Iran has confirmed that the United States has responded to its 14-point proposal aimed at ending the ongoing regional conflict, with Tehran now reviewing the reply.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, speaking to state-run IRIB TV, said the proposal is strictly focused on de-escalation and does not touch upon nuclear issues. “At present, we are focused on the parameters related to ending the war in the region, including Lebanon,” he said, adding, “we have no nuclear negotiation at this stage”.

Baghaei reiterated that the plan contains “nothing pertaining to the nuclear field’s details”, underlining Tehran’s position that the immediate priority is to halt hostilities. His remarks come amid longstanding US demands to link broader negotiations with Iran’s nuclear programme — something Tehran has consistently resisted in the current context.

Iran has repeatedly maintained that its nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes, despite international concerns over its enrichment levels.

Separately, foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi held discussions with key international counterparts to advance diplomatic efforts. In phone calls with Oman’s foreign minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi and Germany’s foreign minister Johann Wadephul, Araghchi outlined Tehran’s latest initiatives to end the conflict, according to statements from the Iranian foreign ministry.

The developments follow months of escalating tensions that began with the 28 February joint US-Israel strikes on Tehran, which targeted multiple sites in the Iranian capital and other cities. The strikes reportedly killed senior leadership figures, including then supreme leader Ali Khamenei, along with military commanders and civilians.

Iran retaliated with waves of missile and drone attacks aimed at Israel and US-linked targets across the region, pushing the conflict to the brink of a wider war.

A ceasefire brokered on 8 April temporarily halted hostilities, but subsequent talks between Iranian and US delegations in Islamabad failed to yield a breakthrough, leaving the situation fragile despite ongoing diplomatic engagement.

With IANS inputs

Hours before counting began for the two-phase assembly elections in West Bengal on Monday, chief minister Mamata Banerjee issued a late-night message urging Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers to remain vigilant through the process.

In a social media post after 1 am, she called for heightened alertness, saying, “Stay alert. Be on guard. Stay awake at night. Register complaints.”

Banerjee alleged that her party had received reports of “planned” power cuts in several parts of the state, raising concerns over the security of strong rooms where EVMs are stored. She cited incidents from Sreerampore in Hooghly, Krishnanagar in Nadia, Aushgram in Purba Bardhaman, and the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra in Kolkata, claiming that load-shedding was being carried out in phases.

“CCTVs are being switched off, and vehicles are moving in the strong room,” she said, appealing to party workers to “guard the people’s votes”. She added, “If any suspicious situation arises, surround those involved, lodge complaints immediately, and demand CCTV footage.” Banerjee further alleged that such developments were being orchestrated “at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party.”

On Sunday evening, the chief minister also held a strategy meeting with Trinamool Congress counting agents for the high-profile Bhabanipur constituency, where she is contesting against leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari.

According to party insiders, Banerjee issued last-minute instructions on maintaining vigilance inside counting centres until the final round. She also expressed confidence in the outcome. “The victory of Trinamool Congress in West Bengal and my win from Bhabanipur are 100 per cent assured,” a senior party leader quoted her as saying.

She, however, cautioned workers not to be swayed by early trends. “Initial rounds may show the opposition leading, but the final result will be in our favour,” she reportedly told the gathering.

With counting underway amid tight security, the chief minister’s remarks have added to the charged political atmosphere surrounding the results.

With IANS inputs

Counting of votes is under way across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry on Monday (May 4), as multiple high-stakes contests head towards their final verdict after weeks of intense campaigning.

The spotlight is firmly on West Bengal, where the battle for 293 seats has set up a keen contest between the ruling All India Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party. While the TMC is seeking to retain power, the BJP is aiming for a breakthrough in the State for the first time, even as the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Indian National Congress look to regain relevance after their 2021 setback.

Further south, Tamil Nadu is also counting votes for its 234-seat Assembly after recording a robust 85.1% voter turnout, with nearly 4.8 crore ballots cast. The scale of the exercise is vast, with votes from over 75,000 polling stations being tallied across 62 counting centres under heavy security deployment. Kerala, too, is witnessing counting across 140 centres, following a turnout of 79.63%, with the outcome expected to decide whether the incumbent holds its ground or the Opposition stages a comeback.

In the Northeast, Assam’s 126 constituencies are being counted in what is shaping up to be a closely watched contest. The ruling NDA, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, is eyeing a third straight term, while the Congress-led alliance under Gaurav Gogoi is pushing for a return to power after a decade, with both sides expressing confidence of crossing the halfway mark.

Counting began early in the day with postal ballots, after strongrooms housing electronic voting machines were opened in the presence of officials, observers and candidates’ representatives. The Election Commission of India has put in place stringent arrangements, including multi-layer security, central forces deployment and QR code-based access control at counting centres, ensuring a tightly monitored process as trends begin to emerge.

Read more

“We will keep an eye on every vote”: Gaurav Gogoi

Gaurav Gogoi of the Indian National Congress said the party will closely monitor the counting process across Assam as early trends begin to emerge. “This is just the beginning. We will see how the counting is going on in the entire State, and we will keep an eye on every vote being counted properly in every round,” he said. Gogoi, who is contesting from Jorhat, is currently trailing BJP’s Hitendra Nath Goswami, according to early data from the Election Commission of India.

‘Stay alert’: Mamata’s midnight message to TMC workers ahead of counting

Hours before counting began for the two-phase assembly elections in West Bengal on Monday, chief minister Mamata Banerjee issued a late-night message urging Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers to remain vigilant through the process.

In a social media post after 1 am, she called for heightened alertness, saying, “Stay alert. Be on guard. Stay awake at night. Register complaints.”

Banerjee alleged that her party had received reports of “planned” power cuts in several parts of the state, raising concerns over the security of strong rooms where EVMs are stored. She cited incidents from Sreerampore in Hooghly, Krishnanagar in Nadia, Aushgram in Purba Bardhaman, and the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra in Kolkata, claiming that load-shedding was being carried out in phases.

Read more

Kerala: Congress’s Chennithala leads in Haripad after first round

Ramesh Chennithala of the Indian National Congress is leading in the Haripad constituency in Kerala as the first round of counting progresses.

According to figures from the Election Commission of India at 9.20 am, Chennithala has polled 4,765 votes, ahead of T. T. Jismon of the Communist Party of India, who has secured 3,235 votes. BJP candidate Sandeep Vachaspathi is trailing with 1,899 votes.

Assam: Akhil Gogoi confident of Opposition forming govt with 70+ seats

Akhil Gogoi, president of the Raijor Dal and candidate from Sivasagar, expressed confidence that the Opposition alliance will secure a majority in Assam.

“I would like to hope that the Opposition parties will form the government. With 70-plus seats, we will form the government, and we will own the game,” he said.

Gogoi is contesting from Sivasagar, a seat he won in the previous Assembly elections while in prison during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

The Opposition alliance comprises six parties, including the Indian National Congress, Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad, Communist Party of India (Marxist), All Party Hill Leaders Conference and Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation.

Gaurav Gogoi leads in Jorhat

Gaurav Gogoi of the Indian National Congress is leading in the Jorhat Assembly constituency in Assam, according to early trends. He is up against BJP veteran and sitting MLA Hitendra Nath Goswami.

A three-time MP and currently the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Gogoi was appointed president of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee in 2025. He had also secured a win from the Jorhat Lok Sabha seat in the 2024 general election, defeating BJP’s Topon Kumar Gogoi.

Initial trends show a close contest between TMC and BJP

In the initial trends, there is a fluctuating contest in Bengal. The BJP is leading in 85 seats, while the Trinamool Congress is ahead in 72 seats.

Congress-led UDF leads in early Kerala trends

Initial trends from Kerala show the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) taking an early lead as counting begins. According to early figures, put out by PTI the UDF is ahead in over 60 seats, while the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) is leading in more than 50 constituencies.

These early trends are based on postal ballots, which account for about 1.36 per cent of the total votes polled, and are expected to shift as EVM counting gathers pace.

Missing key delays Kalamassery counting; strongroom forced open

Tension briefly prevailed at a strongroom at the Cochin University of Science and Technology in Kalamassery after the key to the facility storing EVMs for the constituency went missing during the initial stages of counting on Monday morning.

The Hindu reported that With officials unable to locate the key, the strongroom was eventually broken open around 8.30 am to allow the process to continue. “Everything is going smoothly now,” an official said, indicating that counting had resumed without further disruption.

Kalamassery remains a closely watched seat in Kerala, with P. Rajeeve of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) seeking re-election against UDF candidate V E Abdul Gafoor and NDA’s M. P. Binu.

Ajoy Kumar Gogoi hopeful of Congress return to power ahead of Assam results

Congress candidate from Demow, Ajoy Kumar Gogoi, on Monday expressed optimism ahead of the results, saying he expects the verdict to reflect the aspirations of both voters and party workers.

“We hope the results will be in line with what the public and the party workers wanted. We hope a Congress government will be formed,” he said, voicing confidence in the party’s chances in Assam.

Counting of votes for the assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry began on Monday amid tight security, with final results expected by the end of the day as trends firm up through successive rounds.

Nearly 25 crore voters across the four key states exercised their franchise in what is being seen as one of the most consequential electoral contests in recent years.

In West Bengal, polling enthusiasm peaked with a record 92.93 per cent turnout. However, counting is being conducted for 293 of the 294 Assembly constituencies, as the Election Commission of India ordered a re-poll for the entire Falta seat in South 24-Parganas on 21 May, with results slated for 24 May. Security was significantly ramped up at counting centres, including Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress are seeking a fourth consecutive term, facing a Bharatiya Janata Party that has evolved from a fringe presence into a serious challenger. “This election is about protecting Bengal’s identity and democracy,” a senior TMC leader said, while BJP leaders expressed confidence that “the people are ready for change”.

In Tamil Nadu, a strong turnout of 85.1 per cent reflects heightened political engagement. While the traditional DMK–AIADMK rivalry continues, actor-turned-politician Vijay has added a new dimension with his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Security was tightened at the DMK headquarters, Anna Arivalayam, in Chennai.

Chief minister M.K. Stalin’s DMK-led alliance is widely projected to be in the lead, with internal assessments suggesting 120–145 seats. “We are confident that people have endorsed our governance model,” a DMK functionary said. Meanwhile, TVK is emerging as a potential disruptor, with estimates indicating up to 30 per cent vote share in urban pockets such as Chennai and Madurai.

Kerala presents a closely fought contest, with chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan aiming for a historic third straight term for the Left Democratic Front — an unprecedented feat in the state. Early projections suggest a tight race, with the Congress-led United Democratic Front hovering around the halfway mark in the 140-member assembly. “The fight is very close, and every seat will matter,” a UDF leader remarked, adding that a strong showing could “revive Congress nationally”.

In Assam, the BJP-led NDA, under chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, appears poised for a third consecutive term. Exit polls project the alliance securing between 85 and 100 seats in the 126-member House. “People have voted for stability and development,” a BJP spokesperson said, while Opposition leaders admitted the challenge of countering the ruling alliance’s organisational strength.

As counting progresses across states, the results are expected to offer crucial political signals — not just regionally, but for the broader national landscape.

With IANS inputs

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