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. Iran
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. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
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. Iran
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. Turkey
Breaking | Last Updated: April 13, 2023, 7:28 am US approves $524 million HIMARS artillery sale to Morocco The proposed sale, which also includes guided air-to-ground bombs, comes as Morocco draws closer to the United States and rival Algeria pursues stronger ties with Russia. Morocco
Egypt denies report it planned to produce 40,000 rockets for Russia Moscow has also denied the claims that President Sisi ordered the military to secretly ship the rockets to Russia. Egypt
Russia's Lavrov in Turkey to discuss Syria, Caucasus, possible Putin visit Ankara is eager to see Lavrov's visit followed by Russian President Vladimir Putin's trip on April 27 to inaugurate Turkey's first nuclear power plant, built and financed by a subsidiary of Russia's nuclear energy firm Rosatom. Turkey
Oil prices rise by 5% after OPEC's surprise output cut decision Brent Crude had its sharpest price increase in almost a year on Monday after reports that major oil producers will slash their output. Legacy: Gulf
Iran flexes military muscle after joint naval drills with Russia, China The exercise included China's powerful Nanning warship and coincided with Tehran’s recent diplomatic pushes to reposition itself in the regional power play by adhering to the “look to the East” policy. Iran
Russia surpasses Saudi Arabia as China’s top oil supplier Energy-related cooperation between Saudi Arabia and China remains strong, but Russia and Saudi Arabia will continue to compete for the Chinese oil market in the near future. Legacy: Gulf
Russia's Wagner activities expanding in Libya despite growing Western scrutiny The Wagner Group has sought to use Libya as a forward base for its activities in the Sahel region, particularly Chad and Niger, while building spheres of influence with local communities and smuggling networks in the southern border regions of Libya. North Africa
Syria, Russia to sign 40 investment deals after Assad’s visit Syrian President Assad also said in an interview with Sputnik that he would not meet with Turkish President Erdogan until Turkey removes its troops from Syria. Syria
Syria’s Assad arrives in Russia for talks with Putin Assad’s visit comes ahead of a meeting between Syrian and Turkish diplomats in Russia. Syria
Hamas says leadership visited Russia, met Sergey Lavrov A Hamas official has revealed that his movement "recently" visited Moscow and warned that the group's "patience is running out" with Israel. Palestine
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt rank among world’s top 10 arms importers: SIPRI Middle East countries made up more than a fourth of the top 40 global arms importers from 2018 to 2022, according to a new report. Legacy: Gulf
