18% higher, to $1.1502.
Islamabad, Pakistan – In January 2024, Pakistan and Iran fired missiles into each other’s territory in a brief military escalation between the neighbours.
Yet 17 months later, after Israel attacked Iran with strikes on the latter’s nuclear facilities, and assassinated multiple Iranian generals and nuclear scientists, Pakistan was quick to condemn the Israeli action.
Islamabad described the Israeli strikes as violations of Iran’s territorial sovereignty and labelled them “blatant provocations”.
“The international community and the United Nations bear responsibility to uphold international law, stop this aggression immediately and hold the aggressor accountable for its actions,” Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on June 13.
As Israeli attacks on Iran, and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes, enter their sixth day, the deepening conflict is sparking fears in Islamabad, say analysts, rooted in its complex ties with Tehran and the even greater unease at the prospect of the Israeli military’s aerial influence extending close to the Pakistani border.
The human toll from the spiralling Israel-Iran conflict is growing. Israel’s attacks on Iran have already led to more than 220 deaths, with more than a thousand people injured. In retaliation, Iran has launched hundreds of missiles into Israeli territory, resulting in more than 20 deaths and extensive property damage.
While Pakistan, which shares a 905km (562-mile) border with Iran via its southwestern province of Balochistan, has voiced staunch support for Tehran, it has also closed five border crossings in Balochistan from June 15.
More than 500 Pakistani nationals, mainly pilgrims and students, have returned from Iran in recent days.
“On Monday, we had 45 students who were pursuing degrees in various Iranian institutions return to Pakistan. Almost 500 pilgrims also came back via the Taftan border crossing,” the assistant commissioner for Taftan, Naeem Ahmed, told Al Jazeera.
Taftan is a border town neighbouring Iran, situated in the Chaghi district in Balochistan, which is famous for its hills where Pakistan conducted its nuclear tests in 1998, as well as the Reko Diq and Saindak mines known for their gold and copper deposits.
At the heart of the decision to try to effectively seal the border is Pakistan’s worry about security in Balochistan, which, in turn, is influenced by its ties with Iran, say experts.
A complex history
Pakistan and Iran have both accused each other of harbouring armed groups responsible for cross-border attacks on their territories.
The most recent flare-up occurred in January 2024, when Iran launched missile strikes into Pakistan’s Balochistan province, claiming to target the separatist group Jaish al-Adl.
Pakistan retaliated within 24 hours, striking what it said were hideouts of Baloch separatists inside Iranian territory.
The neighbours patched up after that brief escalation, and during Pakistan’s brief military conflict with India in May, Iran studiously avoided taking sides.
On Monday, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ishaq Dar addressed Parliament, emphasising how Pakistan had been speaking with Iran and suggesting that Islamabad was willing to play a diplomatic role to help broker an end to the military hostilities between Iran and Israel.
“Iran’s foreign minister [Abbas Araghchi] told me that if Israel does not carry out another attack, they are prepared to return to the negotiating table,” Dar said. “We have conveyed this message to other countries, that there is still time to stop Israel and bring Iran back to talks.”.
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry told Al Jazeera that other nations needed to do more to push for a ceasefire.
“We believe we are playing our role, but the world must also do its duty. Syria, Libya, Iraq – wars devastated them. It even led to the rise of ISIS [ISIL]. We hope this is not repeated,” he added.
Fahd Humayun, assistant professor of political science at Tufts University and a visiting research scholar at Stanford, said that any Pakistani bid to diplomatically push for peace would be helped by the fact that the administration of President Donald Trump in the United States is also, officially at least, arguing for negotiations rather than war.
But Umer Karim, a Middle East researcher at the University of Birmingham, suggested that for all the public rhetoric, Pakistan would be cautious about enmeshing itself too deeply in the conflict at a time when it is trying to rebuild bridges with the US, Israel’s closest ally.
“I doubt Pakistan has the capacity or the will to mediate in this conflict, but it definitely wants it to wind down as soon as possible,” he said.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (centre) visited Tehran in May, where he met Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (right) and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (left) [Handout via Prime Minister’s Office]
Balochistan and security concerns
Pakistan’s greatest concern, according to observers, is the potential fallout in Balochistan, a resource-rich but restive province. Rich in oil, gas, coal, gold and copper, Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest province by area but smallest by population, home to about 15 million people.
Since 1947, Balochistan has experienced at least five rebellion movements, the latest beginning in the early 2000s. Rebel groups have demanded a greater share of local resources or outright independence, prompting decades of military crackdowns.
The province also hosts the strategic Gwadar port, central to the $62bn China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), linking western China to the Arabian Sea.
Baloch nationalists accuse the state of exploiting resources while neglecting local development, heightening secessionist and separatist sentiments. Baloch secessionist groups on both sides of the border, particularly the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLA), have been waging a rebellion in Pakistan to seek independence.
“There is a major concern within Pakistan that in case the war escalates, members of armed groups such as BLA and BLF, many of whom live in Iran’s border areas, might try and seek protection inside Pakistan by crossing the very porous boundaries shared by the two countries,” Abdul Basit, a research fellow at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, told Al Jazeera.
“Thus, Pakistan had to shut down the crossing in an attempt to control the influx. It remains to be seen whether they can successfully do that, but at least this is their objective.”
Worries about an Afghanistan redux
Since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, waves of Afghan refugees have sought shelter in Pakistan. The latest mass entry occurred after the Taliban took over Kabul in August 2021. At their peak, there were close to 4 million Afghans living in the country.
In 2023, however, Pakistan launched a campaign to send the refugees back to Afghanistan. According to government estimates, close to a million of them have been expelled so far. Pakistan has cited rising incidents of armed violence in the country, which it blames on groups that it says find shelter in Afghanistan, as a key justification for its decision. The Taliban reject the suggestion that they allow anti-Pakistan armed groups sanctuary on Afghan territory.
Basit said Pakistan would likely want to avoid any repeat of what happened with Afghan refugees.
“With such a long border [with Iran], and a history of deep connection between people of both sides, it is not out of realm of possibility that it was this factor which factored in Pakistan’s decision to close the border,” he added.
Fears of Israeli aerial superiority
Baloch armed groups and the prospect of a refugee influx are not the only concerns likely worrying Pakistan, say experts.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that his air force has control over Tehran’s skies. And while both Israel and Iran continue to strike each other’s territory, Pakistan, which does not recognise Israel and views it as a sworn enemy, will not want Israeli influence over the Iranian airspace to grow and creep towards the Iran-Pakistan border.
“Pakistan is also averse to Israel achieving complete air superiority and control of Iranian airspace, as it would upend the current security status quo on Pakistan’s western flank,” Karim, the University of Birmingham scholar, told Al Jazeera.
Break from the past
Security analyst Ihsanullah Tipu Mehsud, based in Islamabad, noted that Pakistan has historically sided with the US in regional wars, including in Afghanistan, but may hesitate this time.
A majority Sunni nation, Pakistan still boasts a significant Shia population – more than 15 percent of its population of 250 million.
“Pakistan has already dealt with sectarian issues, and openly supporting military action against [Shia-majority] Iran could spark serious blowback,” he said.
