Iran war Highlights: India condemns attack on merchant vessel off Oman coast; 13 nationals rescued

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US President Donald Trump on Sunday said Iran “wants to make a deal so badly” with the United States and is “calling constantly.” Trump added that the Iran war could end before the US midterm elections, or shortly afterward.

Six major Iranian Kurdish opposition groups have called for a nationwide strike on September 16, marking the fourth anniversary of Mahsa Jina Amini’s death in morality police custody and the start of the Woman, Life, Freedom movement.

The coalition urged shops and bazaars to close and workers to stay away from work, accusing the Iranian regime of continuing its crackdown on activists, women’s rights defenders, workers, teachers and others.

The six groups include the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI), Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), Khabat Organization, Komala of the Toilers of Kurdistan and the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan.

“We condemn the attack on the commercial vessel MT El Gaia off the coast of Oman earlier today. Of the 14 Indian crew onboard, 13 Indians have been rescued so far. Search and rescue operations for the missing Indian national is continuing," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said he had a “good conversation” with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the sidelines of the BRICS summit.

Pezeshkian said the two sides agreed to move beyond past differences and work towards better ties.

“It was agreed that we would put aside the past and build a good future,” Pezeshkian said in remarks reported by the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

The US Fed interest rate decision, domestic inflation data, crude oil prices and development in West Asia would be the major drivers for stock market movement in a holiday-shortened week ahead, analysts said.

Equity markets would remain closed on Monday for Ganesh Chaturthi.

"Globally, developments in the US-Iran conflict and movement in Brent crude will remain critical market drivers. This week will be dominated by the US Federal Reserve's monetary policy decision and commentary on the future path of interest rates," Ajit Mishra, SVP of Research at Religare Broking, said.

On the domestic front, August WPI and CPI inflation data, followed by unemployment and balance of trade data, will remain in focus, he said.

"The immediate focus will be on US inflation and the Federal Reserve's policy decision. The September 11 inflation report showed headline CPI rising 0.4 per cent month-on-month and holding at 3.4 per cent annually, while core inflation increased 0.3 per cent from the previous month but eased to 2.4 per cent year-on-year. The firmer monthly reading keeps inflation risks in focus and could reinforce pressure on global bond yields and the dollar, particularly if the Federal Reserve adopts a more hawkish tone," Hariselvan Radhakrishnan, Founder & CEO of HST Wealth, a Research Analyst firm, said.

— PTI

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has raised concerns over escalating geopolitical tensions, saying their impact is increasingly being felt by people across the world. He also called for greater support and cooperation for countries in the Global South.

Speaking alongside BRICS leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Modi said, “The number of conflicts and tensions in the world is continuously increasing, and this is having an increasingly negative and far-reaching impact on the lives of ordinary people.”

Oman on Sunday praised India for successfully steering the BRICS grouping towards a joint declaration, saying New Delhi has consistently demonstrated its ability to bring multiple countries together and build consensus on key issues.

Speaking exclusively to ANI, Oman Ambassador to India Issa Alshibani said such consensus-building was “nothing new” for India, while acknowledging that there had been pessimism over whether the grouping would reach a declaration.

“There was a pessimistic view about reaching a declaration. But India has been really successful in reaching out to a declaration. This is nothing new to India,” Alshibani said.

He said India had demonstrated its ability to bring “multinational, multi-countries into consensus” on issues discussed in international groupings.

---- ANI

An Iranian commercial ship was struck early Sunday near the Strait of Hormuz, with one person killed, Iranian state media say.

Meanwhile, the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen said they fired drones and missiles toward southern Saudi Arabia, putting new pressure on a key U.S. ally in the region. And the presidents of Iran and Egypt have met about the rising regional tensions.

Maritime trackers received new reports of an attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, adding to concerns about Iran-related threats to energy supplies after Saudi Arabia shut down a vital oil pipeline.

The British navy-affiliated agency ‌UKMTO said it had a report of a projectile hitting a vessel as it moved through the Strait of Hormuz. The amount of damage and the status of the crew were unknown as of early Sunday, the agency said.

A vessel has been struck by an unknown projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the United Kingdom Maritime ​Trade Operations said early on Sunday. It said the crew's status, damage assessment and environmental impact were unknown.

Asked if he thought Iran was behind the attack that closed the East-West pipeline, Trump told reporters: "Well, I think they are. Probably they are."

Trump said his administration has "had discussions" with the Houthis, though he did not say when. "The Houthis called us, and they don't want to fight with us," he said. "They would much prefer not having us involved, and they're letting most ships go through."

Earlier, a drone attack was reported on Saudi's key oil pipeline. Iraq said attacks on a key Saudi oil pipeline were launched from its territory, as US President Donald Trump appeared to blame Iran.

Houthi fighters on Sunday said they used drones and missiles to attack a military base in southern Saudi Arabia as renewed fighting with Yemen's government forces forced growing numbers of civilians to flee.

The attack at the southern Sharurah base targeted "weapons depots and command and control centres that are managing the aggression against our nation and people", Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree wrote on X.

US news site Axios reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman twice called US President Donald Trump to request strikes on the Houthis last week, but that the request was rejected.

Asked about a recent call with Saudi's crown prince, Trump said: "He's a good friend of mine, and I can just say everything's going to work out fine and dandy. It's going to be very good."

US President Donald Trump on Saturday acknowledged speaking to the de facto Saudi leader but said the Houthis had also "called us and they don't want to fight with us". He did not elaborate on whether Washington would take any action, but told reporters that "everything's gonna work out fine and dandy" in the region.