India-UAE working on evacuation pact via Fujairah port; Modi stopover planned

A drone strike on Sunday briefly set a cargo vessel ablaze off Qatar in the Persian Gulf, marking another shipping-related attack amid the broader regional tensions.

The UAE and Kuwait said they intercepted hostile drones despite a ceasefire in place since April 8, reflecting ongoing security tensions in the region.

Iran warned Britain and France that its armed forces would launch a decisive and immediate response to any warships sent to the Strait of Hormuz, stating that only Iran can establish security in the strait.

In an interview, Trump said it would take two weeks to hit every target in Iran, claiming the Islamic republic was militarily defeated, and criticized NATO as a "paper tiger".

Former US President Donald Trump proposed that Iran permit passage via the Strait of Hormuz and that Washington end its blockade on Iranian ports in the next month, as part of a US peace plan concept discussed in the article.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed that Iran has conveyed its response to a US proposal.

Iran submitted its response to the latest US proposal to end 10 weeks of war; Tehran has not publicly indicated acceptance, according to the report citing IRNA.

The UAE's exit from OPEC is noted in the context of perceived differences with Saudi Arabia, as discussed in the article.

Iran has targeted Fujairah for the same strategic reasons cited in the article as regional tensions persist.

The article notes Fujairah is west of the Strait of Hormuz, which has emerged as the main chokepoint in the ongoing conflict.

The PM is due to leave for Europe on May 15 with a stopover in Fujairah before departing for the Netherlands, and then visiting Sweden, Norway and Italy.

India and the United Arab Emirates are negotiating a first-of-its-kind agreement to facilitate the evacuation of lakhs of Indian workers through the UAE's Port of Fujairah. The pact is expected to be signed during a stopover added to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's itinerary as he travels to Europe on May 15. The arrangement would serve as an evacuation option in case of disruptions to air travel caused by the West Asia conflict. Fujairah lies west of the Strait of Hormuz, a key chokepoint in the conflict. The government says lakhs of Indians in the UAE could be evacuated by ship if needed; West Asia hosts about 10 million Indian workers, including 4.3 million in the UAE. Fujairah is also seen as the likely starting point of the proposed India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, and Iran has targeted Fujairah.