Iran's late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been laid to rest in Mashhad after a week-long funeral procession. He was part of the Iranian revolution of 1979, and guided Iran through multiple US sanctions and oppositions since 1989 till his assassination in the US-Israel strike on February 28. While in a landmark bilateral agreement, PM Modi secured a crucial uranium supply pact during his state visit to Australia. This deal operationalises a civil nuclear agreement aimed at boosting domestic clean energy production and expanding defence and maritime security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. Meanwhile, geopolitical tensions escalated in West Asia following retaliatory military strikes between the United States and Iran. The strikes have targeted strategic locations, including the Chabahar port, raising concerns about supply chain disruptions and regional stability along the Strait of Hormuz. In Europe, internal divisions within the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance have surfaced during a crucial summit in Turkey. The United States leadership publicly challenged European allies over their lack of military support during the recent Middle Eastern conflict, threatening to reconsider security guarantees. The summit exposed significant rifts over defence commitments and allied loyalty, contrasting sharply with the strengthening strategic partnerships observed in the Indo-Pacific hemisphere.
