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
Intel: How Democrats are using John Bolton’s Iraq War baggage to push back on Trump’s Iran policy National security adviser John Bolton wasn’t on Capitol Hill today, but he still took center stage as Democrats grilled State Department Iran coordinator Brian Hook on the Donald Trump administration’s maximum pressure policy. United States
Iran already turning Iraq into battleground against US The array of recent attacks against US interests in Iraq indicate Iran's proxies are hard at work. Originals
Pompeo visits CENTCOM amid mixed messaging from US on Iran In a strange move for a top US diplomat, Mike Pompeo visited a US military command solo to avow that the United States doesn't want war with Iran. United States
As Jerusalem meeting nears, Russia seeks ways to ease US-Iran tensions Russia is urging the United States to cease provocations of Iran and also is seeking to persuade Tehran to stay in the nuclear deal. Israel
Iran says not seeking war after announcing boost in uranium stockpile A day after announcing that its stockpile of low-enriched uranium will soon surpass limits under the nuclear deal — earning praise from across a divided domestic political spectrum — Iran says it is not seeking military confrontation with any nation. Iran
Erdogan seeks lifeline from Trump to salvage US-Turkey ties It will take Donald Trump to close a deal with Turkey on a Syrian "safe zone." Syria
Furious Iranian officials claim sabotage in tanker incident After the United States accused Iran of being behind the attacks on tankers in the Gulf of Oman, Tehran accused Washington of "sabotage diplomacy." Iran
Iran-backed militias struggle to resist US pressure Feeling the burden of US sanctions on Iran, the Popular Mobilization Units are flexing their muscles in Iraq, trying to strengthen their position. Iraq
US blames Iran for Gulf tanker attack Secretary of State Mike Pompeo points finger at Iran in Thursday's attacks on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman. Legacy: Gulf
Congress opens several new fronts in bid to block Gulf arms sales The House joined Senate efforts to stop the Donald Trump administration from selling arms to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia
Pentagon official says 'campaign' of Iranian threats caused US Middle East surge A “campaign” of Iranian threats against US and allied forces pushed the Pentagon to send fresh troops and weapons to the Middle East last month, a top Defense Department international policy official said at an Al-Monitor breakfast today. United States
Trump leaves Congress in dark on Mideast deployment to counter Iran The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee says Congress has yet to hear back from the Donald Trump administration on how long a fresh rotation of troops, ships and planes sent to counter Iran will remain in the Middle East. Congress
