Analysis What UAE’s $3.45B pullback from Pakistan signals about Abu Dhabi's priorities As Abu Dhabi pulls back long-rolled deposits while investing selectively, Pakistan faces an era of more conditional Gulf support tied to strategic alignment. By Sabena Siddiqui In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran
Analysis US banking on Iraqi turnaround with nomination of Zaidi as new PM Trump signals hope for a "tremendous new chapter” in US-Iraq ties with the nomination of Ali Al-Zaidi as prime minister. By Week in Review
Analysis How Iran is rebuilding its bruised military as ceasefire masks recalibration Iran is using the fragile truce to recover by blending redeployment and reverse engineering into broader preparedness for renewed conflict. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Analysis Without exit strategy, Israel faces emboldened Hezbollah, limited options on Iran While President Donald Trump remains undecided on striking Iran again, the Israeli military is sinking deeper into its Lebanon quagmire with a reinforced Hezbollah. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Israel’s security chiefs fear possible Iran war Israel’s defense sector lauded the killing of Qasem Soleimani, but is bracing for an aggressive reaction by Iran and an escalation of regional tensions. Iraq
Archive Upfront from Jan 2, 2020 US strike on Iranian military leader sparks escalation fears President Donald Trump authorized a US strike that killed the influential Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani in Iraq early Friday morning, the Pentagon said in a statement. Iraq
Iran VP denies Tehran behind attack inside Iraq Iranian officials have reiterated comments by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that they will not start the war but will fight back against an invasion. Iraq
Pro-Iranian militias behind US Embassy attack in Baghdad The attack on the US Embassy in Baghdad by Iran-backed militias has escalated the tension between Iran and the United States. Iraq
Iran's Rouhani under fire over 'peace time' promises Iran's hard-liners have opened a new front line against President Hassan Rouhani after he tried to justify the failure of campaign pledges he made before the current "war time." United States
US position in Iraq in jeopardy after strikes American strikes inside Iraq after the Pentagon alleged an Iran-backed group attacked US forces there have caused more political turmoil for some 5,000 US troops sent to the country to fight the Islamic State. Iraq
Iran condemns US attack in Iraq The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has condemned the US attack on PMU forces in Iraq and said Iraq has a right to respond. Iraq
Iraq on brink of abyss: What happens next? The steadily increasing crisis in Iraq is getting deeper over time, opening the space for a total political collapse. Iraq
Will Iran take up Trump’s offer to ‘make a deal together’? President Donald Trump may be ready for another deal with Iran, and if so, Tehran’s leaders should take him up on it. Iraq
Inside the US-Iran prisoner swap, and what comes next Can Washington and Tehran build on the success of the Swiss facilitated exchange? United States
Targeting of US bases in Iraq a harsh Iranian message to Washington The rise of attacks against US military bases in Iraq in conjunction with the ongoing protests may be a warning message from Iran to Washington. Iraq