CENTCOM chief briefs Trump on Iran strike options It was not immediately clear following Trump’s meeting with top defense officials whether he had decided to restart the war. Iran
Qatar becomes largest buyer of LNG from US amid Hormuz disruption QatarEnergy has agreed to purchase up to 7 million metric tons per year of US LNG through long-term contracts signed this month. Qatar
Hegseth fires Pentagon’s top strategist accused of leaks amid Iran war Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, the Joint Staff’s top planner, has become the latest casualty in Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s serial firings of senior officers. By Jared Szuba In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military
Iran war has cost Pentagon more than $47B: What to know US CENTCOM’s latest estimate does not include costs of repairing widespread damage to military bases in the region by Iran’s drone and missile attacks. By Jared Szuba In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military
Analysis How wartime urgency pushed Iran to court Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Iran's IRGC seizes two tankers in Gulf over alleged oil smuggling What appeared to be a routine policing action followed two run-ins with the US Navy earlier this week, amid a massive buildup of US naval and air forces around Iran. Iran
Trump says Iran's Khamenei should be 'very worried' The comments came as planned US-Iran talks appeared in jeopardy after Tehran demanded to move the location, narrow the agenda and exclude regional partners. Iran
Iran dispatches senior official to China amid talks push with US Ahead of his trip to Beijing, Kazem Gharibabadi met with the Russian ambassador to Iran on Tuesday. Iran
Analysis Despite US assurances, Israel fears being sidelined in partial Iran deal Israel is rattled by Oman as the new venue for the talks and fears that President Donald Trump could go for a partial nuclear deal or for an interim agreement that would buy the Iranians more time. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Iraq’s Maliki rejects Trump criticism, vows to stay in PM race Maliki refused to withdraw from the race, despite mounting pressure from the US, and expressed a desire for good relations with Iraq’s neighbors and Washington. Iraq
Analysis US, Iran weigh de-escalation declaration as first step of talks Behind the scenes, Iran and the United States are exploring a cautious diplomatic track centered on de-escalation rather than immediate concessions. By A correspondent in Iran In Iran, reporting on politics
Bracing for backlash, Iran sends mixed signals on US talks Iran's public messaging remains fragmented, with cautious openness from the presidency, rigid red lines from security officials and outright rejection from hard-liners, who see negotiations as futile. Iran
Witkoff meets Netanyahu as Israel warns against potential Iran deal Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s security chiefs briefed US envoy Steve Witkoff on the country’s concerns ahead of Friday’s US-Iran talks. Israel
Iran seeks nuclear-only US talks, to drop Turkey as host: Source Iran’s push for a bilateral, nuclear-only format and a possible shift to Oman has frustrated mediators. Turkey
US F-35 downs Iran drone as IRGC boats target tanker near Hormuz The US military accused Iran of "unnecessary aggression" after shooting down an Iranian drone near the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea and IRGC vessels approached a US-flagged oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz ahead of US-Iran talks later this week. Iran
On eve of talks, UAE's Gargash throws weight behind Iran-US deal Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, spoke at a panel discussion at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, where he discussed the latest developments in Gaza, Iran, Sudan and Yemen. United Arab Emirates
UAE’s MBZ reportedly cancels Japan visit amid US-Iran standoff: What to know While tensions remain high between the US and Iran, both sides are reportedly moving toward renewed nuclear talks. United Arab Emirates
