International News
Pakistani man convicted of plotting with Iran to assassinate Trump
New York, March 7: A Pakistani man has been convicted of plotting with Iran to assassinate US President Donald Trump in a verdict handed down coincidentally while Washington and Tehran are locked in a war.
A Federal jury on Friday found Asif Merchant guilty of trying to hire hitmen to kill Trump and, possibly, other politicians, under the direction of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).
The 47-year-old Pakistani faces life in prison when he is sentenced.
The plot was to have taken place in 2024 during the presidential campaign, but was foiled because a fellow Pakistani he approached for help with the plot was an informant for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
“The FBI and our partners stopped that deadly plot,” the agency’s Director Kash Patel said after the verdict.
“This was not the first attempt by Iran to harm our citizens on US soil; the other efforts also failed”, he added.
Merchant was arrested in July 2024 as he was leaving the US and charged in the case the next month.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday that the US killed the Iranian mastermind of the plot, but did not identify the person.
The dates for the trial that started last week in a Brooklyn Federal court in the city were set long before the Iran conflict.
The judge presiding over the trial, Eric Komitee, remarked about the coincidence, “This trial is happening in interesting times”.
During the trial, Merchant admitted to participating in the plot, claiming it was because of threats by Iran against his family in that country.
He said that he received spycraft training from the IRGC and was also given two other names besides Trump for possible attacks — President Joe Biden and Nikki Haley, the Indian American politician who initially pursued the Republican Party presidential nomination.
Merchant had two wives, one in his homeland, Pakistan, and another in Iran, which he visited often and where he was recruited by the IRGC.
The prosecution said that he began working for the IRGC in Pakistan in 2022 or 2023, and by his own admission, was sent later in 2023 to the US to look for IRGC recruits.
The prosecutor in the case, Nina Gupta, told the court on Monday that Merchant used a clothing business as cover for the operation, and he wanted to attack those whom he believed were against “Pakistan and the Muslim world”.
He told the court that his mission was changed the next year and sent back to the US to hire “Mafia” members to steal documents, organise protests, and arrange the assassination of one of the three politicians who were targeted.
According to the prosecution, he contacted an acquaintance in New York identified as Nadeem Ali to help with the plot.
Ali, who was an FBI informant, notified the agency, and undercover officers came on board pretending to be hitmen for hire, according to the prosecution’s case.
Merchant gave the undercover officers a $5,000 down payment to carry out the assassination, and he was recorded sketching out the plot on a napkin in a New York hotel room.
In a secret recording of a meeting with the undercover agents played in court, Merchant told them, “Maybe you can, say, kill someone”.
And he added, “Maybe it’s some political person”.
The prosecution said that he searched the internet for places where Trump was holding rallies.
In another coincidence, totally unrelated to Merchant’s plot, a day after his arrest, a man tried to assassinate Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania, missing him by inches, with the bullet grazing his ear.
International News
Trump claims Iran reset, orders nuclear dust cleanup

Washington, April 8: US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced what he called a “very productive regime change” in Iran, saying the US would eliminate uranium enrichment and work to dig up and remove deeply buried nuclear “dust”.
In a series of posts, Trump outlined a framework that combined nuclear restrictions, sanctions relief and sharp trade penalties.
“The United States will work closely with Iran, which we have determined has gone through what will be a very productive regime change!” he wrote on Truth Social, a day after the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
He asserted that Iran would no longer be allowed to enrich uranium. “There will be no enrichment of Uranium,” Trump said, adding that the United States would work with Iran to “dig up and remove all of the deeply buried (B-2 Bombers) nuclear ‘dust.’”
Trump said the material remained under strict monitoring. “It is now, and has been, under very exacting Satellite Surveillance (Space Force!). Nothing has been touched from the date of attack,” he said.
The President also pointed to ongoing negotiations that could ease economic pressure on Tehran. “We are, and will be, talking tariff and sanctions relief with Iran. Many of the 15 points have already been been agreed to,” he said, without detailing the terms or the parties involved.
Minutes later, Trump issued a warning to countries supplying weapons to Iran, signalling an aggressive escalation in trade policy.
“A country supplying military weapons to Iran will be immediately tariffed, on any and all goods sold to the United States of America, 50 per cent, effective immediately. There will be no exclusions or exemptions!” he said.
The dual messaging — offering sanctions relief while threatening sweeping tariffs — reflected a strategy that mixes economic coercion with conditional engagement.
International News
Despite ceasefire announcement, India issues fresh advisory, urges nationals to leave Iran expeditiously

Tehran, April 8: India on Wednesday advised its nationals in Iran to leave expeditiously, using only embassy-suggested routes despite the ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran.
In an advisory, the Indian Embassy in Tehran said, “In continuation of the advisory of 07 April 2026, and in light of recent developments, Indian nationals still in Iran are strongly advised to expeditiously exit Iran, in coordination with the Embassy and using the routes suggested by the Embassy.”‘
“It is again reiterated that there should be no attempt to approach any international land border without prior consultation and coordination with the Embassy,” the Indian mission further said, adding the emergency contacts with the advisory.
This comes just hours after the US and Iran reached a ceasefire agreement.
US President Donald Trump stepped back from the brink of a major military escalation with Iran, announcing a conditional two-week pause in planned attacks tied to reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a development that came as a big relief to people across the world.
The decision came 90 minutes before the self-imposed 8 p.m. EST deadline set by Trump for Iran to reach a deal, after backchannel diplomacy.
Trump, in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday (local time), said he would “suspend” an escalation of attacks for two weeks if Iran agrees to open the key shipping route.
In a social media post, he said talks with Pakistan led to what he called a “double-sided ceasefire.”
“The reason for doing so is that we have already met and exceeded all Military objectives, and are very far along with a definitive Agreement concerning long-term peace with Iran, and peace in the Middle East,” Trump wrote.
He added that the United States had received “a 10-point proposal from Iran” that was “a workable basis on which to negotiate.”
Trump said “almost all of the various points of past contention” had been agreed, and the two-week pause would allow the agreement “to be finalised and consummated.”
The ceasefire is conditional. Trump said it depends on Iran agreeing to the “complete, immediate, and safe opening of the Strait of Hormuz.”
Iran signalled tentative acceptance. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said Tehran would halt operations if attacks stop.
“If attacks against Iran are halted, our Powerful Armed Forces will cease their defensive operations,” he said.
“For a period of two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination with Iran’s Armed Forces and with due consideration of technical limitations,” he added.
International News
Iran agrees to open Strait of Hormuz after Trump’s 14-day ceasefire announcement

Tehran, April 8: Iran on Wednesday indicated its willingness to halt its military response provided that attacks against it are stopped, while also announcing a temporary opening of the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz for a period of two weeks.
In a statement, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said the development comes at a time when ceasefire negotiations are currently underway, signalling a possible de-escalation in ongoing tensions.
He further stated that a two-week window would be provided during which vessels would be allowed to safely pass through the Strait of Hormuz, subject to proper coordination with Iranian authorities and adherence to operational conditions.
Explaining the context of the move, the Iranian Foreign Minister said that the decision was taken “considering the request by the US for negotiations based on its 15-point proposal as well as announcement by POTUS about acceptance of the general framework of Iran’s 10-point proposal as a basis for negotiations.”
He added that Iran’s position remains conditional and dependent on reciprocal actions.
“If attacks against Iran are halted, our Powerful Armed Forces will cease their defensive operations. For a period of two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination with Iran’s Armed Forces and with due consideration of technical limitations,” Araghchi said, citing the stance of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
Meanwhile, Trump also announced that he has agreed to suspend planned military strikes on Iran for two weeks.
“Subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the complete, immediate, and safe opening of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks,” he said, describing the move as part of “a double-sided ceasefire”.
The announcement signals a temporary halt in what had been shaping up as a major escalation in the Gulf, with Trump asserting that US military goals had already been achieved.
“The reason for doing so is that we have already met and exceeded all Military objectives, and are very far along with a definitive Agreement concerning long-term peace with Iran, and peace in the Middle East,” he said.
Trump said Washington had received “a 10-point proposal from Iran,” which he described as “a workable basis on which to negotiate”.
“Almost all of the various points of past contention have been agreed to between the United States and Iran,” he added, suggesting that the pause would allow both sides to finalise terms.
“A two-week period will allow the Agreement to be finalised and consummated,” Trump said.
He framed the development as a breakthrough in efforts to stabilise the region, saying it was “an honour to have this long-term problem close to resolution.”
Trump’s post on Truth Social media came less than 90 minutes before his 8 p.m. EST deadline, wherein he had asked Iran to agree to a deal or face consequences to be bombed to the “Stone Age”.
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