Interview UAE official says opening Hormuz integral to any Iran deal, describes infrastructure damage 'manageable' Abdulla Balalaa, UAE assistant minister of foreign affairs for energy and sustainability, spoke to Al-Monitor about the situation in the Gulf along with the UAE's focus on promoting privatization in the water sector and the 2026 UN Water Conference.
Analysis What is Iran really willing to concede on its nuclear program? Iran’s current posture accepts short-term, reversible constraints while rejecting long-term limits on enrichment. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
'The reach is global': Pentagon vows pursuit of ships tied to Iran trade A top admiral said the US Navy will pursue any vessels "providing material support to Iran" anywhere in the world. United States
Sharaa distances Syria from Iran war, says Israel talks ongoing: What to know Negotiations with Israel "have not reached a dead end, but they are progressing with great difficulty” Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. Syria
Analysis How long can Iran's economy weather US naval blockade? By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Four attacks against US troops in Syria hours after strikes on IRGC facilities New rocket and drone attacks targeted US bases in Syria in the hours following the latest US airstrikes designed to dissuade the IRGC and its militias from continuing their attacks on American personnel. Syria
US airstrikes hit IRGC site in Syria in latest bid to halt attacks Biden administration ups the ante by targeting a training facility and a safe house used by Iran's IRGC and associated militias near Syria's border with Iraq, after previous strikes failed to halt rocket and drone attacks against US forces. Syria
Analysis Iraq struggles to thwart Iran proxies' attacks as US ups rhetoric The Iraqi government is trying to avoid becoming a battleground in the Israel-Hamas war as Iran-backed militias continue to attack US forces there, but Baghdad has limited options to deter them. By Adam Lucente In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change
US launches new airstrikes against IRGC facility in Syria as attacks continue US F-15s bombed a facility in eastern Syria as the Pentagon's Middle East policy director openly warned that the US military may target Iranian IRGC personnel in a bid to halt militia attacks on American troops. Iran
Iran's Khamenei urges Iraq PM to pressure US over Gaza Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's Tehran visit came only one day after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Baghdad, amid an uptick in Iran-backed militia attacks on US bases in the region in response to Israel's war on Hamas. Iran
New attacks hit US bases in Iraq, Syria as Iran ups threats over Gaza White House and Pentagon officials have said they will hold Iran accountable for attacks on US bases by Iranian proxies. Iraq
US sends in submarine as Iran-backed attacks continue in Syria, Iraq The Ohio-class submarine is the latest in the Pentagon's strike arsenal to arrive in the region amid a massive buildup of capabilities as Washington warns Iran and its proxies not to launch opportunistic attacks on Israel. Legacy: Gulf
Hamas leader meets Iran’s Khamenei in Tehran Iran is the main financial backer of Hamas. Its proxies across the region have increased attacks on US and Israeli targets in recent weeks. Palestine
Iran's caution on Gaza war resonates in Hezbollah's Nasrallah speech The Hezbollah leader offered little beyond Tehran's reserved approach to avoid a full-blown war with Israel, in a speech that Iranian hardliners had anticipated as a milestone in shaping the region's future. Iran
Pentagon flying unarmed drones over Gaza for hostage recovery intel The acknowledgement came a day after a senior American general said the US is providing Israel with intelligence assessments on Iran-backed threats on other fronts, but the Pentagon denies it's assisting with targets in Gaza. Palestine
Iran urges sanctions on Israel, says Hamas ready for more 'surprise' attacks Iran's leader censured the West for supporting Israel, while the country's foreign minister warned that more militant "surprise" attacks were in the offing should Israel refuse to halt Gaza bombardments. Iran
US deploys B-1B bombers to Turkey for 'long-planned' exercise amid Gaza war The Pentagon's show of force came as Iran's top diplomat visited Ankara amid threats by Tehran and its proxies to pile on Israel's war in the Gaza Strip. Iran
