Iran’s Hormuz authority denies Trump claims of control over strait: What to know Trump administration officials have said oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz are rising, but maritime traffic remains diminished. Iran
Analysis Libya’s oil revival faces new test as violence returns amid US peace push A drone strike destroyed a power substation in Zawiya as a US-backed peace push appears to be roiling domestic tensions. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Hormuz traffic sinks to one-week low as ships attacked, talks stagnate The United States and Yemen's Houthi rebels carried out separate attacks on commercial ships on Tuesday in the Gulf of Oman and the Red Sea. Iran
Analysis What Qaani's Baghdad visit reveals about Iran's post-war dilemma The Quds Force commander's Baghdad visit is occurring as Iran faced difficult choices in Iraq where the government is moving to bring powerful armed groups under state control after the recent war. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Tinderbox: Israeli military attacks in Iraq could complicate US strategy in Middle East Washington may need to draw some red lines to protect its larger regional interests. Iraq
Shiite military factions have long way to integrate into state forces Despite Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi's decree about the Popular Mobilization Units, they have a long way to go to integrate into state forces. Iraq
US blacklists Iranian foreign minister After the United States placed sanctions on Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, White House officials told the media that he was merely a propaganda chief not worth negotiating with; experts, however, said Zarif was an effective messenger for the Islamic Republic. United States
Israel, US, Iran prepare for out-of-the-atmosphere battle Israel and the United States are together developing super-technologies that enable missiles to hit other missiles out of the atmosphere. Israel
Iran, UK both rule out oil tanker swap deal Tehran says it will not release a British-flagged oil tanker it captured earlier this month in a possible barter with the UK, which is holding an Iranian vessel off the coast of Gibraltar. Iran
New UK government signals continued support for Iran nuclear deal The new British government led by Boris Johnson's expresses support for the Iran nuclear deal as the pact faces a possible new obstacle involving the reduction of proliferation risks at Iran’s Fordo and Arak facilities. United States
Will Pompeo be the first US secretary of state to appear live on Iranian TV? Following the US secretary of state offering Iran’s state TV to interview him, various analysts and officials reacted to the proposal with an outspoken prime minister urging state TV to go ahead and challenge Pompeo live on air. United States
Iran’s teachers learn regrettable lesson from US US sanctions on Iran could actually discourage the kind of democratic thinking the free world should want to foster. United States
Intel: Pentagon chief says European-led Gulf initiative complements US On his first day on the job at the Pentagon, US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said that a fresh European-led initiative to defend ships transiting the Gulf was complementary to the Donald Trump administration’s separate efforts to gather allies to protect shipping in the region. United States
Unease in Iran as 'Trump's duplicate' becomes British PM While politicians in Tehran were seeking a new opening with the UK after Boris Johnson found his way to 10 Downing Street, Iran's media received the news with little enthusiasm. Iran
Iraq seeks Iranian assistance to curb militias' reign Iraq's prime minister made a surprise visit to Tehran to request Iranian help in controlling Iran-backed militias in Iraq. Iraq
Intel: Why 5 Democratic presidential hopefuls just rebelled against Trump’s new defense secretary An overwhelming bipartisan majority of the Senate voted 90-8 Tuesday to confirm former Army Secretary Mark Esper as President Donald Trump’s new defense secretary. Saudi Arabia
