Araghchi to visit China ahead of US-Iran technical talks: What to know Araghchi’s visit to China follows weeks of trilateral coordination between Iran, Russia and China on the nuclear issue, including a joint condemnation of unilateral sanctions. China
China, Egypt to hold first air force drill as military ties grow: What to know The exercise scheduled for mid-April comes as Egypt-China ties are growing both militarily and economically despite US pressure on Cairo. China
Analysis From Rafales to railways: Egypt walks tightrope between China, West While Chinese investments reshape Egypt’s economy, structural trade imbalances and conflicting regional interests highlight the limits of this “golden decade” of cooperation By Dale Aluf In Amsterdam, reporting on China in the Middle East
IAEA’s Grossi to visit Tehran ahead of second round of US-Iran nuclear talks The IAEA chief’s visit comes just days after nuclear talks between the US and Iran and less than a week after a senior Iranian official threatened to halt compliance with the nuclear watchdog. Iran
Analysis As China opens to Sharaa, Uyghurs and reconstruction shadow future ties with Syria By Rosaleen Carroll In Washington, DC, US, reporting on the Middle East
China’s NWTN to build electric vehicle facility in Abu Dhabi The deal represents the UAE’s push toward green technology, as well as China’s growing influence in the wider region. Gulf
Egypt-Chinese consortium to run terminals in Red Sea, Mediterranean ports The Egyptian government signed new concessions with a Chinese alliance to build and operate two world-class container terminals in the ports of Sokhna and Dekhila, as part of a container logistics project to link the Red and Mediterranean seas. Egypt
Iran, Russia use own currencies for trade Saudi Arabia and India have also signaled moving away from the US dollar. Iran
Egypt-China ties strengthen with recent deals China is also getting closer to Saudi Arabia, Iran and other countries in the region, primarily through economic cooperation. Egypt
Saudi Arabia-China relations strengthen with Aramco-Sinopec deal The ties between China and Saudi Arabia are largely based on trade and energy cooperation. Saudi Arabia
Iranian trade with China on the rise China is focused on improving its economic ties with Iran as opposed to security cooperation. Iran
Nile dispute absent from first peace conference led by China to settle conflicts in Horn of Africa China avoided the controversial GERD dispute between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia during the first peace conference held in Addis Ababa to settle the disputes plaguing the Horn of Africa. Egypt
Will Iran look east if nuclear deal talks fail? The European Union’s deputy foreign policy chief was in Tehran this week, but there are indications that Iran may be preparing backup options. Iran
Egypt considers issuing bonds in China’s yuan Saudi Arabia may also price oil sales in the Chinese currency. Egypt
Analysis The Takeaway: Turkey thrust into spotlight amid Ukraine-Russia talks Turkey acts as mediator in the Russia-Ukraine crisis, Israel is on high alert after a wave of terrorist attacks, how drones are revolutionizing the battlefield, and more. By Elizabeth Hagedorn , Andrew Parasiliti , Joe Snell
Iran's foreign minister in China to pursue partnership deal Top on the agenda is a controversial, long-term partnership pact that critics fear may effectively push the Islamic Republic into becoming a China "colony." Iran