You are logged in
Loading…
You don’t have any Active Subscription.
Subscribed with another email? Logout and Login with that one.
Your active subscription(s)
Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription
Products you’ve access to
Additional Subscription Benefits
Account Settings
Need help with your subscription?
June 20, 2026e-Paper
The View From India Looking at World Affairs from the Indian perspective.
First Day First Show News and reviews from the world of cinema and streaming.
Today's Cache Your download of the top 5 technology stories of the day.
Science For All The weekly newsletter from science writers takes the jargon out of science and puts the fun in!
Data Point Decoding the headlines with facts, figures, and numbers
THEdge At the cutting edge of education and careers
Health Matters Ramya Kannan writes to you on getting to good health, and staying there
Gender Agenda Stories from beyond the binary.
The Hindu On Books Books of the week, reviews, excerpts, new titles and features.
June 20, 2026e-Paper
Updated – June 21, 2026 04:06 am IST
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on June 18, 2026. File | Photo Credit: Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday (June 20, 2026) threatened to impose US tolls in the Strait of Hormuz if a final deal with Iran isn’t reached in 60 days
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance said on Saturday (June 20) that the peace talks with Iran were on, and negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were already in Switzerland.
In an interview with Fox News, Mr. Vance said he also planned to join the talks in Switzerland in the next few days, contending that the U.S. has all the cards. “We’ll plan the talks when the principals from the Iranian government, also the Qatari and the Pakistani governments, arrive. That may happen as soon as tomorrow, but these things are always a little bit in flux,” Mr. Vance said.
Also read: Israeli Minister says ‘all of Lebanon must burn’ after four soldiers killed
Iran’s top joint military command, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said on Saturday (June 20, 2026) that the Strait of Hormuz would be closed to vessel traffic, citing alleged violations of a ceasefire agreement by the U.S. and Israel, Iran’s Mehr state news agency reported.
Lebanon’s health ministry said late Saturday that fresh Israeli strikes in the south and east of the country had killed seven people.
Five people, including a woman and child, were killed in the east of the country and two Palestinians were killed in the southern Tyr region, said the ministry.
These latest strikes came before a pause noted by an AFP correspondent, when the Israeli army said it had received orders from the country’s political leadership to halt fighting in southern Lebanon.
– AFP
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir will participate in the technical-level talks being held in Burgenstock, Switzerland, on June 21, the PM’s office said on Saturday.
Earlier today, the country’s foreign ministry said U.S. and Iranian representatives would participate in the meeting, along with mediators from Pakistan and Qatar.
– Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened to impose US tolls in the Strait of Hormuz if a final deal with Iran isn’t reached in 60 days.
Mr. Trump, spending the weekend at Camp David, underscored that the initial agreement to end the war with Iran calls for toll-free travel through the vital waterway for 60 days.
Then he said: “there will be NO TOLLS after the 60 day period has expired, unless they are imposed by and for the United States of America, should the deal not be completed.” Trump said the money would be for “services rendered as the Guardian Angel to the countries of the Middle East for purposes of both past, present, and future reimbursement of costs.” The US president has faced a lot of blowback domestically for how the memorandum of understanding with Iran addresses the issue of tolls in the Strait of Hormuz. The deal only secures toll-free passage for 60 days and doesn’t preclude future fees.
– AP
The Israeli military said that one of its soldiers was killed in fighting in southern Lebanon on Saturday, marking the fifth such fatality since a US-Iran deal was reached to end the Middle East war.
Staff Sergeant Nir Ben Ari “fell in combat” in southern Lebanon, the military said, a day after four other Israeli soldiers were killed in fighting with the Iran-backed Hezbollah group.
The latest fatality brings the military’s death toll to 36 soldiers and one civilian contractor since fighting between Hezbollah and Israel began on March 2.
– AFP
Three Indian-flagged crude oil tankers carrying over 8.6 lakh million tonnes of cargo with 94 crew members from the country transited through the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday (June 20, 2026) and are en route to India, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said.
The three crude oil tankers — Desh Vaibhav, Desh Vibhor, and Sanmar Herald — are expected to arrive in India between June 24 and July 1.
Three Indian oil tankers successfully transit the Strait of Hormuz, carrying 8.6 lakh MT of cargo en route to India.
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance said on Saturday (June 20) the peace talks with Iran were on, and negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were already in Switzerland.
In an interview with Fox News, Mr. Vance said he also planned to join the talks in Switzerland in the next few days, contending that the U.S. has all the cards.
“We’ll plan the talks when the principals from the Iranian government, also the Qatari and the Pakistani governments, arrive. That may happen as soon as tomorrow, but these things are always a little bit in flux,” Mr. Vance said.
-PTI
The U.S. military said Saturday (June 20) it remained “present and vigilant” in the Strait of Hormuz, shortly after Iran announced it was closing the critical shipping lane.
“U.S. forces remain present and vigilant to ensure all aspects of the agreement with Iran are adhered to, obeyed, and in full force and effect,” U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement.
CENTCOM, which oversees U.S. forces in West Asia, said 55 commercial vessels had transited the strait on Saturday (June 19) and that “safe passage through the international waterway remained intact today.”
– AFP
Pakistan said technical talks to implement the U.S.-Iran deal to end the West Asia war would be held in Switzerland on Sunday (June 21).
“As a follow-up to the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, technical-level talks will be held in Burgenstock, Switzerland, on 21 June,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday (June 19), adding Pakistani and Qatari mediators would participate in the discussions with U.S. and Iranian representatives.
– AFP
Iran’s top joint military command, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said on Saturday (June 20) that the Strait of Hormuz would be closed to vessel traffic, citing alleged violations of a ceasefire agreement by the U.S. and Israel, Iran’s Mehr state news agency reported.
It said that the closure was the “first step” in response to what it described as breaches of commitments and warned that further measures would be taken if “aggression” continued.
– Reuters
Iran's military warns of Strait of Hormuz closure due to U.S. and Israel ceasefire violations, threatening further action.
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance said in a Fox News interview on Saturday (June 20) that he expects to travel to Switzerland for talks with Iran soon.
“I expect that I will leave sometime in the next couple of days, but you know it’s always a delicate coordination dance and the diplomatic protocols,” Mr. Vance said.
– Reuters
Iran’s top engineering university has expelled six students over their alleged involvement in anti-government protests earlier this year, local media reported.
What began in December as cost-of-living protests escalated into anti-establishment demonstrations across the country that peaked in January, though smaller rallies continued on campuses in the weeks that followed.
“The Disciplinary Committee of Sharif University of Technology, in separate preliminary rulings, expelled six students for their alleged roles in the unrest of February,” Fars news agency reported.
– AFP
Lebanese official media said an Israeli strike on a village near the southern city of Sidon killed at least seven people on Saturday (June 20), as Israel presses strikes despite a ceasefire with Hezbollah announced a day earlier.
The strike on Qannarit killed “seven people and wounded 13 others, in a preliminary toll”, the state-run National News Agency (NNA) said.
-AFP
Israel carried out deadly strikes in south Lebanon on Saturday (June 20), and Hezbollah maintained it had the right to respond, hours after the United States announced a renewed ceasefire in fighting that had strained a fledgling deal with Iran.
U.S. President Donald Trump and his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian this week signed a preliminary agreement to halt the West Asia war on all fronts, including Lebanon, a key demand of Tehran’s.
But follow-up talks scheduled for Friday in Switzerland were indefinitely postponed as Israel launched a wave of strikes in Lebanon that left dozens of people dead after four of its soldiers were killed in combat, sparking a furious reaction at home.
– AFP
Pakistan’s Interior Minister arrived in Iran on Saturday (June 20, 2026) after planned talks between Iran and the United States in Switzerland were postponed, Iranian media reported.
Tehran and Washington were due to hold talks in Switzerland on Friday (June 19, 2026), after signing a memorandum of understanding ending the war in West Asia, but the latest negotiations have been postponed with no new date announced.
Iranian media including Tasnim news agency said Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi landed on Saturday (June 20, 2026) in the northeastern city of Mashhad.
– AFP
India sharply diversified its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) sourcing during the West Asia conflict, increasing imports from the U.S., Iran and several other countries to reduce dependence on the Gulf region, while state-owned fuel retailers absorbed much of the surge in international prices to shield households.
Before the conflict, roughly 90% of India’s LPG imports came from West Asian suppliers, leaving the country heavily exposed to regional disruptions. By April 2026, the United States accounted for nearly one-third of India’s LPG imports, up from just 8% in February, according to a Crisil report.
The shift was aided by a 2.2 million tonne-per-year LPG supply agreement signed with the United States in late 2025, equivalent to about 10% of India’s annual import requirement. Iran also re-entered India’s import basket, accounting for around 6% of April imports, while supplies were sourced from countries like Argentina, Chile, France and the Netherlands.
– PTI
Pakistan Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi is due to hold talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi during a visit to Tehran on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said, according to ISNA news agency.
Baghaei said Naqvi’s visit is part of Islamabad’s ongoing efforts related to negotiations between Iran and the United States.
– Reuters
The Lebanese army said an Israeli strike killed one of its soldiers in the country’s south on Saturday (June 20, 2026), despite a new ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah reached a day earlier.
“An Israeli enemy strike targeted an army soldier on the Kfar Rumman-Nabatieh road, leading to his martyrdom,” an army statement said, charging that “the continuation of brutal Israeli attacks aims to obstruct any solution that would allow for restoring stability in Lebanon”.
– AFP
Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah on Saturday (June 20, 2026) said his group had the right to respond to Israeli attacks, as Israel kept up strikes on Lebanon despite a new ceasefire announced a day earlier.
“There is talk of a ceasefire. For us, what concerns us is that the enemy fully and comprehensively respects the ceasefire, and doesn’t attempt to attack our country and villages or seek to occupy any new position,” Mr. Fadlallah said in a statement, adding that “the resistance has the full right to confront this enemy when it attacks us, as it is the aggressor and the occupier”.
– AFP
The Israeli military said it was striking Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon on Saturday (June 20, 2026) in response to overnight projectile launches from the Iran-backed group, despite a ceasefire announced a day earlier.
“Overnight, the Hezbollah terrorist organisation launched more than 50 projectiles at Israeli forces in southern Lebanon. Following the attacks, the IDF has been striking Hezbollah terrorist targets in southern Lebanon,” an Israeli military official said.
– AFP
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi departed for Tehran on Saturday (June 20, 2026) for meetings with senior Iranian officials, Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported.
IRNA said Mr. Naqvi would discuss the progress of negotiations between Iran and the United States during his visit, without providing further details.
– Reuters
The Congress on Saturday (June 20, 2026) accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of having a “blind devotion” to Israel and said this is hurting India’s interests.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the U.S.-Iran MoU that has been cautiously welcomed the world over faces many threats, the most important of which is posed by Israel.
“Israel’s National Security Minister — no less — has just called for all Lebanon to burn. His remarks have drawn wide condemnation. But as usual the Modi Govt has kept totally quiet,” Mr. Ramesh said on X.
– PTI
US envoy Steve Witkoff was headed to Switzerland for talks, American media outlets reported on Friday (June 20, 2026), after scheduled negotiations due to take place there between the United States and Iran were postponed.
Mr. Witkoff was on his way to the alpine nation on Friday (June 20, 2026), Axios said, citing an unnamed U.S. official.
His trip comes as Washington and Iran work to get technical talks following up on an initial peace deal “back on track,” CNN said.
– AFP
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff heads to Switzerland for postponed talks amid ongoing negotiations with Iran, alongside Jared Kushner.
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi were both headed to Switzerland for talks, Axios said on Friday (June 20, 2026), as a ceasefire in Lebanon appeared to revive efforts to turn an interim Iran war pact into a lasting regional deal.
Emerging outlines of a deal between Washington and Tehran to end their war contain a stinging paradox: sweeteners to coax Iran into compliance may strengthen an adversarial force that the U.S. and its Western allies consider a terrorist organisation.
For years, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards thrived in the shadow of sanctions, building a sprawling commercial empire stretching from oil and construction to shipping, telecommunications and ports.
Now, as Tehran and Washington prepare for talks on a deal to end the war that could unlock billions of dollars for Iran and reopen its economy to global investment, the elite force is poised to be one of the biggest beneficiaries.
– Reuters
Lebanese official media said fresh Israeli strikes on the country’s south on Saturday (June 20, 2026) killed five people, despite a ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group announced a day earlier.
The state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported Israeli airstrikes on more than a dozen south Lebanon locations after midnight and into Saturday morning, saying three people were killed in strikes on the town of Arab Salim, while one person was killed in Deir Zahrani, and another after “an enemy drone launched a strike on a motorbike” at the entrance of the town of Dweir.
– AFP
Fighting flared anew in Lebanon on Friday, with authorities reporting 47 killed in Israeli airstrikes and Israel announcing the deaths of four of its soldiers.
The violence is the worst since the sealing of a U.S.-Iran deal to halt the wider West Asia war, which was also supposed to pause fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Lebanon’s official National News Agency reported a fresh Israeli strike on the area of Jezzine in the south, soon after a US official said on Friday that Israel and Hezbollah had agreed on a ceasefire.
An NNA journalist also reported drones flying over the Tyre area, while an AFP correspondent heard artillery shelling in the southern town of Nabatieh.
The U.S. official told AFP on condition of anonymity that the truce was brokered by U.S. and Qatari mediators, following talks with Israel and Iran.
-AFP
Israel and Hezbollah have agreed on a ceasefire, a U.S. official said on Friday (June 19, 2026), after deadly new exchanges in Lebanon put the fragile deal to end the West Asia war under immediate strain.
Israel and Hezbollah agree on Lebanon ceasefire: U.S. official
Israel and Hezbollah reach a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in Lebanon amid rising tensions and criticisms from the Trump administration.
Israel and Hezbollah reach a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in Lebanon amid rising tensions and criticisms from the Trump administration.
Switzerland said U.S. talks with Iranian negotiators on a pact to end the war in West Asia would not take place on Friday (June 19, 2026), while Vice President JD Vance dropped plans to travel there, fuelling uncertainty whether a lasting truce can be found.
U.S.-Iran peace talks postponed, clouding prospects for lasting truce
U.S.-Iran talks scheduled for June 19 in Switzerland are canceled after Vice-President J.D. Vance withdraws from the trip.
U.S.-Iran talks scheduled for June 19 in Switzerland are canceled after Vice-President J.D. Vance withdraws from the trip.
Published – June 20, 2026 08:23 am IST
West Asia / World / Iran / Lebanon / Israel-US strikes on Iran / USA / Israel / war / unrest, conflicts and war
Copyright© 2026, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved.
BACK TO TOP
Terms & conditions | Institutional Subscriber
Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.
We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.
Leave a Reply