Analysis As US nuclear talks stall, Iran ups military planning, turns to China for missile fuel Amid uncertainties in the recent US-Iran nuclear diplomacy, Tehran is gearing up for a showdown with Israel, reportedly rebuilding its missile capabilities and threatening Israel with a devastating response. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Analysis Russia's Putin offers Trump help on Iran, likely with strings attached As Iran weighs the US proposal for a nuclear deal, Russia has volunteered to play a role facilitating future talks. By Elizabeth Hagedorn In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights
US green-lights $325 million in sustainment for Kuwait’s M1 Abrams tanks The Trump administration has notified Congress of a $325 million arms sale to Kuwait for tank maintenance, part of broader efforts to strengthen Gulf defense ties and streamline US arms transfers. Kuwait
Analysis US' Syria pullout continues amid looming Iran clash The Trump administration is taking advantage of a rare moment of quiet following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in hope of disentangling the US military from nearly a decade of involvement in Syria. By Jared Szuba In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military
Analysis If Iran rejects Trump’s nuclear deal, will Israel seize moment to strike? By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Iran's IRGC seizes second oil tanker in Gulf waters in six days, says US Navy The incident happened off UAE coast of Fujairah and involved a Panama-flagged Niovi vessel. Iran
Iran-India meeting in Tehran focuses on de-dollarization, averting sanctions Iran urged India to launch a rial-rupee mechanism in bilateral trade, as the Islamic Republic pursues the "look to the East" policy as a strategy to mitigate the onerous impacts of US sanctions on its oil-dependent economy. Iran
Iran steps up hijab crackdown on women, shuttering businesses In Iran's capital Tehran, some 150 such shops have been forced to close by authorities in the past two weeks alone. Iran
Iran IRGC unit hit with US sanctions for hostage-taking The sanctions on Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Intelligence Organization come as several Americans remained unlawfully jailed in the country. Iran
Iran FM in Lebanon, urges vote on president without 'foreign interference' Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian held talks with Lebanese officials as the country faces a deepening political and economic crisis. Lebanon
Iran's IRGC seizes oil tanker in Gulf of Oman Open-source reports indicated the Advantage Sweet was bound for Houston, Texas, when the United States said it was seized by Iran's IRGC navy on Thursday afternoon. Iran
Iranian senior cleric Soleimani killed in attack The shooting occurred as anti-clerical sentiments are high in Iran amid the popular protests, but the motive behind the attack is not yet known. Iran
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
