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Iran

July 19, 2026

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People wave flags of Kurdistan during a march in Erbil, Iraq, on April 21, 2026, expressing support for the unity of Iranian Kurdish parties and condemning Iranian missile strikes and military actions against Kurdish groups in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

Analysis

Why Iran's Kurdish front is becoming a growing wartime concern

A Friday Iranian strike on a Kurdish dissident base underscores Tehran's concern that its oldest internal security challenge has now become a wartime vulnerability.

A correspondent in Tehran

By A correspondent in Tehran

In Tehran, reporting on politics

Supporters of the Iran-backed Houthi movement brandish their weapons as they rally in solidarity with Iran and Lebanon in Sanaa on April 10, 2026.

Yemen's Houthis raise Red Sea stakes for Trump

With President Donald Trump ratcheting up his threats, will Iran play its Houthi card?

The sun sets behind overhead power lines in Kuwait City, June 19, 2024.

Iran strike damages Kuwait power, desalination plant: What to know

Kuwait, the world’s most water-stressed country, urged residents to reduce electricity and water use following the attack.

Latest News

Ahmadinejad denies alleged Mossad plot to install him as Iran leader: What to know

BEIRUT, LEBANON - OCTOBER 13: Lebanese people wave flags and hold portraits of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (not pictured) as he arrives in southern suberb of Beirut on October 13, 2010 in Lebanon. The controversial visit is seen as a boost for key ally Hezbollah. According to reports Mr Ahmadinejad may visit the border with Israel - the site of recent deadly clashes between Israeli and Lebanese forces. (Photo by Salah Malkawi/Getty Images)

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

U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks during an event to announce a proposal to end surprise medical billing in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., May 9, 2019. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst - RC1C62BF4AB0

Iran calling: How Iranians use humor to cope with Trump

The US president’s statement that he hoped Iran would ring him up to reach a settlement has stimulated Iran's caustic wit — a talent perfected over centuries.

A general view of the Central Bank of Iran building in Tehran January 23, 2006. Iran's central bank has not implemented any measures in preparation for U.N. action over its atomic programme because it does not believe sanctions will be imposed, the bank said on Monday. REUTERS/Morteza Nikoubazl - RP3DSFDOPYAA

Will open market operations signal new chapter in Iran’s financial leadership?

The Central Bank of Iran will soon engage in open market operations for the first time, but lingering structural issues and the possibility of government meddling threaten the effectiveness of such a measure in curbing money supply and inflation.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks live on television after casting his ballot in the Iranian presidential election in Tehran June 12, 2009. REUTERS/Caren Firouz/File Photo - S1AETHSUNEAA

Khamenei further distances himself from Iran nuclear deal

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei further distanced himself from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

ATTENTION EDITORS - VISUAL COVERAGE OF SCENES OF INJURY OR DEATH
The man credited with smuggling 50,000 photos said to document Syrian government atrocities, a Syrian Army defector known by the protective alias Caesar (disguised in a hooded blue jacket), listens to his interpreter as he prepares to speak at a briefing to the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington July 31, 2014. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS MILITARY CONFLICT) TEMPLATE OUT - GM1EA7V1SKN01

Congress forgoes Iran war restrictions to save anti-Assad bill

In order to assure passage of a long-stalled Syria sanctions bill, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted down legislation restricting President Donald Trump’s ability to attack Iran.

Iran tightens noose on corrupt tycoons

Iran's judiciary is prosecuting individuals accused of corruption and embezzlement on a scale unheard of in the country.

Fighters of Hashed Al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization units) flash the victory gesture as they advance through a street in the town of Tal Afar, west of Mosul, after the Iraqi government announced the launch of the operation to retake it from Islamic State (IS) group control, on August 26, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / AHMAD AL-RUBAYE (Photo credit should read AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP/Getty Images)

Ninevah governor's election stirs Sunni split in Baghdad

The Ninevah Provincial Council has chosen a new governor close to the Shiite-dominated Popular Mobilization Units, prompting objections from many Sunnis.

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) speaks to reporters after being briefed on Iran by the Secretary of State and acting Defense Secretary on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., May 21, 2019. REUTERS/James Lawler Duggan - RC1FC8F878D0

Democrats fret over Iran escalation risk

Democrats are urging the Donald Trump administration to tamp down tensions with Iran following an all-members briefing.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani speaks at the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit during the 73rd United Nations General Assembly in New York, U.S., September 24, 2018. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri - RC1E713F5F70

Iran sticks to its guns: No room for talks with Trump

Iran's president has once again ruled out dialog with his US counterpart amid mixed signals from the White House. Yet third-party mediation remains an option both sides seemingly favor.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani attend a news conference, after a meeting in the Black sea resort of Sochi, Russia, 14 February 2019. Sergei Chirikov/Pool via REUTERS - RC158EB139B0

Can Iran rely on Russia to dodge US pressure?

Iran is relying on Russia to minimize the impact of the US "maximum pressure" campaign, but Russia seems to have reservations while it also enjoys certain advantages if US-Iran tensions remain unresolved, albeit at a controlled level.

What does the UAE expect from Egypt?

Political analysts believe Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s visit to Cairo helps solidify UAE-Egypt relations as the situation escalates in the Gulf.

EDITORS' NOTE: Reuters and other foreign media are subject to Iranian restrictions on their ability to film or take pictures in Tehran.

A petrol station attendant (R) counts money as a man waits for his change at a petrol station in northwestern Tehran December 19, 2010. The price of gasoline will rise four-fold in Iran in the coming days, state television announced late on Saturday, as the most politically sensitive part of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's subsidy cuts plan takes effect. REUTERS/Morteza

What to do about Iran’s expected budget deficit

The impact of US sanctions on Iranian energy exports is bound to cause a budget deficit in Iran, with the Rouhani administration facing tough choices ahead.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif attends a meeting with Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia May 8, 2019. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina - RC19DF14C2E0

Iran, US trade tweets as talk of war dies down

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif responded to Donald Trump’s tweets in a sign that both sides want to reduce tension.