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 Trump meets Xi in Beijing as Gulf shipping disruptions, oil supply fears and Syria’s reconstruction efforts reshape the regional economy. 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
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Trump arrives in China with Iran war looming over talks By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Hamas silent on Saudi Arabia arrests of Saudi nationals supporting the movement Lebanon’s Al-Akhbar reported that the Saudi authorities have been arresting Saudi nationals and Palestinian expats who support Hamas, over the movement’s declared position in support of Iran. Legacy: Gulf
How Netanyahu exploits US-Iran tensions For Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the low-level US-Iran tensions are a great opportunity to bolster his security image and to divert public attention from his legal imbroglio. Palestine
War-averse Trump looks for off ramp with Iran President Donald Trump “really wants to avoid a war,” former Trump National Security Council official Fred Fleitz said. United States
Iran: We gave 'multiple warnings' before downing drone Iranian officials have made statements to reduce tensions following the downing of an American drone off Iran's southern coast. United States
Trump may chicken out on Iran, frets Israel Israeli security officials are getting worried that escalating tensions between the United States and Iran could spill over into Israel through an attack by Hezbollah on the northern border. Israel
Senate votes to constrain Trump on Gulf arms sales as Iran tensions heat up A bipartisan group of senators rebuked President Donald Trump for his Iran emergency declaration hours after Tehran shot down a US drone over the Persian Gulf. Saudi Arabia
US sanctions fail to bend Iran’s economy, expert says Al-Monitor contributor Bijan Khajehpour said at an Al-Monitor event in Washington today that the Donald Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign has not succeeded in crippling the country's economy. United States
Intel: What's next for US-Iran tensions after drone downing Tensions between the United States and Iran escalated further as both sides confirmed that Iran shot down a US military drone today. United States
Iran's 'throw money' economic strategy failing Among its many other problems, Iran's economy is suffering because of poor and brash decisions of the past and needs to get back to the basics. Iran
IRGC: Drone downing 'message’ against foreign invasion Iran claims that the US drone it shot down was flying over Iranian territory when hit by a surface-to-air missile. United States
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 chief justice dismisses 60 judges to uproot internal corruption An iron-fisted policy against corruption promoted by Iran's new chief justice, Ebrahim Raisi, has seen 60 judges dismissed within a few weeks. Iran
