Analysis Araghchi’s Russia, regional tour tests path to breaking US-Iran deadlock Iranian officials say dialogue remains open, but negotiations are clouded by intensifying hard-line domestic messaging and conflicting signals over Tehran’s red lines. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Why did the Met Opera lose its Saudi funding deal? The deal, announced as a nonbinding memorandum of understanding last September, would have seen the PIF inject up to $200 million into the opera institution over the next eight years. Saudi Arabia
Analysis Israel fears Trump angling for Lebanon deal to offset Iran missteps Some Israelis worry the US president might force them to accept an unsatisfactory agreement driven by his inability to secure a tangible achievement in Iran. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Trump says Israel-Lebanon ceasefire extended by three weeks President Trump said the second meeting between the Israeli and Lebanese envoys went "very well." Lebanon
Iran speaks out against US attempt to reinstate UN sanctions Iran says the United States will suffer another defeat if it attempts to bring back sanctions against Iran. Iran
Intel: Pompeo says US to trigger snapback sanctions on Iran 'soon' The Donald Trump administration will "soon" act on its threat to trigger a return of international sanctions on Iran, Secretary of State Pompeo said Wednesday after the United States lost its bid to indefinitely extend an arms embargo on Tehran. United States
Iran’s hard-liners push legislation to exit nuclear deal If passed, the legislation proposed by hard-liners would effectively force the government into a farewell to the fragile nuclear deal depending on UN action. United States
Intel: Iran paid bounties to Taliban for US soldiers, influencing Soleimani strike US officials tell CNN the administration took no action against the Taliban in order to preserve its peace deal with the insurgents. United States
UN Security Council rejects US-sought extension on Iran arms embargo The resolution failed by a 2-2 vote with 11 abstentions. United States
US seizes multi-million-barrel Iranian fuel shipment bound for Venezuela The US government has seized more than a million barrels of Iranian fuel contained in four tanker ships bound for Venezuela. Originals
Intel: Iran’s navy boards oil tanker near Strait of Hormuz, US says A Liberian-flagged ship was seized by Iranian forces in international waters near the Strait of Hormuz, according to a US-led maritime security coalition. United States
Iran says it will not pay to replace Ukraine jet shot down near Tehran in January No agreement has yet been reached on compensation for victims' families, but Iran says it won't pay for the aircraft itself. Iran
US to submit UN resolution to extend Iran arms embargo next week: Pompeo The arms embargo is set to expire in October as part of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and major world powers. United States
Rouhani: Iran’s economy handled pandemic better than US Iran’s president said his country’s economy is in a comparatively better shape than the US and European states' ones when it comes to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. United States
Congress wants to see the Pentagon’s hidden costs of deterring Iran Congress wants the Defense Department to regularly report on the costs required to deter Tehran's ambitions in the Middle East. Originals
US expands sanctions on Iran metals trade, citing ballistic missile program US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expands metals-related sanctions on Iran, naming 22 materials used in connection with Iran’s nuclear, military or ballistic missile programs. United States
