Brent crude sails past $100 as Middle East war intensifies The Iran war escalated this week as Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacked four southern Saudi Arabian cities and oil facilities. Saudi Arabia
US strikes Iranian tankers after attempted attack on Navy ship Iran fired ballistic missiles into Jordan in response, targeting a key US air base in escalation after US aircraft destroyed five more oil tankers in Tehran’s fleet. Iran
Analysis What Houthi setbacks in Yemen mean for Iran's regional influence The renewed fighting in Yemen is testing one of Iran's most valuable regional partnerships just as Tehran scrambles to preserve its remaining leverage. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Analysis Israel braces for Iran attack as Trump’s economic squeeze on Tehran intensifies Skeptical about the effectiveness of the American economic blockade on Tehran to weaken the regime, Israel is preparing for the possibility that Iran could decide to strike the Jewish state during the upcoming high holidays. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Analysis Could Trump’s oil push in Venezuela upend OPEC’s energy order? By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Analysis How Iran's campaign against US bases is forging a new Gulf defense network By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Iran sanctions US envoy to Yemen in retaliation for US blacklisting The Iranian Foreign Ministry announced sanctions on Christopher Henzel, the US ambassador to Yemen. Yemen
Iran’s Rouhani suggests nuclear deal’s fate is in Biden’s hands President Hassan Rouhani said Iran will resume full compliance with the nuclear deal as soon as his incoming American counterpart uses his signature to rejoin the same accord. United States
Iran makes arrests in nuclear scientist's killing, official says Iranian parliamentary adviser Hossein Amir Abdollahian said some of the "perpetrators" had been identified and arrested. Israel
Iran accuses US of blocking coronavirus vaccine purchases Iranian officials said US sanctions have impeded their attempts to secure the purchase of coronavirus vaccines for their country, which remains the hardest-hit in the Middle East. Iran
European powers call Iran’s enrichment plans 'deeply worrying' The governments of France, Germany and the United Kingdom expressed concerns over Iran's reported plan to install additional centrifuges at its Natanz nuclear facility. Iran
Iran claims scientist was assassinated via satellite Commanders in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have said that Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was killed by use of satellite and face recognition. Iran
Biden: 'Hard to tell' how scientist’s killing would impact Iran negotiations The recent assassination of Iranian scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh could complicate Biden's pledge to rejoin the nuclear agreement. United States
Israel worries that Biden will re-adopt Obama’s Iran policy The most important thing now for Israel’s security agencies is for the Biden administration to dialogue with them and include them over its future Iran policy. Israel
Trump administration imposes new sanctions on Iranian company The administration is continuing to add sanctions on Iranian entities ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's taking office. Biden could remove some of the sanctions. United States
Iranian-Swedish scientist's execution on hold for 'next few days' Amnesty International said Ahmadreza Djalali's execution has been halted for now, but his fate is unclear. The rights group, Sweden and the UN are protesting Iran's treatment of him. Iran
Iran says no new negotiations until US reenters nuclear deal Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the United States must reenter the nuclear deal without preconditions. United States
Biden reaffirms pledge to revive Iranian nuclear deal In an interview with The New York Times, Biden said rejoining the landmark agreement is the best way to avoid a nuclear buildup in the region. United States