In Iranian waters, a strange trade is taking place — Pakistani fishermen exchange subsidised Iranian fuel for high-value tuna, a barter system now under threat from escalating United States-Iran tensions. Shah Zamin Khan is among thousands of Pakistani tuna traders whose lucrative business has been at a near standstill since February, when the war between the US, Israel and Iran began. The recent targeting of Iranian seaports by Washington has made matters worse. Iran's southern ports of Konarak, Pasabandar and Beris, which border Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province and serve as key fish trade hubs, are among the sites targeted by US airstrikes in recent weeks. "Our businesses were already affected by the war but the recent targeting of Iranian seaports have turned the region into a no-go area for us over the past one month," Khan told Anadolu. Boat owners, according to Khan, have completely stopped sending their vessels to the Iranian ports fo...
Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman told India's envoy on Monday that there was a need to create a "conducive environment" to boost ties between the neighbours, as Dhaka continues to press New Delhi over the politically sensitive issue of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's exile in India. Rahman's remarks underline his six-month-old government's efforts to stabilise relations with its largest neighbour while seeking progress on issues that have remained major irritants since Hasina's ouster in August 2024. While Rahman has sought good relations with India since coming to power, Monday’s comments are his first that stress the need to improve conditions to boost ties. Rahman made the comments during his first meeting with the new Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi. Rahman "emphasised the need to create a conducive environment to further advance the bilateral relations between the two countries"...