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May 1, 2026

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This photo obtained by AFP from the Iranian news agency Tasnim shows an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) boat allegedly taking part in an operation to seize ships attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz, on April 21, 2026.

Trump faces three paths ahead in Iran war as Hormuz standoff intensifies

As the Hormuz standoff intensifies, Trump must choose between military escalation, a limited diplomatic deal, or continuing a pressure campaign against Iran.

AFP via Getty Images

In defiant message, Iran’s Khamenei threatens US but appeals to Gulf

The address was Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei’s third since coming to power and included a pledge to rid the Gulf of the US.

QESHM ISLAND, IRAN - APRIL 28: Boats navigate the sea on April 28, 2026 on Qeshm Island, Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's latest proposal for ending its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz calls on the United States to end its naval blockade of Iran's ports, and sets aside questions about what to do with Iran's nuclear program. The United States has not formally responded to the latest proposal, which was delivered by Iran's foreign minister to Pakistan two days ago. (Photo by Asghar Besharati/Getty Images

US blockade tests Iran's limits, but will global pain force Trump’s hand?

President Trump is doubling down on economic warfare against Iran, betting a naval blockade and sanctions can force a nuclear deal and end the war.

Latest News

Iran-linked group claims stabbing in Jewish area in London: What to know

Local residents look on from outside a cordoned off area in the Golders Green neighborhood of north London on April 29, 2026, following the stabbing to two people nearby.

Oil surges past $120 to war-time high as Trump rejects Iran overture

A pumpjack stands idle in the Huntington Beach oil field, with port cranes visible in the distance, on April 23, 2026, in Huntington Beach, California.

Trump speaks with Netanyahu, Putin as Iran pressure campaign escalates

President Donald Trump gives a speech during the State Arrival Ceremony on the South Lawn on April 28, 2026, in Washington.

Iranian rial hits new record low as blockade, war take toll: What to know

An Iraqi money dealer counts Iranian rial banknotes bearing a portrait of the late founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, at an exchange office in Baghdad on Feb. 3, 2012.

Elizabeth Hagedorn

Diplomatic Correspondent

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

A correspondent in Tehran

In Tehran, reporting on politics

Benjamin Houghton

In Durham, reporting on China in the Middle East

Rahim Rahimov

In Baku, reporting on Middle East-Caucasus ties

Mehrnaz Samimi

In Washington, DC, reporting on Iranian culture

An Iranian Kurdish peshmerga member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI).

Iran renews ultimatum for Iraq to disarm Kurdish opposition groups

A September deadline set to disarm the groups will “not be extended in any way.”

The President of Iran Ebrahim Raisi attends a meeting during the 2023 BRICS Summit at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg on Aug. 24, 2023.

Raisi pushes anti-US agenda in BRICS as Iran celebrates ascension

The Islamic Republic hopes that BRICS membership will remedy its ailing economy and open a new front against American influence in the global sphere.

A boy waves an Iranian national flag as supporters of Iran's newly-elected president Ebrahim Raisi celebrate his victory in Imam Hussein square in the capital Tehran on June 19, 2021.

Can US-Iran prisoner deal build trust for broader talks?

Experts say the release of five Americans held in Iran could lay the groundwork for a resumption of nuclear talks between the longtime adversaries.

JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images

4 Arab Israelis arrested for Hezbollah ties, smuggling Iranian explosives

The Shin Bet announced today that four Arab Israelis suspected of involvement with Hezbollah's smuggling activities were arrested last month.

BRICS summit 2023

Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE to join BRICS

The Shanghai-headquartered New Development Bank, or so-called “BRICS bank”, had already admitted the UAE and Egypt as shareholders.

AFP via Getty Images

Iran sentences 7 men, 1 woman to prison as protest anniversary nears

Eight people were convicted of killing a paramilitary force member during Iran's nationwide protests that erupted following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini.

President Ebrahim Raisi, second right, at a ceremony to unveil the Mohajer-10 drone, Aug. 22, 2023.

Iran unveils new armed drone, defying pressure over shipments to Russia

With a range of over 1,200 miles, Mohajer 10 is the latest from a family of drones that Russia is believed to have imported from Iran to use in its war on Ukraine.

The Suez Rajan is pictured in this undated photo.

US finally unloads Iranian oil from seized tanker

The Iranian oil aboard the Suez Rajan sat unloaded off the coast of the United States for months amid threats from Iran, causing concern in Congress.

Xi Jinping at BRICS

BRICS summit: which Middle East states could join powerful bloc?

China and Russia are seeking to expand the group and their global influence, and several MENA countries are in line to apply.

Iran's "Fattah" missile.

Iran claims to have produced key engine for supersonic missile tech

The announcement was the latest in a chain of advancements Iran has claimed in its missile technology in defiance of Western criticism and amid regional tensions.

President Joe Biden speaks at the George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center on Aug. 10, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Analysis

Is Biden’s reset on Iran paying off?

Republicans say no; four benchmark dates to watch.

Week in Review

Andrew Parasiliti

By Week in Review , Andrew Parasiliti

A woman walks in front of a mural painting depicting the Iranian flag, in the capital Tehran on August 6, 2018.

Republican senators claim 'dangerous precedent' set by Iran prisoner deal

Some Republicans call the deal a "ransom payment," but US officials say Iran could only access its frozen funds for humanitarian purchases under tight supervision.