Oil falls below $71 as US-Iran talks continue, Gulf exports rebound Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in an X post on Wednesday that Iran and the United States had made "positive progress." Iran
Explainer Saudi FM concludes China visit amid Trump-MBS friction: What to know Saudi Arabia is still absorbing the war’s security fallout and is widening its circle by leaning more on Beijing as a diplomatic counterweight to Washington and as a partner that can engage Tehran. China
Analysis Why Iran's Pezeshkian is facing an uphill battle in postwar diplomacy As President Masoud Pezeshkian's administration advances dialogue with Washington, its fiercer contest is in the corridors of power within the Islamic Republic itself. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Analysis For Israel, Lebanon deal 'historic' despite fears Hezbollah will rebuild While the deal with Lebanon allows the Israeli military to maintain a presence there, security experts warn that it also gives a weakened Hezbollah the time it needs to recover. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Analysis How competing visions over Hormuz strait threaten fragile Iran-US deal By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Iran issues warnings after Europe triggers nuclear deal dispute mechanism A European decision to trigger a dispute mechanism in the Iran nuclear deal has been received with defiance, rage and threats in Tehran. United States
Intel: How many US troops do 2020 Democrats want to keep in the Middle East? Democratic presidential hopefuls started Tuesday’s debate by slamming President Donald Trump’s Iran policy and articulating their own vision for the future US force posture in the Middle East. Iraq
Pentagon considering reinforcing missile defenses after Iranian strikes After Iran's Jan. 8 ballistic missile attacks on an Iraqi air base housing US forces, the Pentagon is now challenged with preventing a repeat occurrence. Saudi Arabia
Pentagon doesn’t clarify ‘imminent’ threat to kill Soleimani Statements from the Pentagon throw into question Trump's justification for the US strike on Qasem Soleimani. United States
Iran makes arrests in plane crash probe amid public fury Iran's judiciary says arrests have been made in connection with the crash of a Ukrainian plane last week that Tehran blamed on a "human error" by its armed forces. United States
Iran’s next moves depend on US Iran is likely to choose a measured response to US actions, as long as Washington does the same in return, while at the same time trying to increase US costs of staying in the region. United States
Senate Armed Services Chairman Inhofe endorses Iraq sanctions Key Republican leaders are lining up behind President Donald Trump’s threats to hit Iraq with crippling sanctions. Iraq
Europeans rebuff Trump call to abandon nuclear deal amid growing rift on Iran The United States and Europe continue to be divided on Iran, with points of contention including how to react to the Iran protests and how the United States has doubled down on pressure after the Soleimani killing. United States
Can Iran mobilize allies to end US Mideast presence? Iran seeks an end to the US presence in the Middle East, but can it bring Russia and Turkey on board? Iraq
Foreign troops' future in Iraq uncertain as clashes continue Tension between Tehran and Washington has some Iraqis worried about foreign troops withdrawing from Iraq, although the United States had said it has no intention of leaving the country in Iranian hands. Iraq
Protests break out in Iran after admission of accidental plane downing Protests erupted in Iran after the government admitted, after three days of denial, that it had mistakenly shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane; some of the demonstrations arose out of vigils for the victims. United States
Iraqi PM quietly working to keep US troops in country Iraq’s caretaker prime minister privately does not want US troops to withdraw, several American and Iraqi sources familiar with the situation told Al-Monitor. Iraq
