Oil surges past $120 to war-time high as Trump rejects Iran overture Benchmark Brent crude surpassed $120 per barrel on Wednesday, reaching the highest levels yet seen during the US-Israel-Iran war. Iran
Trump speaks with Netanyahu, Putin as Iran pressure campaign escalates President Donald Trump spoke by phone separately with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin, discussing the situation in Iran and the possibility of extending the ceasefire. United States
Iranian rial hits new record low as blockade, war take toll: What to know The rial had another collapse in late 2025, triggering massive protests and riots in the country that were ended by a forceful government crackdown. Iran
Pentagon: Iran war has cost US estimated $25B so far A supplemental request won’t be delivered to Congress until the Pentagon fully assesses the war’s cost, a top budget official told House lawmakers. Iran
Analysis How long can Iran's economy withstand Trump's naval blockade? By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Analysis UAE’s OPEC exit rattles cartel as Gulf alliances shift By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Newsletter: FutureVerse MENA tightens control over online space By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Iran’s acting FM in Iraq for talks on bilateral ties, Gaza war The visit is part of an ongoing regional tour that also took Ali Bagheri Kani to Lebanon and Syria and kicked off shortly after his appointment. Iran
With China-Iran ties on rollercoaster, Tehran can only grit its teeth, hang on Iran can get upset about China’s statement over Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs, or they can express their anger at China, move on and focus instead on extracting the many economic and political benefits that they derive from their relationship with Beijing. Iran
Iran hopes to finalize 20-year pact with Russia as Bagheri Kani meets Lavrov Despite lingering questions and skepticism at home, the Iranian government has been pushing the agreement as part of its overall strategy to build new alliances meant to mitigate Western political pressure and economic sanctions. Iran
UAE, Saudi, Iran, Egypt, Turkey FMs attend Russia's BRICS meeting The BRICS foreign ministers meeting focused on diplomatic developments related to the Gaza war and efforts to ditch the US dollar in international trade, among other matters. Egypt
With Larijani, Ahmadinejad disqualified, six main contenders in Iran's elections Iran’s electoral Guardian Council has approved the candidacy of six political figures for the snap elections that follow the death of Ebrahim Raisi, rejecting dozens of other potential candidates. Iran
How Israeli strikes are raising the cost of Iran's presence in Syria The IRGC's promise to retaliate for the killing of one of its officers comes as it has been rolling back its Syria presence since the outbreak of the Gaza war, which has placed an increasing number of Iranian forces in Israel's crosshairs. Iran
Will China's support help UAE in dispute with Iran over Hormuz islands? China's support for the UAE may have angered Tehran but it shows how Beijing views its priorities and strategic depth in Gulf region. Iran
US joins Europeans in rare censure of Iran at UN nuclear watchdog The International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-member board of governors has voted to censure Iran for the first time since November 2022. Iran
Iran's Ahmadinejad, Haghanian grab spotlight in tight presidential race All eyes are now on the hard-line Guardian Council, which is expected to remove the vast majority of the 80 hopefuls, leaving a limited number to compete in a controlled election process. Iran
Iran’s acting FM meets Assad in Syria after talks with Hezbollah chief Iran has been backing its proxies, including Hezbollah and Hamas, in their fight against Israel since the Gaza war erupted. Iran
In rare clash with Iran, China reaffirms solidarity with UAE over disputed islands Iran seized control of Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs several decades ago, though the United Arab Emirates has long claimed sovereignty over the islands, a claim backed by Gulf states and Russia. Iran
With Larijani in, Iran presidential race heats up with cutthroat rivalries Centrist Ali Larijani threw himself in bitter exchanges with hard-line rivals after attacking the status quo and promising to revive the divisive Iran nuclear deal, which was on life support during late President Ebrahim Raisi's unfinished term. Iran
