Trump faces three paths ahead in Iran war as Hormuz standoff intensifies As the Hormuz standoff intensifies, Trump must choose between military escalation, a limited diplomatic deal, or continuing a pressure campaign against Iran. Iran
In defiant message, Iran’s Khamenei threatens US but appeals to Gulf The address was Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei’s third since coming to power and included a pledge to rid the Gulf of the US. Iran
US blockade tests Iran's limits, but will global pain force Trump’s hand? President Trump is doubling down on economic warfare against Iran, betting a naval blockade and sanctions can force a nuclear deal and end the war. Iran
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran defies Trump's blockade as oil prices soar Turkey advances gas pipeline plan to northern Cyprus; Iran-linked group claims London attack; and more. By Beatrice Farhat In Beirut, reporting on regional news, culture, conflict
Iran, Yemen, Saudi Arabia follow close behind China in VPN blocking China led the ranking, blocking about 73% of all attempts to access VPN providers, with Iran and several Gulf Arab countries following close behind. Legacy: Gulf
Iran police chief makes rare visit to Russia for surveillance deals The police commander's trip came against the backdrop of Iran's months-long unrest and reports that Tehran has been seeking Moscow's advice and surveillance equipment to crack down on dissent. Iran
Blinken denies ‘agreement’ with Iran amid talk of informal deal The US Secretary of State said "there is no agreement in the offing" amid reports the two countries are close to an informal arrangement aimed at de-escalating tensions. Iran
Qatar seen most peaceful in Middle East as Israel dips, Turkey ties Iran: GPI The Global Peace Index placed Turkey as the least peaceful country in Europe ranking, and tied with Iran as the 147th most peaceful country globally. Israel
Iran cheers Albania's raid on exiled MEK group, wants more Tehran expressed satisfaction with the Albanian government's surprise crackdown on the largest exiled Iranian opposition organization, which has been engaged in violence against the Islamic Republic for over four decades. Iran
Israel: seizure of millions of dollars in crypto linked to Iran IRGC, Hezbollah The news follows Hamas announcing it will not use Bitcoin anymore and more government scrutiny of cryptocurrency transactions, including by the United States. Israel
New Al-Monitor Newsletter: The China-Middle East Briefing Sign up to stay on top of China's quickly growing role in the region. Legacy: Gulf
Israel thanks Cyprus for stopping alleged Iranian plan to attack Israelis Israel is expressing gratitude to Cypriot authorities who reportedly stopped an Iranian attack on Israelis in the country, where Iran was accused of plotting to attack Israelis back in 2021. Israel
Iran-US diplomacy trudges on as hopes of new nuclear understandings grow Even if the nuclear deal is never revived, recent developments give hope that the nuclear situation will not deteriorate further. Iran
Congress doubles down on Middle East defense architecture in NDAA markups To counter China's influence and Iran activities, lawmakers want to expand cybersecurity, maritime and air and missile defense support to Middle East allies and enable Israeli Air Force pilots as Arab leaders begin to engage with Iran. Legacy: Gulf
Iran rushes regional thaw in UAE as it hopes for sanctions relief Iran's foreign minister was in the United Arab Emirates to pursue the Islamic Republic's reproachment drive, while his deputy was on a parallel mission in neighboring Qatar in a quest for sanctions relief through indirect diplomacy with the United States. United Arab Emirates
Family fears US resident jailed in Iran will be left out of prisoner deal As Iran and the United States appear closer to a potential prisoner exchange, Shahab Dalili’s Virginia-based family is urging the Biden administration not to leave him behind. Iran
