Newsletter: Business & Tech Trump pivots from Hormuz tolls as US-Iran fighting resumes Oil prices remain far below their early May peak of nearly $115 a barrel, but the renewed hostilities have pushed them well above the roughly $70 level seen before the war. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Ahmadinejad denies alleged Mossad plot to install him as Iran leader: What to know The former president, who was a virulent critic of Israel while in office, was reportedly part of a Mossad plan to replace the current Iranian leadership. Iran
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Why Iran, US are drifting back to conflict Trump hosts Iraqi PM Zaidi; Bahrain sentences 3 to life in prison over ties to Iran's IRGC; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Interview Why Strait of Hormuz no longer rattles oil markets as much: IMF The fund's Middle East director, Jihad Azour, told Al-Monitor that the big Gulf energy producers now have more capacity to absorb the shock. Jihad Azour Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund
Analysis How UK's IRGC designation raises stakes for Iran and Europe By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Did Iran ever stop funding Hamas? Iran has reportedly resumed its aid to the Palestinian Hamas movement, after years of estrangement over regional issues. Palestine
Khatami: Lost Reformist votes will go to regime changers Former Iranian Reformist President Mohammad Khatami said it is unlikely that Iranians will turn out to vote in large numbers unless there are reforms within the next year. Iran
Iran education lags despite nominal budget gains Iran’s educational system is under increasing strain as small increases in budget allocations and teacher salaries fail to catch up with chronic deficits. Iran
Iran spy services claim infiltration of foreign-based opposition in new series Iran's state broadcaster is airing a documentary series to show off the country’s intelligence services’ infiltration of the foreign-based opposition. Iran
Why artists are speaking up against ‘dirty money’ in Iranian cinema The increasing emergence of “dirty money” in Iranian cinema has sparked an outcry among artists, producers and directors, who are urging action to stop the phenomenon from ruining the industry. Iran
US government no longer excludes MEK as leadership option for Iran The group, once on a State Department list of terrorist organizations, has influential supporters in the Donald Trump administration. United States
As Iran mulls joining financial watchdog, Israel sees win-win situation If Iran joins the FATF anti-money laundering organization, the Islamic Republic might find it harder to fund militant organizations in the region, but if Iran does not join, it may lose what few international banking connections it already has. Israel
Exodus by big firms pushes Iran toward smaller Chinese enterprises To mitigate the impact of harsh US sanctions, Iran is increasingly turning to China by dispatching high-ranking delegations to Beijing to augment trade. But China is also mindful not to cross the red lines drawn by the United States. United States
Iran's government under fire for subsidizing pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia The Iranian government’s decision to subsidize the hajj pilgrimage has fueled anger among many Iranians who are struggling to make ends meet. Iran
Some Iranian Reformists welcome new hard-line judiciary chief Although many Reformists are not likely to be enthusiastic that Ebrahim Raisi has been named as Iran's judiciary chief, some Reformists are welcoming him. Iran
Yemenis divided over Mideast peace deal, Iran The controversy that ensued after a photo emerged of Yemen's foreign minister sitting next to the Israeli premier in Warsaw indicates that Arab states may be further divided by stances on Iran and a Palestinian-Israeli peace deal. Saudi Arabia
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
