Uptick in Chinese tankers transiting Hormuz amid Trump-Xi summit President Donald Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday, a meeting closely watched in Iran. United Arab Emirates
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Trump, Xi discuss Hormuz, but no Iran breakthrough expected Trump and Xi opened talks in Beijing with the Iran war and Strait of Hormuz high on the agenda, while Lebanon and Israel prepared for a new round of US-mediated negotiations. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Newsletter: Business & Tech Oil supply fears deepen as Hormuz traffic stays thin Trump meets Xi in Beijing as Gulf shipping disruptions, oil supply fears and Syria’s reconstruction efforts reshape the regional economy. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Analysis Iran looms large over Trump’s China visit, but breakthrough unlikely Analysts say China is cautiously looking to de-escalate the US-Iran war while limiting its direct involvement. By Elizabeth Hagedorn In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Trump arrives in China with Iran war looming over talks By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Analysis Ahead of Trump-Xi summit, Iran looks to China as guarantor — but with reservations By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Trump administration finds its Iran policy not working The Trump administration conducted an internal assessment of its Iran “maximum pressure” policy this month and determined that it so far has been ineffective, according to a new report. United States
Intel: How Trump used his missile defense rollout to take shots at Iran President Trump chastised Iran for attempting to launch a satellite earlier this week and pledged the United States would take a harder line on Iran. Legacy: Gulf
Can Iranian sovereign crypto-rial loosen sanctions straitjacket? The United States is gearing up to sanction Iran’s sovereign cryptocurrency in anticipation of its introduction. Russia
IRGC head vows to protect military advisers in Syria The head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has responded to comments by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about successful Israeli strikes in Syria. Israel
Netanyahu’s bravado endangers Israel Ahead of the April elections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has broken away from Israel’s traditional policy of ambiguity on military operations in neighboring countries, but his credit-taking could endanger Israeli lives. Israel
How US sanctions intensify rent-seeking in Iran’s pharma sector As US sanctions hit Iranian patients, it is becoming clear that the impact of the sanctions — including renewed opportunities for rent seeking — are also intensifying turf wars in the country’s pharmaceutical sector. Iran
Iranian TV says American-born anchor detained in US An American-born Iranian TV anchor working for Iran's state broadcaster says she has faced mistreatment after being detained upon arrival in the United States. United States
Iranian FM ‘maneuvers’ in Iraq as rivalry with US heats up Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has embarked on an extensive visit to neighboring Iraq at a time when US-Iran competition in the country is reaching levels not seen before. Iraq
Erdogan's plans in Iraqi Kurdistan may backfire The news that Nechirvan Barzani will not continue as prime minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq is causing Turkey to worry that the new KRG Cabinet will not be formed of allies of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Iraq
Why Iran must shake up its approach to state-owned enterprises While the government’s general budget grabs the most attention in Iranian media, it is high time for Iran to revise the way it approaches the dilemma of the vast number of uncompetitive state-owned enterprises. Iran
