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Iran

June 18, 2026

Tehran 10:57 am

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A shop owner counts Iranian banknotes at a store in the capital Tehran on Jan. 7, 2026.

How Iran stands to win major financial relief in Trump-backed deal

Iran will receive some upfront sanctions relief despite the Trump administration's pledge of “no dust, no dollars.”

A general view shows the Awad oil field in the eastern Qamishli countryside in northeastern Syria, on Feb. 9, 2026.

Explainer

Oil’s slide wavers as Trump warns US-Iran deal ‘not final’

Brent crude prices briefly jumped back above $80 per barrel on Wednesday as traders digested conflicting signals about efforts to end the war and reopen Hormuz.

Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf speaks with Tehran's Chamber of Commerce, June 17, 2026.

After US-Iran deal, Ghalibaf says Tehran seeks deeper ties with China

“China must believe and will believe that we are not just a customer or a trading partner, but a partner in every sense,” Ghalibaf said.

Trump

Read the full 14-point US-Iran deal

The US will issue waivers for Iranian oil sales upon the deal's signing, and Iran will have access to its frozen funds upon implementation.

Latest News

Trump says deal 'not final,' warns Iran to 'behave' or face renewed strikes

US President Donald Trump arrives to attend a musical interlude before a gala dinner as part of the G7 summit, in Evian, eastern France, on June 16, 2026.

Analysis

Why Iran's hard-liners are turning on each other over US deal

An Iranian woman waves a national flag at Valiasr Square in Tehran on June 15, 2026.

A correspondent in Tehran

By A correspondent in Tehran

In Tehran, reporting on politics

Scrutiny builds over Iran deal kept from lawmakers

Snipers set up their positions above of the US Capitol on Feb. 24, 2026 in Washington, DC.

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

Rouhani moves to slash IRGC budget, empower army

The Rouhani administration has moved to cut spending for the IRGC while increasing funding for the army, but not without a backlash.

English language classes set to become next battleground in Iran

President Hassan Rouhani emphasized the learning of foreign languages in helping Iran’s economy, which put him at odds with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Will Iran's new undercover morality agents have any impact?

The plan to dispatch 7,000 undercover morality agents has stirred much criticism in Persian-language media and social networks, with the backlash mostly focused on the project's social costs.

Why big European banks are reluctant to return to Iran

Iranians and Americans see different reasons for major European banks’ reluctance to return to the Iranian market after the nuclear deal.

Did Rouhani call for North Korea to give up nuclear weapons?

South Korean officials have welcomed Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s comments about a Korean Peninsula free of nuclear weapons.

Four reasons Sisi won’t turn against Iran

The Saudi efforts to forge an alliance with Egypt come in the context of Riyadh’s efforts to expand its anti-Iran coalition. But will Saudi Arabia succeed in bringing Egypt onboard?

Pro-Rouhani candidates scoop up most seats in runoff

The second round of Iran’s parliamentary elections gave most remaining seats to the Reformist-moderate camp that supports President Hassan Rouhani.

Khamenei to US Navy: Keep your drills in the Bay of Pigs

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that Iran would not refrain from holding military drills in the Persian Gulf.

US, Russia compete to woo Syrian Kurds

The recent rapprochement between the Kurds and Russia is a new phase in the two sides' relations that date back to the 19th century, but Kurds do not want to alienate the United States either.

An Iranian woman casts her ballot to vote in the second round of parliamentary elections at a polling station in the town of Robat Karim, some 40 kms southwest of the capital Tehran, on April 29, 2016.
Iranians started voting in second round elections for almost a quarter of parliament's seats, the latest political showdown between reformists and conservatives seeking to influence the country's future. Polling stations opened at 8:00 am (0330 GMT) for the ballot which is taking place in 21 provinces, but no

Iran’s runoff elections to set economic agenda

The crucial runoff parliamentary elections today will determine how successful President Hassan Rouhani is in implementing his domestic and economic policies.

Oman's Sultan Qaboos bin Said (R) walks with Iran's President Hassan Rouhani upon Rouhani's arrival in Muscat March 12, 2014. REUTERS/Sultan Al Hasani (OMAN - Tags: POLITICS ROYALS) - RTR3GQAH

Oman and Iran: friends with many benefits

Oman is willing to brave the GCC's disapproval to take advantage of opportunities with and for Iran.

A truck carries Iranian-made cars in a parking at carmaker Iran Khodro, west of Tehran February 6, 2016. REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi/TIMA ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. - RTX25Q85

What Iran’s first non-oil trade surplus means for its economy

Iran’s non-oil trade balance has turned positive for the first time in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran, but is this good news?