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
In Riyadh, Putin receives czar-like reception Russia and Saudi Arabia sign a dozen business deals but it is unclear whether Syria disagreements were resolved. Saudi Arabia
The Aramco attack and the rise of nonstate actors The attack against Saudi Arabia's Aramco facility points to a crucial change on how one traditionally understands armed conflict in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia
How does Washington see Russia's Gulf security concept? Washington ignores Moscow's initiative for the Gulf security architecture and there are some good reasons why. Legacy: Gulf
Chinese energy giant bids farewell to $5 billion Iran project In what could be seen as yet another blow to Iran's sanctions-hit economy, China's state oil company has withdrawn from a major multibillion-dollar deal in the country's south. United States
Have Iran, US slammed door on nuclear negotiations? Iran and the United States both have upcoming elections and other urgent domestic issues to focus on, and neither seems interested in cooperating on nuclear talks. United States
Congress pushes Trump to get tough on Idlib Congress is calling on the State Department to get tougher on calling out reported Syrian war crimes as forces loyal to the Bashar al-Assad regime attempt to advance deeper into Idlib, one of the opposition’s last holdouts in the war-torn country. Syria
Trump intensifies ‘Arab NATO’ talks after Iran strike The Donald Trump administration is working to push forward with a military alliance of Middle Eastern states as the international community looks to respond to a suspected Iranian attack on a Saudi oil facility. Saudi Arabia
Iranian fishermen feel waves of tension from the US Friction between the West and Iran threatens to rile the waters for fishermen near the Strait of Hormuz. United States
Iran hawks cement ties to former US-designated terrorist group United Against Nuclear Iran's CEO embraces the MEK as his group prepared to host Pompeo. United States
Former diplomat: Iran attacks create opportunity for talks The Donald Trump administration should use the investigation into suspected Iranian attacks on Saudi oil facilities to de-escalate regional tensions, a former top US diplomat said at an Al-Monitor event Sept. 24. Saudi Arabia
Trump faces skepticism from allies amid troop deployment The Donald Trump administration will deploy a fresh detachment of US troops to Saudi Arabia after blaming Iran for an attack against a major oil production facility just days ago. Saudi Arabia
