Analysis Iran’s FM Araghchi in Moscow as biting sanctions drive closer Russia ties The economic agenda of the meetings in Moscow and Tehran reflected a deliberate effort by both governments to signal momentum in a partnership increasingly shaped by isolation from the West. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Iran’s World Cup players face US visa uncertainty over military service: What to know The head of Iran’s soccer body said this week that some players might not receives visa to the US due to their military service. Iran
Russia to launch 3 Iranian satellites into orbit this month: What to know The upcoming launch will be the second time Russia’s Soyuz rockets have carried Iranian-made satellites into space. Iran
Lebanon's FM snubs Iran, turns down invitation to visit Tehran: What to know Youssef Rajji declined an invitation from his Iranian counterpart to visit Tehran, saying, "The appropriate conditions for such a visit were not present.” Lebanon
Analysis Russian leak signals Su-35s for Iran moving to production: What to know By Francesco Schiavi In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance
Analysis Iran’s new military drills near disputed islands ratchet up tensions with UAE By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Key Pentagon policy officials to step down amid widening Middle East crisis Mara Karlin, who oversaw the drafting of the Biden administration's national defense strategy and has filled in as the Pentagon’s no.-3 top official, and Dana Stroul, the department’s Middle East policy director, are both stepping down as Congressional dysfunction threatens to hold up their replacement. Washington Connection
Iran unveils new Karrar drones upgraded with air-to-air missiles Iran’s drone fleet has raised concerns among the United States and its allies. Iran
Iran’s FM confirms US messages on Iraq, dodges questions on protests Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said Washington has been dispatching weekly messages to Iran to rein in militants in Iraq and Syria attacking its forces. Iran
Houthi attacks continue in Red Sea as US Navy dispatches new destroyers The Pentagon is gearing up for the long haul to deter Iran’s proxies as the Israel-Hamas war drags on. Legacy: Gulf
Iran says it seized ships in Gulf for alleged fuel smuggling The seizure and arrest of the foreign crew members occurred south of the disputed Abu Musa island, according to Iranian state media. Iran
Iran court orders US to pay $49 billion over Soleimani assassination Qasem Soleimani led Iran’s elite Quds Force until he was assassinated by the United States in Baghdad in 2020 in response to attacks on US forces in Iraq. Iran
Cuba, Iran ink economic agreements as Khamenei hosts Diaz-Canel In its revolutionary foreign policy, Iran has for decades gone out of its way to unite like-minded nations — with a special focus on leftist nations — for an idealistic global campaign to weaken the American hegemony. Iran
Iran-backed militias test new front with Washington’s Syrian Kurdish allies A US base in northeast Syria has been attacked twice so far by rockets launched in the last month from within the country, and officials with the Syrian Defense Forces point to Iran-backed Shiite militias. Syria
Spread thin, US Navy seeks allies' help following Houthi attacks on shipping With Israel's war in Gaza poised to drag on, Washington is turning to allies to help relieve the burden on the US Navy in pushing back on Iran-backed attacks against commercial shipping in Gulf waterways. Legacy: Gulf
US threatens response after Houthi missiles hit cargo ships in Red Sea Iran-backed factions across the Middle East opened a new volley of attacks targeting Israeli-linked cargo vessels in the Red Sea and US troops in Iraq and Syria since Israel's truce with Hamas collapsed on Friday. Legacy: Gulf
What is scope of Iran-Oman joint military drill near Hormuz? The drill was held only days after the Pentagon dispatched one of its largest aircraft carriers to the strategic waters, causing unease in Tehran amid risks of potential confrontations stemming from the Israel-Hamas war. Iran
US Navy shoots down Iran-made drone fired from Yemen The shooting follows a separate incident in the Persian Gulf in which an Iranian drone came within 1,500 yards of the USS Eisenhower aircraft carrier. Legacy: Gulf
