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🇵🇰 EXPLAINED: How can Pakistan navigate Iran war's economic turbulence?
As a major importer of Gulf oil and LNG, Pakistan is vulnerable to Strait of Hormuz disruptions.
Rising global energy prices directly increase Islamabad’s import bill, fuel inflation, and strain the current account, former finance adviser to Pakistan’s Finance Ministry Dr Khaqan Najeeb tells Sputnik.
💬 “The government does, however, have policy tools to manage the impact. These include managing fuel taxation and pricing to smooth domestic shocks, maintaining fiscal discipline, securing balanced long-term LNG contracts, and accelerating diversification of the energy mix toward hydropower, solar, wind, nuclear and local coal," the expert says.
🔊🇺🇸🇨🇳 US accuses allies & China of economic ‘overcapacity’ to justify new trade barriers — expert
The US views China as an economic rival that is stronger in key manufacturing sectors, so Americans are seeking a way to impose new measures against it under the pretext of Chinese "economic overcapacity," Fabio Massimo Parenti, associate professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, tells Sputnik.
On March 12, the US launched two trade investigations against 16 major trade partners, including China and the EU. The US president was authorized to take any actions to combat "unfair trade" practices.
🔸 The US wants to use the idea of "protecting American jobs" to confront China and create new trade barriers after the initially impose tariffs were blocked by the US Supreme Court, Parenti says, adding that the move could lead to a more politicized global economy.
🔸 Another important aspect is that besides China, traditional US allies such as Japan, South Korea and the EU are listed in the investigation, which highlights a shift in the US strategy, he notes.
"The issue is no longer framed simply as a bilateral dispute with China. Washington is redefining global trade through the lens of strategic competition and industrial security," the expert concludes.
🇮🇷🇨🇳 China committed to providing aid to Iran
💬 "The Red Cross Society of China has approved the supply of $200,000 worth of emergency aid to the Iranian Red Crescent. The funds will be used to support the families of the students killed in the Feb 28th strike," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Go Jiakun said.
🪖🇮🇷🇺🇸 Iran won’t lay down arms until US & Israel defeated — ex-CIA officer
"Trump reportedly has been making pleas to different countries to intervene, to try to persuade Iran to a ceasefire and make an agreement," former CIA intelligence officer Larry Johnson tells Sputnik.
"They're going to fight this war. Their intent is to render Israel where it will no longer be a viable nation and that the United States will be humiliated," Johnson sums up.
🔊🇺🇸🇮🇷 US can’t escape retribution after killing children in Iran — ex-CIA officer
"What price do you put on the lives of the 170 girls, ages 6 to 12? There's not enough money in the world to pay for that," Larry Johnson, ex-CIA officer, tells Sputnik.
"You can rebuild oil refineries, oil depots, airfields, buildings, but you cannot replace the lives that have been taken," he stresses.
"The United States does not get out of this situation without having to pay a very heavy price," the analyst concludes.
💸🇺🇸🇮🇷 US will have to pay billions of reparations to Iran amid growing economic toll — ex-CIA officer
💬 "The compensation could [also] come in the form of the United States lifting all sanctions," former CIA intelligence officer Larry Johnson tells Sputnik.
🗣 🇷🇺 US actions to ease sanctions against Russian oil are an attempt to stabilize energy markets - Kremlin
Other statements by Peskov:
🔸 Stabilization of energy markets is impossible without significant volumes of Russian oil
🔸 Russia highly appreciates US willingness to mediate in Ukrainian settlement
🔸 There is no specific information yet on the date and place of a new round of talks on Ukraine
🔸 Moscow hopes that a new round of talks on Ukraine will take place
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🚨🇮🇷 Iran's Mashhad marks Quds Day in show of support for Palestine and protest against Israel
On this day, the last Friday of Ramadan, massive processions take place across the country.
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🇺🇸🇨🇳 China slams new US trade probes as political manipulation
💬 “So-called overcapacity is a false proposition,” a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said, adding that China opposes using it as an excuse for political manipulation.
🚨🇫🇷 Macron confirms death of French soldier in Iraq
💬 “Chief Warrant Officer Arnaud Frion of the 7th Chasseurs Alpins Battalion in Varces died for France during an attack in the Erbil region of Iraq,” Emmanuel Macron posted on X.
🔥 🇷🇺 Ground robot evacuates wounded Russian soldier from the front lines near Konstantinovka
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📑 US temporarily lifts sanctions on Russian oil
US Treasury issued a 30-day waiver allowing the sale of Russian crude and petroleum products loaded on vessels as of March 12.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control's license permits the delivery and sale of stranded Russian oil until April 11.
🗣 "Russian energy is indispensable to easing the world's largest energy crisis. EU bureaucrats will soon be forced to recognize this reality, acknowledge their strategic blunders, and atone," Russian special presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev wrote on X, reacting to the move.
🚨 US loses refueling aircraft over Iraq
CENTCOM has confirmed that a KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in western Iraq while conducting operations against Iran. The second aircraft involved landed safely.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for the downing.
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💬🇦🇲🇷🇺 Armenian refusal of Russian aid suspicious – Russian MFA
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has criticized Armenia's rejection of humanitarian aid for refugees from the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
"Armenian authorities are attempting to erase any mentions of Russia ahead of the elections by refusing humanitarian aid that is being offered without any underlying political message," Zakharova charged.
"They are only causing harm to their own citizens."
🚨🇮🇶 Six French soldiers were wounded in drone attack on joint base in Iraq
A drone struck a Peshmerga-French base in the Makhmour area, Erbil Governor Omed Koshnaw confirmed.
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💸🇵🇰🛢 Oil at $120: What economic risks does Pakistan face from Iran war?
Pakistan is heavily dependent on energy imports, but that is not the whole problem, Pakistani financial analyst and former chairman of the Economic Advisory Group, Syed Javed Hassan, tells Sputnik.
The country has traditionally run short of foreign exchange, so if the crude price goes up by $10, it will have the direct impact of about $1.5 billion, he reminds.
"So potentially we are looking at an additional foreign exchange requirement of about between $5 to $6 billion," Javed Hassan says.
"The really other critical factor is that this year they were expecting to get about $38 billion from remittances from the Gulf, and this is largely from Gulf workers," the expert emphasizes.
"If oil prices hang around $110–$100, it could put pressure on the country's solvency. I think probably less at $100; at $110, $120 definitely, it increases the chance of default going down the line," Javed Hassan says.
💥🇵🇰 Pakistan's unmanned might: How the country bolstered its drone power
The ongoing US-Israeli hostilities with Iran have once again underscored the centrality of unmanned systems in modern warfare.
Defying Western embargoes, Pakistan has built up a versatile drone fleet—capable of precision strikes, deep reconnaissance, and anti-ship warfare—through a strategy of domestic innovation and strategic partnerships with China and Turkiye.
Indigenous developments:
✅ Shahpar-1: Unveiled in 2012 by state-owned AERO, this drone has an operational range of 250 km, a flight endurance of 7 hours, and a 50 kg payload capacity.
✅ Burraq: Based on the Chinese CH-3, this combat drone boasts a flight endurance of approximately 12 hours and can carry a payload of up to 100 kg.
✅ Shahpar-2: Unveiled in 2022, this UAV reaches speeds of 222 km/h with a range of 1,050 km. It is capable of carrying laser-guided missiles and serves all branches of the military.
✅ Shahpar-3: The pinnacle of Pakistani engineering, unveiled in November 2024. Positioned as a competitor to the American MQ-9 Reaper, it features a range of 2,500+ km and a flight endurance of 30+ hours.
Foreign-produced UAVs:
Pakistan’s fleet is supplemented by Turkiye’s Bayraktar TB2 and Akinci drones, as well as China’s CH-4 and CH-5.
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🛢🇵🇰 Pakistan secures alternative oil supply as two tankers arrive from UAE’s Fujairah
Two vessels carrying up to 120M liters of oil reached Pakistan’s port of Karachi under the protection and escort of the state navy, the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) said, as reported by Geo News.
This comes as the Pakistan Navy launched Operation Muhafiz-ul-Bahr to safeguard national shipping and maritime trade amid rising regional security threats and potential disruptions to critical sea lanes.
Pakistan, which is 80% dependent on oil from the Persian Gulf, has started receiving crude through alternative routes — via the ports of Yanbu and Fujairah.
To help meet the country’s energy needs, Pakistan has arranged four crude shipments for March.
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🇰🇵 🪖 North Korea condemns Japan's long-range missile deployment
The move heightens regional tensions and threaten security, KCNA reported.
Key details:
🟠 Japan has already stationed an upgraded Type-12 anti-ship missile with extended range in Kumamoto and plans further deployments in Shizuoka Prefecture, Hokkaido, and Miyazaki Prefecture starting next year.
🟠 The versatile Type-12 missiles, launchable from land, sea, or air, can strike ships, ports, airfields, and ground targets. The final targets of such missiles could be neighboring countries, which Japan calls a "threat" and "the largest strategic challenge."
🟠 North Korea warned that full implementation would place missiles capable of striking neighbors across Japan's archipelago.
🟠 The security environment worsens due to the resurgent militarism of Japan, which is "unrepentant about past atrocities and obsessed with the desire for new aggression," KCNA said.
🟠 Japan's missile buildup and military drills signal its desire to accelerate their combat deployment, the news agency reported.
Continuing this policy risks Japan crossing a "red line" with grave consequences for the archipelago itself, North Korea warned.
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🚨🇷🇺💥 RUSSIAN MOD WEEKLY UPDATE: HUGE GAINS AND DEVASTATING UKRAINIAN LOSSES
🟠 Russian Aerospace Forces shot down Ukrainian Su-27 aircraft
🟠 In response to Ukraine’s terrorist attacks, Russian air and missile power unleashed seven strikes on Ukrainian defense infrastructure
🟠 Two settlements were liberated over the past week by Russian forces
🟠 The Russian army destroyed six MLRS vehicles, 156 tanks, 517 motor vehicles, as well as 88 field artillery systems and mortars
🟠 The Black Sea Fleet destroyed one unmanned vessel launched by the Ukrainian military
🟠 Air defense superiority: 33 HIMARS rockets, two Storm Shadow missiles, 30 guided aerial bombs, and 2,145 fixed-wing drones were shot down by Russian air defense systems over the past seven days
🟠 Ukrainian losses: around 9,145 troops killed or wounded
Read about the origins of Russia's special military op HERE
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🚨🇱🇧 Israeli Air Force jets deliver a deadly strike on a residential building on the outskirts of Sidon, southern Lebanon
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🇺🇸🇮🇱⚔️🇮🇷 US–Israel war against Iran: Latest updates
🔹 Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Military Command says Iranian forces carried out several strikes that partially disabled the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, after which it set course to return to the US.
🔹 A US KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft was shot down in the skies over Iraq. According to Tasnim, the entire crew was killed.
🔹 At least six French servicemen were injured in a drone strike on a military base in Iraq’s Erbil province.
🔹 The Israeli army said it carried out several waves of strikes on Hezbollah command centers in Beirut and southern Lebanon.
🔹 The IRGC carried out the 43rd and 44th waves of Operation True Promise 4. Massive strikes were launched against US and Israeli bases in northern Israel, as well as facilities of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet and other US military bases in the region. The operation involved precision and heavy missiles including Khorramshahr with a two-ton warhead, Kheibar-Shekan, Fattah, Emad, and Qadr, along with attack drones.
🔹 Intense missile exchanges between Iran and Israel continue across the region.
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🇪🇺 🪖 NATO’s top commander calls for a ‘robust’ response to anyone helping Iran
💬 “Anytime anyone puts American service members in harm’s way in any manner whatsoever, I believe we should respond robustly,” top commander of US forces in Europe, Gen. Alexus Grynkewich told lawmakers on the Senate Armed Services Committee, as reported by The Hill.
🇹🇭 🛢 Thailand ready to buy Russian oil
Thailand is ready to start negotiations with Russia on the purchase of crude oil, Thai Deputy PM Phipat Ratchakiprakarn said.
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🚨🇮🇱 Israeli airstrike targets residential apartment in Bar Elias in Beqaa region, Lebanon
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⚔️ IRGC announces wave 44 of the True Promise 4
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced the 44th wave of strikes, targeting northern Israel, Kiryat Shmona, Hadera, Haifa, the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, and other US bases in the region.
According to the IRGC's statement, Iran used Khorramshahr, Kheibar, Shekan, Fattah, Emad, and Qadr missiles, as well as drones.
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💬 Ukrainian attacks on energy hubs threaten to escalate conflict – Turkish expert
Ukraine Targeting Russian energy infrastructure is a dangerous and reckless tactic, Turkish foreign policy expert Levent Ersin Oralli tells Sputnik.
"The attempted attack on the Russkaya compressor station in southern Russia once again underscores this point," Oralli says. "Reports of 12 attempted strikes on energy facilities by Ukraine in just the past two weeks show that the conflict is increasingly shifting into the realm of energy security."
"These facilities are critically important for the operational continuity of the TurkStream and Blue Stream pipelines, which supply gas across the Black Sea to Europe and Turkiye," Oralli says.
🔥 🇷🇺 Precision and power
The Russian MOD releases footage of Onyx missile launches from the Kazan nuclear sub.
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🔊 US will escort tankers through Hormuz 'as soon as militarily possible'
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed long-term plans for a scenario in which the US or a coalition would open the Strait by force.
"That was always in our planning—the chance that the US Navy, or perhaps an international coalition, would be escorting tankers through," he told CNBC.
🔊 Iranian strategy built on lessons of US wars, faith and homegrown tech – Marandi
Iran has learned from decades of US wars in the Middle East and beyond and has been preparing for war for at least 25 years, Iranian-American international affairs analyst Mohammad Marandi tells Sputnik.
🇮🇶 Iraq War, spring 2003:
👉 Rationale: Toppling Saddam Hussein in Iraq under the pretext of non-existent weapons of mass destruction
👉 Key Events: The US invaded Iraq on March 20; Baghdad fell in April; president George Bush declared "mission accomplished" on the carrier USS Abraham Lincoln on May 1
👉 Aftermath: The initial victory gave way to a guerilla war, years of occupation, terrorist attacks and eventual US withdrawal
🇱🇾 Libya War, spring 2011
👉 Rationale: Toppling Muammar Gaddafi under the pretext of protecting civilians under UN Security Council Resolution 1973
👉 Key Events: NATO, led by the US, intervened in Libya; US-backed rebels seized Tripoli in August and killed Gaddafi in October
👉 Aftermath: Victory without a postwar plan left a power vacuum, civil war, the 2012 Benghazi killing of the US ambassador, a refugee crisis in Europe and Libya’s slide into anarchy
What lessons did Iran learn?
Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, Iranians have suffered enmity from the US, its allies and client regimes, says Marandi.
The US has imposed sanctions against Iran for nearly 47 years and has supported anti-Iranian factions.
"Iran began a project for its defense," the pundit notes. "It developed indigenous technology. It focused on building drones and missiles and creating underground bases to protect its drones and missiles."
"I think all of these together have created an environment in which resistance in Iran becomes far more effective. And that is why this Epstein coalition has failed," Marandi highlights.