In letter, US lays out 7 demands for next Iraqi PM, with emphasis on Iran The Trump administration is pressing Baghdad on Iranian influence and the nomination of former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, with Iraq's top diplomat claiming the US stipulations include a "hint" toward potential sanctions. Iraq
Iran, Russia hold naval drills as Araghchi briefs Saudi FM on nuclear talks There are increasing indications a US military strike could be on the horizon as momentum toward a new Iran nuclear deal stalls. Iran
US readies warships, jets, tankers for potential weekslong Iran war Pentagon assembles its largest Middle East strike force since 2003, adding F-35s, F-22s, tankers, electronic-warfare and command planes plus a second carrier. United States
As Hezbollah vows to defend Iran, Lebanon braces for potential spillover Lebanon once again finds itself preparing for Hezbollah’s involvement in a looming US-Iranian military confrontation. Lebanon
US looks to China as Yemen’s Houthis ramp up Red Sea attacks Maritime attacks by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels have rattled energy markets and thrown Yemen's peace process in doubt. Legacy: Gulf
Iran says ‘enemy conspiracy’ behind outage at 70% of gas stations The Oil Ministry’s Shana news agency reported that operations will be running again as normal within “a few hours” and until then fuel is being distributed offline. Iran
Britain hits Iran and its foreign proxies with fresh sanctions The measures, coordinated with the United States, also target Iran's shipping sector and drone exports. Iran
Houthi missile hits Norwegian-flagged tanker in latest Red Sea attack Iran-backed rebels hit a Norwegian-owned chemical tanker with a cruise missile, but the ship had no clear connection to Israel, signaling the Houthis may be widening the aperture of their attacks. Legacy: Gulf
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
