Analysis Araghchi’s Russia, regional tour tests path to breaking US-Iran deadlock Iranian officials say dialogue remains open, but negotiations are clouded by intensifying hard-line domestic messaging and conflicting signals over Tehran’s red lines. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Why did the Met Opera lose its Saudi funding deal? The deal, announced as a nonbinding memorandum of understanding last September, would have seen the PIF inject up to $200 million into the opera institution over the next eight years. Saudi Arabia
Analysis Israel fears Trump angling for Lebanon deal to offset Iran missteps Some Israelis worry the US president might force them to accept an unsatisfactory agreement driven by his inability to secure a tangible achievement in Iran. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Trump says Israel-Lebanon ceasefire extended by three weeks President Trump said the second meeting between the Israeli and Lebanese envoys went "very well." Lebanon
Rouhani out of time, support for revised nuclear deal US sanctions and Europe's failure to come up with a satisfactory substitute for the nuclear deal are weakening the moderates in Iran's government while inflaming the hawks. United States
IRGC denies it tried to capture British tanker The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has denied they attempted to seize a British oil tanker in the Persian Gulf. United States
Is Lebanon caught in the crossfire of the current US-Iranian standoff? With Iranian-backed Hezbollah playing a role in Lebanon's government, how much might the country suffer in case of a military confrontation between Washington and Tehran? Iraq
Will Trump follow suit if Israel attacks Iran? Ahead of the 2020 US presidential elections, President Donald Trump might decide to back Israel militarily, if it decides to attack Iran. Israel
Anniversary of Iran Air 655 tragedy offers lessons for US-Iran diplomacy today Iran Air 655’s bitter legacy; Iraq as front line; Iran should talk … but it needs off-ramps. United States
Shiite militias react angrily to decree integrating them into Iraqi forces Pro-Iran Shiite militias in Iraq reacted with displeasure to the prime minister's decree to integrate the Popular Mobilization Units into the Iraqi military forces, but the majority of the PMU are pledging allegiance to Baghdad. Iraq
Iraq orders militias to fully integrate into state security forces In an important move amid US-Iran tensions, the Iraqi prime minister issued a decree ordering the Popular Mobilization Units to come under the full control of the state. Iraq
Gulf states divided in approach to Iran-US escalation Not having faced a direct threat from Iran in the last few decades, the position of Oman, Kuwait and Qatar in the current tensions with Iran is that of peaceful negotations, rather than military intervention. Legacy: Gulf
The Art of the Deal: Trump turns to Putin on Iran ‘A diplomatic way out’; Iran’s patience runs out; Trump has ‘all the time in the world’; Oil for Food 2.0?; Iraq, Afghanistan and prisoners: Steps in the right direction? Iraq
Would Palestinian factions go all the way to pay back Iran While Iran is the main supporter of the Palestinian resistance factions, how would these factions react to a military confrontation between Iran and the United States? Palestine
Iran seeks relief from US sanctions in Asia In its foreign policy toward Asian and Eurasian states, Iran is extending its outreach beyond traditional allies China and Russia to draw support from a range of countries and reduce the impact of US sanctions. Russia
Tehran renews warning that it may soon bid farewell to nuclear deal Amid continued frustration with the European signatories to the nuclear deal, Iran is sending fresh signals about its potential departure from the pact, while indicating that diplomacy remains a viable option. United States
