West Asia Archives - National Times

12 Mar

New Iranian Leader Vows Retaliation as West Asia Conflict Widens

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsWorld NewsDonald Trump, Mojtaba Khamenei, oil prices, Retaliation, Strait of Hormuz, West Asia

Tehran (Rajeev Sharma)— In a stern first address on Thursday, March 12, 2026, Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, vowed to "avenge the blood of Iranians" and warned that Tehran would continue its campaign against American military installations in the region. The message, delivered via state television, comes as the Islamic Republic navigates a volatile leadership transition following the death of Ali Khamenei in recent U.S.-Israeli strikes. Khamenei’s statement was deeply personal, acknowledging the loss of his father, wife, and other family members during the opening salvos of the conflict. He emphasized that the "lever of blocking the Strait of…

11 Mar

LNG Canada Ramps Up Production to Shield Asian Markets from Middle East Energy Crisis

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsBritish Columbia, CanadaEnergy Crisis, Gas Exports, Kitimat, LNG Canada, West Asia

Kitimat, B.C. (Rajeev Sharma)— In a critical move for global energy security, LNG Canada has significantly accelerated its production and export volumes this week as the escalating conflict in West Asia threatens to cripple the world’s liquefied natural gas supply. Data released on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, indicates that the Shell-led facility in Kitimat is operating near its full capacity of 14 million metric tonnes per year, providing a vital alternative for Asian nations currently cut off from traditional Gulf sources. The urgency comes as QatarEnergy, which normally accounts for approximately 20% of the world’s LNG trade, declared force majeure…

08 Mar

EAM Jaishankar to Address Lok Sabha on West Asia Crisis as Parliament Resumes Stormy Session

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndiaIndia, Lok Sabha, Parliament, S. Jaishankar, West Asia

New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh)— External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is set to deliver a high-stakes statement in the Lok Sabha on Monday, March 9, 2026, regarding the rapidly deteriorating security situation in West Asia. The announcement, included in a revised list of parliamentary business circulated on Sunday evening, comes as the second half of the Budget session begins under a cloud of geopolitical and domestic tension. While the opposition-backed resolution to remove Speaker Om Birla was initially the sole item on the agenda, the government has now prioritized this foreign policy update in response to intense pressure from opposition benches…

03 Mar

Lebanon Sinks Deeper into Conflict as Hezbollah and Israel Escalate Cross-Border Warfare

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsWorld NewsGeopolitics, Hezbollah, Israel, Lebanon conflict, West Asia

Beirut (Rajeev Sharma) — Lebanon has been drawn further into a devastating regional war as Hezbollah and Israeli forces exchange their most intense strikes in decades. The escalation follows a series of coordinated U.S. and Israeli military operations across West Asia, which have triggered a massive retaliatory response from Iranian-backed groups. Over the last 48 hours, the border region has transformed into a full-scale battleground. Hezbollah has launched a barrage of rockets and drones targeting military installations in northern Israel, while the Israeli Air Force has conducted extensive retaliatory sorties against suspected missile launch sites and command centers deep within…

02 Mar

UNESCO Condemns Deadly Missile Strike on Girls’ School in Iran as “Grave Violation” of International Law

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsWorld NewsConflict, Education, International Law, Iran, Minab, School, students, UNESCO, West Asia

Paris/Tehran (Rajeev Sharma): The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Monday, March 2, 2026, expressed profound alarm over the devastating impact of the ongoing military escalation in West Asia on educational institutions. The agency issued a stern warning that attacks on schools constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law following a catastrophic missile strike on a girls’ primary school in southern Iran. Preliminary reports from the city of Minab indicate that the attack on the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls' elementary school resulted in the deaths of more than 100 people, with some estimates citing a toll as high…