Analysis ‘A reckless act’: Netanyahu sparks UAE fury by claiming secret visit Just as UAE-Israeli relations were deepening through cooperation against Iran, the Israeli prime minister publicly embarrassed Abu Dhabi by revealing his March visit. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Trump says removing Iran’s uranium is more about optics Trump downplays Iran uranium removal after China talks, the UAE moves to bypass Hormuz and Iraq ends months of political deadlock. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Uptick in Chinese tankers transiting Hormuz amid Trump-Xi summit President Donald Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday, a meeting closely watched in Iran. United Arab Emirates
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Trump, Xi discuss Hormuz, but no Iran breakthrough expected Trump and Xi opened talks in Beijing with the Iran war and Strait of Hormuz high on the agenda, while Lebanon and Israel prepared for a new round of US-mediated negotiations. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Newsletter: Business & Tech Oil supply fears deepen as Hormuz traffic stays thin By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Analysis Iran looms large over Trump’s China visit, but breakthrough unlikely By Elizabeth Hagedorn In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights
Iranian forum looks to address so-called 'sexual crisis' An Iranian media group is sponsoring a series of talks on the taboo subject of sex to deal with the so-called sexual crisis in the country. Iran
Zarif’s stock rises with support from Soleimani While Iran’s foreign minister carries the day against hard-liners, Israel hopes to exploit possible cracks in Tehran’s Syria policy. Israel
Soleimani's support boosts Zarif, isolates Iran's hard-liners Iran’s foreign minister has returned to his post with renewed authority after expressions of support from an array of the ruling elite, but his hard-line detractors are still poised to make gains in the country’s next elections. Iran
US shrugs off Zarif resignation reversal Before Iran’s foreign minister had returned to the job, the Donald Trump administration dismissed Mohammad Javad Zarif’s resignation as essentially irrelevant, as the prospect of getting to the negotiating table looks increasingly remote. United States
Iraqi envoy calls on US to reopen Basra consulate At an exclusive Al-Monitor event, Iraq’s ambassador to the United States urged the Donald Trump administration to reopen its consulate in Basra, which the State Department closed last year amid rocket attacks from Iran-backed militias. Iraq
Iran’s top banks launch blockchain platform to boost ailing banking system Banking giants in Iran have established a digital tokenization platform to liquidize bad assets. If it can overcome the many challenges on the way, it could generate vital cash — and public trust. Iran
Rouhani media launches rare attack on hard-line critic in parliament In a rare move, the news agency that operates under Hassan Rouhani has responded with an attack on a staunch critic in parliament for spreading “lies.” Iran
Will sanctions suffocate trickle of Iran-US trade? With the reimposition of US sanctions, the trickle of trade between Iran and the United States could vanish altogether. United States
Iran's Zarif returns to work after Rouhani rejects resignation Mohammad Javad Zarif has resumed work as Iran's top diplomat after President Hassan Rouhani rejected his abrupt resignation, though the debate continues over what forced the foreign minister to bid farewell in the first place. Iran
Israel hopes Zarif resignation reveals cracks in Iran's Syria policy Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quick to express his glee when Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif offered his resignation, but what does it mean for Tehran's strategy in Syria? Israel
Egyptian-Iranian relations: Where are they now? It's often hard to tell whether Cairo and Tehran will embrace or break up. Legacy: Gulf
'Iran has one foreign minister': How Zarif is turning claimed weakness into strength The debacle surrounding the apparent resignation of Iran’s foreign minister is centered on a desire to refocus the diplomatic power of the Iranian Foreign Ministry. Iran