Newsletter: Business & Tech Trump pivots from Hormuz tolls as US-Iran fighting resumes Oil prices remain far below their early May peak of nearly $115 a barrel, but the renewed hostilities have pushed them well above the roughly $70 level seen before the war. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Ahmadinejad denies alleged Mossad plot to install him as Iran leader: What to know The former president, who was a virulent critic of Israel while in office, was reportedly part of a Mossad plan to replace the current Iranian leadership. Iran
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Why Iran, US are drifting back to conflict Trump hosts Iraqi PM Zaidi; Bahrain sentences 3 to life in prison over ties to Iran's IRGC; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Interview Why Strait of Hormuz no longer rattles oil markets as much: IMF The fund's Middle East director, Jihad Azour, told Al-Monitor that the big Gulf energy producers now have more capacity to absorb the shock. Jihad Azour Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund
Analysis How UK's IRGC designation raises stakes for Iran and Europe By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Despite high price of Syrian reconstruction, business, influence opportunities abound Though Syria's blueprint for reconstruction is ambitious, costly and in some ways at odds with Western priorities, there is some cause for optimism in Damascus' marketing of reconstruction opportunities to friendly states. Syria
Iraqis divided over continued presence of American forces As Islamic State militias have become active again in different areas of Iraq, the debate over ejecting US forces is on the rise among Iraqi politicians. Iraq
Intel: Iran’s top diplomat offers resignation after being iced out of Syria talks Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif suddenly resigned Monday in a post on Instagram where he expressed gratitude “to the dear and honorable Iranian people for the last 67 months” while apologizing for “all the shortcomings during my service.” Syria
Iran claims US sabotage of missile program used to its ‘benefit’ Iran has for the first time successfully launched a cruise missile from a submarine. United States
Netanyahu’s diplomacy: success or failure? Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presents himself as a diplomatic magician, though he is accumulating failures on Syria, Iran and ties with Gulf states. Saudi Arabia
For Iran, the latest Sochi summit was not just about Syria Iran used the recent summit in Sochi with Russia and Turkey not merely to signal a willingness to expand its diplomatic role in Syria, but also to maneuver on other issues. Syria
Iran threatened by Russia-Saudi oil pact Oil dealings between Moscow and Riyadh raise suspicions in Tehran, but Iran may soon learn they have a silver lining. Saudi Arabia
Iran’s Khamenei moves to usher in new generation of revolutionaries Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s vision of a “Second Step of the Revolution” has led to analysis about the youth role in its implementation. Iran
Iran questions Iraq's promise to import oil despite sanctions In a surprising statement, Iran's oil minister recently complained that Iraq is abiding by the US sanctions and canceling some energy deals with Iran. Iraq
Will bill to protect Iranian whistleblowers really expose corruption? While some Iranian lawmakers’ efforts to help whistleblowers expose corruption should be welcomed, such initiatives are not likely to achieve their stated goals as long as a comprehensive strategy is not defined and implemented. Iran
Debate already heating up in Iran as Sanders runs for US president The announcement by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders that he will again run for US president is already triggering a heated debate in Iran over the future of Tehran-Washington ties. Iran
