- 1 hour ago
Tensions escalate in the Strait of Hormuz as Iranian forces seize commercial vessels, demanding the United States lift its maritime blockade. While the US President extended a ceasefire citing fractured leadership in Tehran, Pakistan’s mediation efforts face scrutiny.
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00:01Good evening, you're watching India First. I'm Gaurav Savant.
00:04Iran has upped the ante in the Strait of Hormuz,
00:07hours after US President Donald Trump announced an extension of the ceasefire.
00:12The Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, IRGC,
00:18they've intercepted and seized two commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
00:22The ships that have been intercepted have been identified as MSC,
00:28Mediterranean Shipping Company, Francesca, a Panama flag container ship
00:33and a Greek-owned Librarian flag, Epinondias.
00:37Now, these are the two ships that have been taken in custody.
00:41Both vessels have been transferred to Iranian territorial waters
00:44for inspection of cargo and documentation.
00:47This is Iran very clearly saying, our waters, we dominate.
00:52Iran has claimed that the ships were violating regulations,
00:56operating without proper authorization, manipulating navigation system
01:00and disrupting maritime order and safety of the Strait of Hormuz.
01:05This, Iran says, is a violation of its red lines.
01:10Iran has also attacked and disabled a third vessel, Euphoria.
01:14Again, a Panama flag cargo ship with possible UAE links.
01:18The vessel was fired upon by the IRGC gunboats, according to reports that are coming in.
01:23The UK Maritime Trade Operations has reported at least two container ships
01:28were approached by the IRGC gunboats.
01:31Remember, Iran does not have those massive aircraft carriers or even helicopter carriers anymore.
01:37US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said 158 Iranian ships have been sunk.
01:42But, Iran has a very large number of fast attack ports.
01:47And these gunboats, they've hit the merchant vessels.
01:52They've fired at the merchant vessels.
01:54The gunfire caused damage to the bridge of one of the ships.
01:57Fortunately, no injuries to sailors.
01:58Sailors say there was absolutely no warning that was given.
02:02The Iranian action is being seen as a direct challenge to the might of the US Navy,
02:06which is in the Gulf of Oman, outside the Strait of Hormuz.
02:11Iran has linked resumption of dialogue with the US to the removal of the US blockade
02:15for Iranian ships and Iran-bound foreign ships.
02:19Iran has challenged the US, saying either the Strait of Hormuz will remain open for all
02:24or for none.
02:27Either America removes the blockade.
02:30Ships coming to Iranian ports and going from Iranian ports,
02:34it has to be free movement for them.
02:36Or no ship will get out of the Strait of Hormuz from any country unless cleared by the IRGC.
02:44So, they're saying no more US double standards.
02:47Iran refused to commit to Pakistan and travel to Islamabad for round two of talks.
02:51There was so much confusion in the past 48 hours about round two of talks.
02:55Finally, when it became apparent, Iran was unwilling to travel to Islamabad for talks.
03:00US President Donald Trump, after claiming Vice President J.D. Vance would go, not go,
03:06already en route, about to land, has not taken off, finally decided that the US delegation
03:12will not go since Iran was not coming.
03:14In fact, US President Donald Trump issued a message claiming ceasefire was being extended
03:18since no clear message was coming from fractured Iranian leadership.
03:23He said, and I quote,
03:26Based on the fact that the government of Iran is seriously fractured, and not unexpectedly so,
03:32and upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif of Pakistan,
03:37we have been asked to hold our attack on the country of Iran until such time
03:42as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal.
03:46I have therefore directed our military to continue the blockade and in all other respects remain ready and able
03:53and will therefore extend the ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted
03:58and discussions are concluded one way or the other.
04:03Media reports in Iran, including the state media, have actually hit out at Pakistan for not being an honest broker.
04:10Iranian media has attacked Pakistan, including its all-powerful Field Marshal Asim Munir,
04:15accusing him of having a very pronounced pro-US tilt and not being honest about Iran's point of view,
04:22not carrying Iran's message to Washington DC.
04:26Before I get you more on that story, let's listen in to the translation of what analysts on Iranian TV
04:33have been saying.
04:43The question is, Asim Munir came to Tehran,
04:45he did not write the letter,
04:47and he was ready to leave the American Union for the US to the left,
04:50which will be required to leave the letter.
04:53But until I know,
04:55and we are talking about the issue,
04:57we have not only written the letter,
04:59that this letter will be able to leave.
05:00And in fact, I say,
05:01if I have written the letter,
05:02I will send you to the letter,
05:03I will send you to the letter,
05:05and I will send you to the letter,
05:06and I will send you to the letter.
05:32And there's a statement from Iran's Foreign Ministry saying they have not yet
05:36decided whether to join the next round of talks with the U.S. or not.
05:39Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Ismail Bagai, he said, and I quote,
05:44We entered negotiations in good faith and with seriousness,
05:48but the negotiating party, the United States, has shown disregard and lack of good faith.
05:53A second round of negotiations expected in Pakistan's capital later this week
05:58has not yet been confirmed.
06:01On Tuesday, President Trump extended a ceasefire with Iran indefinitely,
06:05leaving the next steps for resuming talks unclear.
06:09So Iran is also making it clear that they haven't decided so far
06:13whether they will join the next round or not.
06:17In fact, the information that's emerging from Iran seems to indicate
06:22that Iran's red line is remove the blockade.
06:25Let there be free movement of ships to Iranian ports,
06:29and from Iranian ports, let oil move.
06:33Only then will they come for the next round of talks.
06:36Officially, Iran may be thanking Pakistan for its role in mediation,
06:41but Iranian media, including the state media,
06:43they've accused Pakistan of misleading perhaps both the United States and Iran during talks.
06:48Iranian media is now openly questioning Pakistan's neutrality.
06:52There are growing accusations that Pakistan's all-powerful Field Marshal Aasem Munir
06:57has shown a pronounced pro-United States tilt,
07:02raising serious doubts whether Islamabad truly acted as a fair intermediary.
07:09More critically, questions are now being asked
07:12whether Aasem Munir even relayed Iran's proposals and concerns to Washington DC,
07:17or whether those proposals were either diluted or not conveyed at all.
07:22Because Munir's interest isn't pleasing US President Donald Trump.
07:27Pakistan is openly being accused of playing a double game by the Iranian media.
07:32Experts tracking negotiations in Islamabad say
07:35that Pakistan has not behaved like a balanced intermediary.
07:40Instead, there are claims that Pakistan attempted to build pressure on Tehran
07:44rather than bridge the gap.
07:46Iranian voices in Iranian media are also alleging
07:50that Pakistan failed to safeguard Iran's interests
07:54and may have sidelined Tehran's proposals in favour of US demands.
08:00They say that America was desperate to have an off-ramp,
08:05to have a dialogue with Iran.
08:07And in Pakistan, without Iran saying so,
08:10there was this crescendo, almost built to a crescendo saying,
08:15Iran is coming, they'll come any time, talks are happening,
08:18we just have to know the final name.
08:20When Iran had very clearly said,
08:21until the Strait of Formos is open for Iran, they will not come.
08:25Is Pakistan now staring at a serious, very serious credibility crisis,
08:30a credibility gap, as its role as mediator between the US and Iran
08:33comes under increasing scrutiny and sharp criticism.
08:38So let's take this step by step.
08:40Iran has accused Pakistan of playing a double game,
08:43claiming to be a mediator, but actually peddling a US agenda.
08:47commentators in Tehran believe Islamabad failed to act as a neutral bridge,
08:54while carrying messages from one camp to the other.
08:58Pakistan was very clearly tilted in favour of Washington DC's position.
09:04The Iranian media asks if Pakistan's all-powerful army chief,
09:08Field Marshal Asim Munir,
09:09oversold his ability to influence both sides and deliver a breakthrough.
09:15And this is where contradictions become even more stark.
09:19On the one hand, the US has praised Pakistan for facilitating the dialogue and pushing for a ceasefire.
09:26On the other hand, Iranian commentators are openly alleging a bias in mediation,
09:32broken trust and lack of sincerity in the process by Pakistan.
09:37Pakistan is being accused of relaying altered or mismatched messages,
09:42especially on the issue of ceasefire.
09:45Iran announced the opening of the Strait of Hormuz,
09:49apparently given to believe that US will remove the blockade on Iranian ships and ports in response
09:55as a confidence-building measure.
09:57US President Donald Trump, he actually doubled down.
10:01And he gave the impression that the American blockade will remain
10:05and that Iran was clear, was about to surrender.
10:09And that, Iran says, is not true.
10:11A winning side does not surrender.
10:13This is what commentators in Iran are saying.
10:16And that's one aspect.
10:18Iran was made to look weaker.
10:20Pakistan is being accused of being complicit.
10:23Asim Munir personally visited Tehran carrying the US agenda.
10:27However, the perception in Tehran is Munir did not carry Iran's message to Washington DC
10:34or conveyed effectively that Iran will not hand over highly enriched uranium to the United States.
10:41That's a red line for Iran.
10:43So what does this mean for Pakistan?
10:47This was touted as a defining moment for Pakistan.
10:51But is that unravelling?
10:53Turning ambition into adversity on the world stage.
10:57Islamabad was looking for global visibility as a credible mediator.
11:01A nation capable of bringing two bitter adversaries
11:06who were like at each other's throats on the talks table.
11:09And Pakistan did succeed in round one.
11:12But that's where it also started unravelling.
11:16Because Iran says they came with an open mind.
11:20They came for negotiations.
11:23They came to find a solution.
11:24But their points were not conveyed effectively to the United States of America.
11:29They were in a way asked to surrender not just the highly enriched uranium
11:36but their prestige, their pride.
11:39And they say a 5,000 year old civilization does not surrender its prestige.
11:43There were expectations that in Pakistan that a ceasefire,
11:49the Islamabad Accord, it was pimped as the Islamabad Accord
11:52that that would boost Pakistan's strategic relevance in the world.
11:57Beyond diplomacy, there was hope that successful mediation
12:00perhaps would translate into more money flowing into Pakistan.
12:04Because Pakistan, as you know, is a proper country.
12:07It desperately needs arms, both arms in terms of weapons
12:12and arms in terms of zakat in Pakistan just to stay afloat.
12:16What's happening now?
12:17The ground reality appears very different.
12:20Pakistan's credibility is under global scrutiny.
12:23Instead of being seen as a neutral broker,
12:26it's facing accusations of peddling Donald Trump's agenda.
12:31Islamabad's intent and conduct are both being questioned.
12:34And most significantly, as of now, there are no results to show.
12:38No agreement, no breakthrough,
12:40not even narrowing of differences between Washington DC and Tehran.
12:44So, this gap between Pakistan's ambition and Pakistan's ability to deliver is huge.
12:51The Dalal or the broker Pakistan sold a big idea both to Iran and to Donald Trump
12:59but hasn't been able to deliver to either, at least not yet.
13:03And within Pakistan, and in the Pakistani community,
13:08those who are critical of Field Marshal Aasem Munir,
13:11those in the Imran Khan camp, for example,
13:15they are now increasingly asking a very uncomfortable question to Aasem Munir.
13:21Is he now trying to rise at the cost of Pakistan?
13:26The country is being made to pay a very heavy price
13:30for Field Marshal Aasem Munir's personal ambition.
13:34Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf supporters have hit out at Aasem Munir
13:37for spending millions of dollars that Pakistan can ill afford
13:41to hire expensive lobbying firms.
13:44And these lobbying firms are getting Pakistan access to White House
13:49or Trump's inner circle.
13:50Questions are being asked about Pakistan's hiring of these US lobbyists
13:54at a staggering cost of nearly $1.5 million a year
13:58to shape perception and policy.
14:01But what are results?
14:03So let's look at some of the contracts that Pakistan has entered in.
14:07This is all information in public domain,
14:10in Pakistani media and world media.
14:12So Pakistan entered into a contract close to worth $3 million annually.
14:16It signed a deal also with ORCID advisors
14:20specifically to secure high-level access in Washington DC.
14:23But there's more.
14:25A legal firm linked to a close aid of US President Donald Trump
14:28has reportedly been paid $200,000 a month
14:32to get Aasem Munir access to US President Donald Trump
14:35and his administration.
14:36Now this monthly outflow from a Dole-dependent Pakistan
14:40is staggering.
14:41An estimated $600,000 a month.
14:4513 lobbying firms on the payroll
14:47to represent Pakistan's interests.
14:49And let's break down some of these contracts.
14:51So ORCID advisors brought on board in April 2025
14:56being paid, according to reports, $125,000 a month.
15:01Squire Patent Boggs, also hired in April 2025,
15:05received $125,000 a month.
15:09Seed and Low LLP, another contract signed in April 2025,
15:13is being paid another $125,000 a month
15:15according to these reports that are coming in.
15:17Another company comes with $50,000 a month.
15:21There's Conscience Point Consulting hired in 2025.
15:24May 2025 being paid $25,000 a month.
15:27More payments.
15:28And you see that entire list.
15:30The pattern is very clear.
15:32Pakistan is spending big money
15:33to buy influence in Washington DC.
15:38Questions grow over its diplomatic credibility
15:41on world stage.
15:42And how long, how long can Pakistan continue
15:46to buy its way to White House lunches?
15:50Who will pay for it?
15:51There's more breaking news that's coming in.
15:54A report in the United States says
15:56U.S. President Donald Trump has given Iran
15:59days to end power struggle within
16:02and return to the talks table.
16:05Reports say Donald Trump is willing
16:07to give another three to five days
16:10to this ceasefire
16:11to allow Iranians to get their act together.
16:14It is not going to be open-ended.
16:17These reports quote,
16:19unnamed U.S. officials
16:20and says, and I quote,
16:22we saw that there is an absolute fracture
16:25inside Iran between the negotiators
16:28and the military
16:28with neither side having access
16:31to the supreme leader
16:32who is not responsive.
16:34U.S. officials first began to see
16:36the divisions after the first round
16:38of Islamabad talks
16:39when it became clear
16:40that IRGC commander
16:42General Ahmed Wahidi
16:44and his deputies had rejected
16:46much of what Iran's own negotiators
16:49had discussed.
16:52Increasingly, this is the commentary
16:54in Western media
16:55that Iran is fractured.
16:58There is no one there to take decisions
17:01and that is why Iran did not come
17:03to the talks table in Islamabad
17:05for round two of talks.
17:06There's more breaking news coming in.
17:08Reports say Iranian security forces
17:11have destroyed an operational team
17:13of Jaish al-Zulm terrorist group
17:17after they infiltrated
17:19from the Pakistani border
17:21into the Rusk region.
17:23Reports say that Iranian security forces
17:26have killed several terrorists,
17:29several militants
17:30who came into Iran from Pakistan.
17:33And the timing of this report
17:35in Tasneem news agency
17:36is very interesting.
17:38Hours after,
17:39reports appeared in Pakistani media
17:41that Pakistan was not being
17:44an honest broker.
17:45There was a report of a strike
17:47on the Iran-Pakistan border.
17:50So, this just goes on to indicate
17:53that all is not well.
17:56An attack on Pakistani terrorists
17:59who infiltrated from Pakistan
18:01into Iran, remember,
18:03Iran and Pakistan
18:05haven't had the best of relations
18:07in the past.
18:09Missiles have been fired
18:10from Iran into Pakistan
18:13just a couple of years ago.
18:15They've had tensions on their borders.
18:17They share a 900-kilometer long border.
18:19But then both Iran
18:20and the United States have said
18:21Pakistan is the country
18:23they will negotiate through.
18:25But what should one make
18:26of Iranian state television
18:27accusing Pakistan
18:28of playing a double game?
18:29Is there merit in the criticism
18:30that Aasem Muneer
18:31is peddling Donald Trump's agenda
18:32and not effectively conveying
18:34Tehran's point of view
18:36to White House?
18:37Joining me on this special broadcast,
18:39Mohamed Saleh
18:40is a non-resident senior fellow
18:41at Foreign Policy Research Institute
18:44and expert on the Middle East.
18:45Joins us from Washington, D.C.
18:46Welcome.
18:47Sushant Sarin
18:48is senior fellow
18:49at the Observer Research Foundation.
18:50Javed Badar
18:51is a respected Pakistani analyst
18:53and former information secretary,
18:55former media coordinator
18:56for Imran Khan.
18:57Joins us on the show
18:58also with me
18:58is senior journalist
18:59and my colleague
19:00Sandeep Unnitan.
19:01Mohamed Saleh,
19:03would the criticism
19:04of Pakistan
19:05on Iranian television
19:07have state sanction?
19:08Is that a subtle
19:10or perhaps a not-so-subtle
19:12message to Pakistan
19:13to not tilt in U.S. favor
19:16during dialogue?
19:19It could very well be.
19:21We don't know for sure
19:22what kind of mediation role
19:24Pakistan has been playing,
19:26excuse me,
19:27or what kind of messages
19:28they have been relaying
19:29to the Iranians
19:30and from the Iranian side
19:32to the Americans.
19:33But the important thing here
19:35is really
19:36that there is a lot
19:37of distrust.
19:39There is a very serious
19:40trust gap here
19:42as far as Iran
19:43and the U.S. are concerned.
19:45And depending
19:46on what kind of mediation role
19:48the Pakistanis are playing,
19:50which we don't know really about
19:52when it comes to the details,
19:54a lot of it could be
19:56that distrust
19:58projected by the Iranians
20:00onto the Pakistani delegation here.
20:03We have to also,
20:04you know,
20:05keep in mind
20:06that there isn't
20:07a united leadership
20:09or power structure
20:10in Iran at the moment.
20:12Much of the country's
20:14political and military leadership
20:16was decimated
20:17during the recent war.
20:19And the remaining
20:20people in charge
20:22are really the ones
20:23who have not
20:24had the opportunity
20:25to come out
20:27and, you know,
20:27be able to communicate
20:29with each other also.
20:31And so all of this
20:33contributes
20:33to this kind
20:34of uncertainty
20:36and distrust
20:38that the Iranians
20:39have had
20:39toward, you know,
20:41the other side,
20:42for the most part
20:43the Americans
20:44in this case.
20:45Okay.
20:46Sushant Sareen,
20:47has Iran
20:48seen through Pakistan?
20:50Asim Munir
20:51not being an honest broker,
20:53has he been caught
20:54and called out
20:55for peddling
20:56or pimping
20:57U.S. agenda
20:58in Iran
20:58and not carrying
20:59Iran's messages
21:00to Washington, D.C.?
21:03That appears to be
21:05the suspicion
21:05in the Iranian side
21:08because, look,
21:10if you are playing
21:11the negotiator,
21:12mediator,
21:13facilitator,
21:14call it what you want,
21:16you have to,
21:17one,
21:18if you're carrying
21:19an assurance
21:19from one side
21:20to the other,
21:21your assurances
21:23must carry weight.
21:24They must come good.
21:26And if those assurances
21:27are going to be violated,
21:29then you lose the trust
21:30of one or the other party.
21:31Second,
21:32what are the messages
21:33you are carrying?
21:34And are you carrying
21:35different messages
21:36to different people
21:37in the hope that,
21:38okay,
21:39once these guys
21:39come together,
21:40they sit together,
21:42there will be
21:42these minor differences
21:43which those,
21:44the devil is always
21:45in the detail
21:46in these kind of negotiations.
21:47But, you know,
21:49as a Punjabi,
21:50I can tell you
21:51very often
21:51when Punjabis negotiate,
21:53we say we discuss
21:53the details later on.
21:55Did they do
21:56something like this?
21:57We are speculating.
21:58But clearly,
21:59you have to be
22:00very, very precise
22:01your language
22:03cannot,
22:04one word cannot
22:05deviate from
22:06the other word.
22:06So, were there
22:07mixed messages
22:08they were carrying
22:09to both sides?
22:10And clearly,
22:10it seems
22:11that there has
22:13become some kind
22:13of a breakdown
22:14because they were
22:15giving some assurances
22:16which they were
22:16not able to live up to.
22:18Third,
22:19I am,
22:19you know,
22:20I also think
22:21that in the United States,
22:22people are drinking
22:23a lot of their own Kool-Aid.
22:25And all their
22:26assumptions so far,
22:28Gaurav,
22:28and this is really
22:29serious,
22:30all the assumptions
22:31by the United States
22:34or its media
22:36haven't actually
22:37come true.
22:38So, now,
22:38the latest thing
22:39we are now hearing
22:40from them is,
22:41well, you know,
22:42there is this
22:43division within
22:44the Iranian
22:45establishment
22:46that the military
22:47coup has taken
22:48place,
22:49that the IRGC
22:50is at odds
22:51with the
22:51political government,
22:53etc.,
22:54etc.
22:55I am not so sure
22:56whether these reports
22:58are entirely correct,
22:59whether there is
23:00the Americans
23:02trying to either
23:03fool themselves
23:03or trying to play
23:04some kind of psyops
23:06because as of now,
23:07it seems that
23:08the Iranian system
23:09is pretty united
23:11behind
23:12whatever goes
23:13for the government
23:14out there
23:14at this point in time.
23:15I would imagine
23:16it's the supreme leader,
23:17the new supreme leader
23:18and the rest
23:19of the establishment.
23:20That seems to be
23:21firmly in place.
23:22There doesn't seem
23:23to be any
23:23carping sounds
23:24coming out.
23:25There doesn't seem
23:26to be any
23:27unrest out there.
23:28But that is what
23:29the American media
23:30is reporting
23:30and frankly,
23:32I am not entirely
23:33going to buy
23:35anything that
23:36the American media
23:37is selling
23:37on face value
23:39because there is
23:39a lot of psyops
23:40also which take
23:41place in situations
23:44like this.
23:44And that is why
23:46what's coming out
23:46of the Iranian media
23:47becomes very interesting.
23:48Javed Badar
23:49when they accuse
23:50Pakistan
23:51of playing
23:52a double game
23:53and sections
23:55have named
23:56Field Marshal
23:56Aasem Munir.
23:57Did Field Marshal
23:59Aasem Munir
23:59oversell his ability
24:01to get Iran
24:02to the talks table
24:03to President Trump
24:04when he spoke of
24:06according to reports
24:08that he is
24:09ex-ISI,
24:10he has had
24:10great contacts
24:11with the IRGC,
24:12IRGC listens to him.
24:14So personal glory
24:15for Munir
24:16but loss
24:17for Pakistan
24:17loss of
24:18prestige
24:18for Pakistan
24:19as a country
24:20sir?
24:48sir
25:18He has
25:20gc سے بات کر کے یا وہ irgc کو الگ بات بتا رہے ہیں پر امریکہ کو الگ بات بتا
25:24رہے ہیں
25:24ہوئی تو میں کہہ رہا ہوں تھوڑا بات میری سنیں گے کہ پسے پردہ انہی کے ساتھ انہی کے ساتھ
25:28چل رہے ہیں آپ دیکھیں delegation آیا جو ابھی اسلامباد تو ستر سے زائد لوگ تھے اس میں
25:34اب اتنے لوگوں کا کیا کام ہے مذاہرات میں کیونکہ اس میں لوگ تھے irgc کے اور حضباللہ
25:40کے لوگ تھے کہ یہ deal نہ ہو سکے problem irgc کی اور حضباللہ کی ہے اب ان کو
25:46کس طرح ٹیکل کرنا ہے آپ ان کو دیکھیں ان کو رسیب کیا کہ کومپیٹ
25:50یونی فارم تھا ہمارے فیلڈ مارچل کا اور ایران کے کومپیٹ یونی فارم یعنی
25:55کہ ان کو ان کو بتایا جا رہا ہے ان پر سکتی سے بھی اور پیار سے بھی ان سے
25:59بات کی جا رہی ہے اور آپ دیکھیں گے بھی آنے والے دنوں میں irgc کے ساتھ
26:04مذاہرات کامیاب ہوں گے فیلڈ مارچل صاحب بہت کوشش کر رہے ہیں انشاءاللہ
26:07آپ دیکھیں گے کہ جلد اسلامباد میں second phase شروع ہونے والا ہے
26:11اچھا تو آپ وہ کہہ رہے ہیں وہ وردی میں پہن کے گئے تھے تاکی وہ درا سکے
26:14irgc کو sandeep irgc that's fighting the us forces in in the uh in the in the state
26:22of hormuz will get intimidated by asim munir wearing uniform i'll also get uh you know
26:27sushant sarin to respond to that but sandeep go first you know gaurav it's laughable to
26:31even think that that a country uh that like iran which has been under some of the most intense
26:37bombardment of the 21st century from two of the most powerful air forces and yet has not called
26:43for a ask for a ceasefire iran did not ask for that ceasefire uh the way pakistan did after
26:48operation sindur last year you know but seriously gaurav you know look look at what the united states
26:54is that what president trump has done he has dangled a massive carrot before his favorite field
27:00marshall and that carrot is that if you can guarantee me a deal with iran i will fly down
27:06personally to islamabad to be part of this now that is a huge thing it's been 20 years since a
27:11us
27:12president has visited islamabad that's how far off the radar pakistan is dropped off 2006 george bush
27:19after that there have been three us presidents who have not visited pakistan so it's very clear that in
27:25this case there was a lot of pressure that was built on field marshall muni to deliver
27:29and it seems gaurav it's very likely that he has over-promised and under-delivered okay
27:35mohamad saleh is that also your take that field marshall asem munir over-promised and as of now
27:41under-delivered the fact that he you know that that huge character that uh president trump would fly
27:48uh to to islamabad should there be a deal pakistan gave it its all trying to get a deal but
27:54iran is not
27:56impressed with pakistan according to reports that are coming in i am basing uh what we are saying on
28:01what iranian media is saying let me give you a specific example of the state of hormuz for example
28:06iran announced that state of hormuz will will reopen reports from tehran indicate that iran expected the
28:13us also to lift the blockade at least that was the commitment that was made to them but donald trump
28:18doubled down that state of hormuz will remain closed for iranian ships till the time there's a final
28:24deal iran feels cheated iran feels let down did pakistan convey the wrong message sir
28:36you're on mute sir go on uh sorry i'm not so sure about that because we don't know all the
28:43details
28:44in terms of what was being conveyed from the pakistanis to the iranians and then from the
28:49pakistanis to the americans but there is always a chance that pakistan might have uh you know um
28:58played this facilitation role in a way that might have not been up to the expectations of both sides
29:04but what really matters here is you know this deeper history of conflict between the iranians and
29:10the americans this is what is poisoning the well uh so to speak we have seen before pakistan uh the
29:17omanis played uh mediators and facilitators for years that did not uh really produce a result so
29:24i think pinning the uh you know failure if we are going to actually uh see these negotiations fail
29:30pinning that failure on pakistan at the at the facilitator uh might not be you know the right thing
29:38or the best thing to do except if we get uh credible information uh emerging from you know this
29:45facilitation role that pakistan has played in a way that might have contributed to the derailment of
29:52the negotiations but again as i said uh you know the trust gap between the iranians and the americans is
30:00very very serious uh the iranians after two rounds of uh negotiations followed by war within the past uh
30:0910 12 months uh do not really have you know much of a faith in the american side and the
30:15americans are
30:16also skeptical about uh you know whether the iranians are willing to make the concessions that are
30:23important to the u.s side in particular in terms of iran's nuclear program so without some sort of a
30:31concrete uh agreement on both sides on the nuclear issue in particular i i highly doubt that we are going
30:39to get a deal and i'm not sure if you know if that willingness on the iranian side to make
30:46concessions
30:47on the nuclear file is not there what kind of a role pakistan or you know for that matter any
30:53mediator
30:54really can play we saw the omanis uh playing that role and they also failed so i think the broader
31:01issue
31:01really here lies in that trust issue between the iranians and the americans fair enough that point
31:08taken entirely and we are not saying anything on our own we are just basing it on criticism that
31:12comes in from iran a country where the media and the state media if it were to say something like
31:17this
31:18sushant sareen would it have state sanction or would you buy the same logic that comes from america
31:25there is no leadership nobody knows who's taking decisions in iran anymore so whoever may decide uh
31:31you know it may be just one analyst who one day got up and said uh asim unir is playing
31:35a double game
31:36or is the government in iran sending out a subtle message through the state media to pakistan don't
31:43tilt in u.s favor because as you know sushant sareen it's not just a state of hormuz that highly
31:48enriched
31:48uranium uh that we spoke of 450 or kilograms trump said iran will hand it over to the united states
31:54iran says there is no question of handing over the highly enriched uranium to the united states so
31:59iranian media once again is accusing pakistan of either relaying altered messages or mismatched
32:05messages or telling trump what he wants to hear perhaps not what iran may have conveyed at all
32:11so look a couple of things one you know uh this business that munir munir actually when he went to
32:19tehran he actually met the irgc people yes so uh but as somebody to say okay let me for the
32:25moment uh
32:26for the sake of argument accept it is an irgc government today right the fact that they are
32:32very powerful bodies undeniable but let us for a moment accept that it's an irgc government today
32:37now either the irgc was giving him wrong messages which he was then conveying
32:42or the irgc was telling him look these are my red lines don't cross these okay he goes back with
32:48those messages and he tells trump something then trump first tweets and he says well the states are now
32:53open then he suddenly realizes the states are open but they are open on iranian terms that is that the
33:01traffic will go through iran iranian waters and then he says okay fine i am now going to continue with
33:07my
33:07blockade so there is clearly some kind of mismatch in the messaging because who told trump that the
33:14iranians have decided to give all their uh you know uh this fissile material or the the enriched uranium
33:20somebody has obviously told him and of course with trump you never know maybe he just imagined
33:25something on his own uh but the assumption right now is that somebody did convey to him that the
33:31iranians have agreed to convey all this third and very importantly gaurav look the problem is that you
33:38know in this kind of a business when you're getting into this kind of mediation you have to be able
33:45to
33:45bring the two sides closer together not by giving mixed messages and telling both sides what they
33:50want to hear so that they come to the table and then you know like delhi property dealers the problem
33:55is there is a property dealer in pakistan because pakistan army is a property dealer organization
34:01and there is a property dealer in new york now when property dealers for example even in delhi meet
34:07what do they do they'll come to you and they'll say that gaurav you come and you'll say no these
34:11are my
34:12you come and you come and sit on the table then you go to mr badar and say you come
34:16and sit on the
34:16table then we'll talk about it and we'll sort it out now did they do something stupid like this
34:22because this is not how you conduct foreign policy mediation in these kind of sensitive situations
34:27so that is what dalals do yeah the final more fundamental problem gaurav allow me 10 seconds
34:34is that there are fundamental problems on both sides and the biggest problem was
34:57that the americans thought that they have won the war and they have got iran on their knees the iranians
35:03thought that they have won they have stood up to america and the americans are suing for peace
35:08because they cannot they don't have the stomach to fight anymore how do you then square this circle
35:13and that is the fundamental problem absolutely and i'll i'll i'll come to both mohammad saleh and
35:18uh and sandeep unnithan with that leakin javid badar sahab sushant sarin ka kehna
35:22yeah i'll say there are also a property dealer javid badar hauler canal javid badar
35:38So Pakistan, Iran, America, America and Iran are trying to make this problem.
35:48Saurabh, first of all, this is a question.
35:51That Pakistan has come to me.
35:54Pakistan has come to America and Iran.
35:57No, America has come to me.
36:01foreign
36:11foreign
36:12foreign
36:12foreign
36:12...
36:17...
36:19...
36:19...
36:22...
36:23...
36:29but the way this is the third world war is the third world war
36:32but the way this is the third world war is the third world war
36:34but the general asam manir has the whole goal
36:37that the war is the end of the way this is the end of the way
36:42we will see President Trump from the first time
36:44and we will see the documentary
36:47sign of the deal
36:50Okay, Sandeep, you want to respond to Pakistan's guarantee that Iran's atom bomb will not be made in Iran. How
37:00would you respond to that, Sandeep?
37:01Pakistan can't guarantee anything, Gaurav. But, you know, a side note on that is that the centrifuges that Iran has
37:09been using, the world knows, the IAEA knows, the United States knows, the UN knows, that those centrifuges came from
37:16Pakistan, Gaurav.
37:17So, you know, so much for, you know, Pakistan being the honest broker in this. As I wrote in India
37:24Today recently, it's the arsonist being called to become a firefighter.
37:28So, the AQ Khan network is what gave Iran its ability to enrich uranium. So, Pakistan is not an honest
37:36broker in this deal, Gaurav.
37:39So, sooner the world realizes it, the better it would be for the world, unless, of course, both sides are
37:46using this opportunity to, once again, regroup, rearm, and relaunch the attack,
37:53and then leave Pakistan out, you know, in the open. Use that use-and-throw policy that Pakistan is so
38:01used to.
38:02We'll track that story very closely. I want to thank all my guests. On the other side, I want to
38:05move to a very important story.
38:07Remember, after that Pehelgaam massacre, there was Operation Sindur.
38:11But, exactly this day, one year ago, Pakistani terrorists, they reached Pehelgaam, the Baisaran Valley, and they asked tourists there,
38:21what's your religion? The moment they said Hindu, people were shot dead at point-blank range.
38:28What happened in Baisaran, and what's happening a year later, we get you ground reports on India Today. Stay with
38:35us.
38:39This day, one year ago, 26 innocent people were massacred in the Baisaran Valley in Pehelgaam,
38:48shot dead at point-blank range, gunned down in front of their families.
38:54For what reason? They were Hindus, killed by radical Islamist terrorists, sponsored by Pakistan state.
39:02Today marks one year of that chilling Pakistan state-sponsored terror attack in India.
39:09Families torn apart, lives destroyed in minutes.
39:13A peaceful tourist town turned into killing fields.
39:17Now, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to the victims of Pehelgaam.
39:21He said, remembering the innocent lives lost in the gruesome Pehelgaam terror attack on this day last year,
39:28they will never be forgotten.
39:29As a nation, we stand united in grief and resolve.
39:34The Prime Minister also had a strong message for terrorists.
39:38India will never buckle under pressure to any form of terror.
39:42The heinous designs of terrorists will never succeed.
39:45And in the past one year, India has actually worked very hard to deliver on its pledge of zero tolerance
39:53for terror.
39:53So, as part of Operation Sindur, India launched one of the most decisive, one of its kind,
40:00counter-terror crackdowns, hitting terror at source.
40:04So, I want to break it down for you.
40:06Nine terror sites in Pakistan and for the first time ever in Pakistan's Punjab province.
40:13Imagine hitting Lashkar-e-Taiba at its headquarters in Mureedke or Jaish-e-Mohamed at its headquarters in Bahawalpur.
40:22So, five in Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir and four in Pakistan's Punjab province.
40:27They were struck by Brahmo supersonic cruise missiles.
40:31The headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Merkaz-e-Taiba, the nerve center of Jaish-e-Mohamed, Merkaz, Subhanallah at
40:37Bahawalpur.
40:38Then, operations intensified.
40:40Pakistan made that mistake of trying to hit Indian military installations and aircraft.
40:45Then, operations in Sialkot.
40:47There, multiple, multiple terror bases were hit.
40:51Then, what happened?
40:53Not random targets, places that were targeted, used to target India, they were hit.
40:59100 terrorists were killed.
41:01But, that's not all.
41:03India then started hitting, as part of Operation Mahadev, targeted mission to kill terrorists who had carried out this attack.
41:10One by one, they were identified and killed.
41:13Suleiman Hamza, Afghani, Gibran, the encounter took place in the Lidwar area, in the Harwan forest on the outskirts of
41:19Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir.
41:20So, the men behind the massacre, they were eliminated.
41:24Then, the Pakistani air bases that were targeted.
41:27And, this is where it's hurt Pakistan the most.
41:31Hitting Noor Khan, the command and control center.
41:33Or, hitting, you know, other bases like Jacobabad was targeted.
41:38Rafiki, Raheem Yahr Khan, Sar Godha is one of the strongest bases of Pakistan air force.
41:45Kirana Hills.
41:46Remember, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made one thing very clear.
41:48The Prime Minister said, Pakistan's nuclear bogey has been called out.
41:52It's been exposed.
41:54Never again can Pakistan threaten India because India hit Pakistan where it hurts.
42:00But, listen in to the victims then.
42:03The voices that we hear today.
42:07Two months of marriage, then losing a husband, then coming to the same house, living in the same house, when
42:14he's not there.
42:20It's very difficult.
42:21Very difficult.
42:23Very difficult.
42:23Very difficult.
42:23A RASHTRI can be deserved.
42:25Because it wasn't a normal terrorist attack.
42:28It was the first time this terrorist attack was the first time when someone was asked a religion,
42:33and targeted a religion.
42:36It's been a year for this incident, but today we have three of them.
42:40My mother, my mother, and my grandmother, we feel that we are sitting in the house in the bathroom.
42:47We are seeing that the terrorists are coming to us and that they are asking us to call us.
42:53We are living with this incident every day.
42:57We are seeing that our lives of terrorists are hurting us every day.
43:04We feel like a forest.
43:07It's difficult to cut.
43:09And I thought, some of them I felt like a force in the beginning.
43:16Like a force in the last 2-5 months, he was also out of 8 months.
43:21I felt that he will come back.
43:24Definitely he will come back.
43:26But the truth is true.
43:58What's also very significant is,
44:00what are steps that have been taken to strengthen the country?
44:03Remember, Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the ramparts of the Red Fort
44:06spoke of the Sudarshan Chakrish Shield.
44:10India was able to stop Pakistani missiles that were coming in.
44:13India was also able to hit,
44:15use an air defence system to hit 320 kilometres inside Pakistan
44:19and bring down one of their advanced airborne early warning command and control systems.
44:23Multiple Pakistani aircraft were lost in air and on ground.
44:27But what are steps that have been taken to increase security
44:30at Baisaran, in Jammu and Kashmir and across the country?
44:35India today's ace reporters,
44:37Manjeet Negi, Shivani Sharma and Meer Fareed bring us these reports.
44:57April 22nd, a day marked by blood, rage, grief and resolve.
45:12One year since the dastardly terror strike,
45:1526 lives lost, but none forgotten.
45:20The memory still fresh, the pain unchanged.
45:25A memorial now stands at the site,
45:27a reminder of the lives lost.
45:30Visitors continue to gather,
45:32paying tribute to the victims.
45:36A year after that, we are back in Pehelgaam.
45:40And behind me, you're seeing the martyrs' memorial wall.
45:44Now, who would have thought a year ago
45:47that we'll see something of this nature coming up at Pehelgaam?
45:52And in many ways, it narrates the tragic events that unfolded that day.
45:57And then, the mood of Pehelgaam, the mood of Kashmir,
46:02the nation where everyone came out in unison
46:06to protest against what happened that day.
46:08People were on the streets, there were candlelight marches.
46:11And as we have been saying time and again,
46:13Pehelgaam will never be the same again.
46:22When gunshots shattered the calm of serene Baisaran Meadow,
46:26one man stood his ground.
46:29Sayyad Adil Hussain Shah.
46:32A pony rider who tried to snatch a terrorist's rifle,
46:36but was shot dead.
46:38Not just his family,
46:40the ponywallas are also grieving and struggling.
46:43These pony riders, whose animals once carried tourists
46:47through the scenic trails, are the worst hit.
46:50They are waiting for customers who no longer come.
46:57Today, the situation is, in fact,
46:58that's been the situation from the last one year,
47:00that most of them are sitting idle.
47:03We spoke to them,
47:04and there is desperation in their tone.
47:07There is sadness on their faces.
47:09As of now,
47:10what they're doing is that they're taking these tourists,
47:13this handful of whom are coming to Pehelgaam,
47:17to the villages around,
47:20to some other routes,
47:21which obviously are not that profitable.
47:24But right now,
47:26what the Godewallas are doing is,
47:27they are only being allowed to take them
47:29to secured areas,
47:31mostly on these magnanimized roads.
47:36The crisis extends far beyond the pony stands.
47:41Hotels that once saw full bookings
47:43during the peak spring season
47:45are now grappling with empty rooms.
47:49Restaurants report sharply reduced footfall,
47:53while many smaller establishments
47:55have either shut down
47:57or are barely surviving.
48:01Pehelgaam ka joh yeh ghaav hai,
48:03joh log dukhi thhe, hurt thhe.
48:04Aaj,
48:05eek saal huwa hai,
48:07anniversary hai,
48:08kya sentiment?
48:09Abhi bhi dukh hai,
48:11aaj phir yad aghe,
48:12ke eesa dardnaak waqa huwa uus dind,
48:15joh kaafi inhuman tha,
48:17lekin,
48:18uske baad,
48:19kaafi safer huwai,
48:21ham loog bhi safer huwai,
48:22dho, tīn mahinye,
48:23toh hamarai paas koji tourism thai hini,
48:24phir bhi abhi woh,
48:26abh joh hamara potential hai,
48:27jitna hona chahiye tha,
48:28haini,
48:30must not be more than 30-40 percent occupancy,
48:33or rates be,
48:35break-even bhi nahi aaraa,
48:36mostly.
48:38Markets have also slowed.
48:41Shopkeepers selling shawls,
48:43handicrafts and essentials,
48:45once boosted by tourist spending,
48:48now sit idle for hours.
48:52Tourists na ke bera-a-bara hai,
48:54bilkul bhi kuch bhi nahi hai,
48:55aap dekh lije yeh,
48:56yaha pae pura rush hote tha,
48:57pishleye saal ish time,
48:59pura bara huwa tha,
49:00pahel ghaon,
49:01sal kuch bhi nahi hai,
49:03eek saal se,
49:03hamarai ghar nahi chalta hai,
49:06hamarai,
49:07joh rozi rodi,
49:09baesaran ke opar sa,
49:10woh khatm ho gaya hai,
49:11hamarai chola nahi jalta hai,
49:13kisi kisi ka chola nahi bhi jalta hai,
49:15keunki haam par guri bhi bhoot aya,
49:17kejne ka baat nahi,
49:19hamarai ham din me kamata hai,
49:21sham ko khata hai,
49:22hamarai pas koji zameen nahi hai,
49:24koji kheti badi nahi,
49:26koji ortaika kamai ka,
49:27khali hamarai turishti ke opar,
49:29kamai hi hota hai.
49:32The challenge now is not just reopening,
49:35but rebuilding the trust.
49:37For now,
49:38pahel ghaon waits,
49:39waits in quiet resilience,
49:42as it remains caught between memory and recovery.
49:46With Meir Farid,
49:48Bureau Report,
49:49India Today.
49:51Operator's sindur ke doran,
49:53Pakistan ke missile or drone ke hamlo ko naakam karne mein,
49:56Bhartasena ke air defense system ki mehtapun bhoomika rahi,
50:01یہ,
50:01abh ham hap ko dikhaate hai,
50:02Jew 23,
50:03joh eek purana anti-aircraft system hai,
50:07yeh purana jorur hai,
50:08lekin isne operator's sindur ke doran,
50:10apni marakshamta ka bharapur production kiya,
50:13sarhat per,
50:13pahakistan ke serkdoon,
50:15joh missile hai,
50:16drone hai,
50:18aur dousre aircraft hai,
50:20unko neshti nabud karne mein,
50:21iski bhoomika rahi,
50:22iski range ke ham baat kare,
50:24dhai kilometer tuk,
50:25aakas mein,
50:26ánene walee dushman ke,
50:27kishi bhi target ko,
50:28kishi bhi helicopter ko,
50:30kishi bhi drone ko,
50:31yeh asanhi se neshti nabud kar sekta hai,
50:33aur ab,
50:35operator's sindur ke,
50:36ek sal pura honne ke baad bhi,
50:38is vakt,
50:38bharat paakistan saherat per,
50:40joh joh 23 anti-aircraft gun hai,
50:43woh puri tari sa teinaat hai,
50:44kiunki is vakt bhi,
50:45operator's sindur jari hai,
50:48mai aap se jahun ga,
50:49ki joh je,
50:50joh joh 23 anti-aircraft gun hai,
50:53air defense ki,
50:54iska kia isti mal raha,
50:55kis tari se is nabud kar nipa hai,
50:57operator's sindur ke baad bhi,
50:59apke sámeni,
50:59joh 23 mm twin barrel gun hai,
51:01This is Army Air Defense
51:02Anti-Aircraft Gun
51:04which is a half kilometer
51:06and half kilometer under
51:07this aircraft, helicopter,
51:11U-cab and drone
51:12to margirane in the direction of the Air Defense.
51:14Now we will see you in the operation of the Air Defense
51:18of the Air Defense
51:20which is the use of the gun
51:21which is the use of the gun
51:23which is the use of the L-70 gun
51:25which is the use of Punjab
51:27which is the use of Pakistan
51:29which is the use of Pakistan
51:31So 9 and 10 May of the day, the small and big drone was a big gun.
51:37This is the gun that has been used with the L-70 gun with the L-70 gun, which is
51:46a very good gun.
51:49If we talk about range, we talk about the L-70 gun with the L-70 gun.
52:08We talk about the L-70 gun with the L-70 gun with the L-70 gun.
52:42We are right now at Ranaf Kach, close to Pakistan border.
52:45This is one of the most significant and strategic locations when it comes to topography.
52:51This is a featureless terrain with unpredictable surfaces.
52:56There are challenges of mobility and mirages.
52:59But the Indian Army has deployed all its assets including the infantry, its artillery, its armoured air defence.
53:09Fighting in the run of Kach and the creek areas is unlike conventional warfare.
53:13Extreme temperatures, shifting terrain and limited mobility make operations here uniquely challenging.
53:22Yet, the Indian Army has developed unmatched expertise in this terrain, giving it a decisive operational edge over Pakistan.
53:34This is an extremely difficult terrain with temperatures reaching high as 50 degrees.
53:42I will show you what the soil out here looks like.
53:46See, this is the mud where you, this is the spongy mud which you can't walk on.
53:53It looks like a surface, but when you start walking, it subsides.
54:00So, this is very difficult.
54:01But still, these soldiers out here, they are training, they are prepared, they are deployed with these weapon systems,
54:09with these arty guns, with their tanks and high morale.
54:14This region was also targeted by Pakistan during Operation Sindhu.
54:19However, the Indian Army responded strongly shooting down drones and maintaining complete dominance over the area.
54:49The Indian Army has deployed L-70 air defence guns, artillery units, T-72 tanks, drones, and
54:57infantry formations across the run.
54:59Even one year after Operation Sindhu, the Army remains on high alert.
55:06The deployment carried out during the operation continues to remain in place.
55:12These tanks are the most powerful tanks of the Indian Army.
55:17And in this difficult terrain, it gives the capability of firepower and dominance in this particular region.
55:24What you see on these tanks is an enhanced feature to protect it from drone attacks.
55:31So, this is how the Indian Army has now upgraded these tanks with this protection that camouflages this tank and
55:39gives it added protection.
55:41So, this is how the Indian Army is now enhancing, advancing, and adding what it needs depending upon the future
55:49wars.
55:52Soldiers regularly carry out firing drills with small and medium arms to maintain operational readiness and full combat capability in
56:01this demanding terrain.
56:04The message from Bhuj is loud and clear.
56:07Operation Sindhu has reinforced India's deterrence posture along the Western Front.
56:13With advanced air defence, surveillance, and firepower in place, any misadventure from across the border will not just be countered,
56:23but decisively defeated.
56:28The treacherous terrain of Ranaf Kutch is only a force multiplier for the Indian Army that is deployed here with
56:36full coordination and alertness.
56:38Operation Sindhu has marked a new doctrine for India that India will not tolerate any attack on its sovereignty and
56:46its citizens.
56:46Any attack will be dealt with overwhelming response.
56:51This is Shivani Sharma with Camera Person Pradeep Gupta for India Today from Ranaf Kutch.
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