Newsletter: Business & Tech Trump pivots from Hormuz tolls as US-Iran fighting resumes Oil prices remain far below their early May peak of nearly $115 a barrel, but the renewed hostilities have pushed them well above the roughly $70 level seen before the war. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Ahmadinejad denies alleged Mossad plot to install him as Iran leader: What to know The former president, who was a virulent critic of Israel while in office, was reportedly part of a Mossad plan to replace the current Iranian leadership. Iran
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Why Iran, US are drifting back to conflict Trump hosts Iraqi PM Zaidi; Bahrain sentences 3 to life in prison over ties to Iran's IRGC; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Interview Why Strait of Hormuz no longer rattles oil markets as much: IMF The fund's Middle East director, Jihad Azour, told Al-Monitor that the big Gulf energy producers now have more capacity to absorb the shock. Jihad Azour Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund
Analysis How UK's IRGC designation raises stakes for Iran and Europe By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Zarif makes fresh push to save Iran deal, ease Gulf tensions Iran's foreign minister has embarked on a long journey in search of workable diplomatic solutions to save the battered nuclear deal and resolve heightened tensions in the Persian Gulf. United States
Iran calls for compensation for Gibraltar tanker seizure Iranian officials have welcomed the release of the Iranian tanker seized by the UK. United States
Putin’s Gulf security plan depends on Trump The Russian president plans to roll out his regional initiative to calm Gulf tensions next month — but are the United States and the EU ready to let Putin step up in the Gulf? Saudi Arabia
Is Iran’s national broadcaster being pushed to brink of irrelevance? Iran's national broadcasting monopoly IRIB continues to play a partisan role in the country. Iran
Hoopla over minor Iranian election may herald big fallout in 2020 A normally negligible local election in the Iranian capital has brought the country’s political groups face to face, revealing that bigger clashes may be ahead as Iran’s 11th parliamentary elections draw near. Iran
Iran judiciary chief defends internal corruption probe Iran’s judiciary has embarked on an anti-corruption probe that has involved members of the former judiciary team. Iran
Iran reaffirms support for Houthis as rift splits Saudi coalition Iran's supreme leader has called on Yemen's Houthi rebels to put up tougher resistance to what he deems a Saudi-Emirati conspiracy to partition the war-ravaged country. Saudi Arabia
Zarif says foreign ships making Gulf 'less safe' Iranian officials continue to push back against the naval presence of the United States and United Kingdom in the Persian Gulf. United States
How the Saudis help Netanyahu in his pre-election campaign Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu believes that by boasting about ties with Saudi Arabia, President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, he can distance the conflict with the Palestinians from the election agenda. Saudi Arabia
As US pressure increases on Iran-backed militias, they turn to Iran Iran-backed PMU factions are under intense pressure from the Iraqi government and the public, leading them to Iran. Iraq
Rebuking Trump, French FM defends Iran mediation efforts French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian directly rebukes Trump and insists France will continue "mediation efforts" with Iran "to avert a wider conflict." United States
Why Egypt matters — maybe more than ever The US-Egyptian partnership deepens in Sinai, but human rights issues won’t go away. Palestine
