Russian influence

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov chairs the annual meeting of the Caspian Sea littoral states foreign ministers, known as the Caspian Five, in Moscow, on Dec. 5, 2023.

Iran, Russia, Central Asia states ink Caspian Sea pact, plan naval drills

The navies of Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan signed a comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement on Wednesday, aimed at strengthening security in the Caspian Sea basin as the four countries deepen their relations.

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi (C) welcomes Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov (L) and Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazeem Gharibabadi.

Analysis

How far will China, Russia go in shielding Iran from UN sanctions?

Iran is lobbying states to resist enforcement of UN sanctions — looking particularly to China and Russia to blunt the impact, even as questions remain about the limits of their willingness to act.

A correspondent in Tehran

By A correspondent in Tehran

In Tehran, reporting on politics

Iranians drive next to a billboard displaying pictures of nuclear scientists, centrifuges and a sentence reading in Farsi, "Science is the power," at the Enqelab Square in Tehran, on Aug. 29, 2025.

Iran rial hits record low 1.13M to dollar as UN snapback sanctions resume: What to know

The sanctions, which were trigged by the three European signatories to the nuclear deal, will not hinder Iranian oil exports to China, an official said.

US President Donald Trump (L) greets Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) upon his arrival at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 25, 2025.

From F-35s to Ukraine: Erdogan-Trump talks signal reset, but sanctions obstacles remain

The summit underscored both leaders’ personal chemistry while highlighting the limits of what the partnership can deliver.

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Sudan, Russia sign trade deals as Khartoum seeks funds, Moscow eyes Red Sea port

MAXIM SHEMETOV/AFP via Getty Images

Russia, Iran sign deal to build small nuclear power plants: What to know

Thomas Kronsteiner/Getty Images

UK’s top spy uses farewell from Turkey to lure Russian recruits, sparks fury

Richard Moore

Iran's nuclear chief in Moscow, eyes nuclear power plant deal with Russia

Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, speaks during the 69th annual International Atomic Energy Agency general conference on Sept. 15, 2025, in Vienna, Austria.

Xi Jinping Vladimir Putin BRICS

Iran increases trade with BRICS including China as it looks to join bloc

Iran has seen a 14% year-on-year increase in non-oil trade with members of the five-state alliance, which includes Brazil, China, India, Russia and South Africa.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (L) and Bahrain's Foreign Minister Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani (R) in Kyiv on May 5,2023

Bahrain FM Zayani takes shelter during Ukraine visit amid Russia's bombing

A senior diplomatic source told Al-Monitor that Zayani “experienced the shelter life” in Kyiv on Wednesday and Thursday nights, a reference to the bomb shelters used by Ukraine to protect from Russian bombing.

Kobane

Syria’s Kurds turn to UAE to ease tensions with Assad

An alleged trip to the UAE capital by Syrian Democratic Forces chief Mazloum Kobane, which Emirati officials deny, came just before he was targeted by a Turkish drone last month.

Iranian employees of Saipa auto plant assemble a Tiba (Gazelle) car in the central city of Kashan on May 9, 2010. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad inaugurated the largest automobile factory in the Middle East with a capacity of producing 150,000 cars a year, creating 4,000 jobs directly and 20,000 indirectly in the region. The Saipa factory will produce a new small car called Tiba costing between 80 and 90 million Rials (8,000 to 9,000 USD) for lower-middle class population. AFP PHOTO/ISNA/ALIREZA SOTA

Iran's SAIPA signs $497 million car deal with Russia, Belarus

Iranian carmaker SAIPA will export vehicles to Belarus and Russia following a similar agreement with Venezuela.

A picture taken on February 21, 2022 shows fishing boats off a beach on Yemen's Red Sea coast in the Khokha district of the war-ravaged country's western province of Hodeida. (Photo by Khaled Ziad / AFP) (Photo by KHALED ZIAD/AFP via Getty Images)

Yacht carrying Russians, Egyptians goes missing off Yemen coast

The yacht’s owner says the crew sent a distress call about a pirate attack.

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Ukraine and Iraq foreign ministers

Analysis

What role will Middle East play in Ukraine's post-war reconstruction?

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, there has been a raft of commitments from Western allies to help rebuild the war-torn state, but few from the Middle East.

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Workers put final touches on the "PMC Wagner Centre", associated with businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner PMC (private military company) mercenary group, ahead of its opening in Saint Petersburg on October 31, 2022. - The centre offers free of charge spaces for inventors, project developers, IT specialists, experimental manufacturers and start-ups aimed at improving Russias defensive capacity, including information-wise. (Photo by Olga MALTSEVA / AFP) (Photo by OLGA MALTSEVA/AFP via Get

Analysis

France alarmed over Wagner’s role in Sudan as Russia expands in Africa

Following instances of instability in Mali and Burkina Faso that saw Russia's influence rise in Africa, France is closely working with Egypt to reach a cease-fire and avoid similar scenario in Sudan.

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

This handout image provided by the UAE's Presidential Court on April 15, 2023, shows UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan and Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Abu Dhabi

In UAE, Brazil’s Lula looks east for climate investments, peace brokering

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva looks to exert Brazil's power in a geopolitical landscape that has significantly shifted since he last held office.

DANIEL MIHAILESCU/AFP via Getty Images

Moldova court doubles prison sentence of pro-Russia politician hiding in Israel

A Moldovan appeals court has upheld the conviction of Israeli-Moldovan Ilan Shor and doubled his sentence for fraud and breach of trust.

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan in Saint Petersburg on Oct. 11, 2022.

UAE will not ‘jeopardize’ rules to attract Russian wealth: Trade minister

The Emirates has been criticized for hosting companies engaged in sanctions-busting following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but is making efforts to clean up its act.

A Taliban security personnel take pictures of his colleague using a mobile phone at the Wazir Akbar Khan hilltop overlooking the Kabul city on April 4, 2023.

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.

Here are the biggest Middle East disclosures in the leaked intel docs

Turkey, Israel and the United Arab Emirates are among the Middle East countries named in a major leak of classified US intelligence documents.