Turkey seizes Iran’s Caspian Airlines jet over $3.4M debt The court-ordered seizure at Istanbul Airport comes as Iranian carriers face mounting pressure from sweeping new US aviation sanctions. Turkey
US sanctions Iranian crypto exchange BitBank over Hormuz payments The US government says the exchange was used to channel payments from an Iranian maritime-insurance scheme to the regime. Iran
Analysis Could Iran’s nuclear ambitions harden as war escalates? A new report has raised alarm about the Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site that President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to strike. By Elizabeth Hagedorn In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights
US hits 27 Iranian airlines with latest sanctions The targets include Iranian airlines and operators in Malaysia, Turkey, Kazakhstan and the United Arab Emirates, including Mahan Air. Iran
Analysis As Israeli settler attacks mount, Trump avoids public pressure on Netanyahu By Elizabeth Hagedorn In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights
Analysis Can Iran’s economic buffers withstand new US sanctions? By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
How can Turkey survive US sanctions on Iran? At the United Nations, Turkey repeated its intention to ignore US sanctions. How the Erdogan administration will calculate costs and benefits of subverting the US sanctions remains a mystery. Turkey
Brunson affair becomes litmus test for Turkish-US ties Uncertainty remains over whether the American pastor will be released from detention next week by a Turkish court. Turkey
US keeps aid flowing for Palestinian security forces, for now Despite its deep cuts in aid to Palestinians, the US has continued to offer financial support to the Palestinian security services. Palestine
Intel: Congress wants to sanction Iran’s allies in Iraq. Here’s why the State Department thinks it’s a bad idea. Iraq
US stands alone on Iran at Security Council President Donald Trump threatened "severe consequences" for anyone resisting US sanctions. United States
Will US sanctions succeed in isolating Iraqi Shiite factions? As the United States intensifies its activities against Iran in the region, it has also increased pressure on Iraqi factions backed by Iran. Yet the influence that these factions have in Iraq limits the effects of such pressures. Iraq
Congress takes aim at pro-Iran election winners in Iraq US lawmakers are preparing sanctions as Tehran presses Baghdad to form a government friendly to its interests. Iraq
Iran-India logistical cooperation set to jump amid scaled-back energy ties India is well-versed in the game of balancing ties with Iran and the United States and is set to use the current situation over sanctions to promote logistical cooperation with Tehran while limiting oil imports from Iran. United States
Saudi Arabia hires star lawyer to fight anti-oil cartel bill Former Republican Solicitor General Ted Olson is being paid to push back against bipartisan legislation challenging OPEC’s dominance. Saudi Arabia
Iraq's religious tourism suffers from US sanctions on Iran The number of Iranian pilgrims traveling to Iraq for religious holidays is expected to witness a sharp decline due to the impact of US economic penalties on Iran. Iraq
Rouhani moves closer to Khamenei amid bipartisan backlash President Hassan Rouhani’s appearance before parliament to answer economic questions did not satisfy Principlists or Reformists. It did, however, please Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran
