Meet Mehrdad Akhlaghi Ketabchi, Iran's defense minister nominee Akhlaghi Ketabchi has been heavily involved in Iran's missiles programs, and it is not clear how much input Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had in the nomination process. Iran
US quietly aids Saudi Arabia’s Yemen campaign with intel, refueling Pentagon aims to keep Yemen and Iran wars separate while shielding the flow of Gulf oil exports from attack as Riyadh bears the brunt of the Houthis' missile and drone barrages. Yemen
Iran joins SCO drill as China resists direct intervention in US-Iran war An IRGC official said the exercise will focus on countering extremist activities and containing violent groups. Iran
Iraq devalues dinar 13% as Hormuz disruption hits oil revenue The central bank said in a statement that it had revised the official exchange rate to 1,520 Iraqi dinars per dollar from around 1,320. Iraq
Analysis Iran’s execution drive intensifies as war provides cover for repression By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
In Iran, hardliners successfully orchestrate takeover of state TV Iran's state TV has been taken over by hard-line figures who use it to transmit ideological and hard-line views targeting the Reformists and opposition, including in entertainment shows. Iran
Iran hard-liners lash out at shah Pahlavi's son over Israel visit Reza Pahlavi's trip to Israel and his meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to be part of his campaign to garner support for regime change in Iran, as the opposition camps were scrambling for unity. Iran
US Navy denies Iran's claim on harassing submarine in Gulf waters The Iranian navy said it forced a US-guided missile submarine to surface as it sailed through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran
CENTCOM hires first-ever AI adviser as it fields new tech in Middle East US CENTCOM became the first combatant command to appoint an AI, machine learning and robotics adviser this week as the Pentagon looks to keep ahead of China’s technological advances. Washington Pulse
UK sanctions Lebanon art dealer accused of financing Hezbollah Already sanctioned by the United States back in 2019, Lebanese art dealer Nazem Said Ahmad was sanctioned by the British government on Tuesday. Iran
Iran flaunts military hardware on Army Day as it threatens Israel At a moment of escalating war of words, Iran's president said Israel will face destruction should it strike his country, which the Jewish state has long considered as an existential threat. Iran
China's Saudi-Iran deal clouded by uncertainty on protests, nuclear talks The evolution of the Saudi-Iranian agreement hinges the factors that led to it: Iran’s nuclear program and political unrest, future of Russia’s war in Ukraine, US-China relations, and whether these will lead to a new world order. Legacy: Gulf
Iran, Russia, China FMs meet, see opportunity in post-US Afghanistan The summit in Uzbekistan brought together regional powers who have been competing in the vacuum left by the US departure from Afghanistan. Iran
CENTCOM eyeing artificial intelligence to counter Iran’s drones, says Kurilla The top commander of US forces in the Middle East expressed concerns over China's inroads the region and told Al-Monitor he wants to turn up the heat at the next Red Sands exercise in Saudi Arabia to simulate more complex drone attacks. Washington Connection
Iranian-born US woman sentenced in plot to kidnap Masih Alinejad Niloufar Bahadorifar, sentenced to prison, had pleaded guilty in December for unknowingly supporting an alleged Iranian plot to kidnap activist Masih Alinejad. Iran
US Navy sends guided-missile submarine to Middle East amid Iran tensions US show of force comes as Pentagon extends aircraft carrier deployment following last month's lethal attack by Iran-backed militias on US personnel in Syria. Iran
CIA director visited Saudi Arabia, aired 'frustration' over Iran, Syria thaw The CIA director met the country's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and reportedly expressed displeasure with Washington being "blindsided" over agreements brokered by China and Russia. Legacy: Gulf
