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
Why Moscow is ignoring US cyberattacks on Iran Despite Russia's partnership with Iran, Moscow turns a blind eye to American cyberattacks on key Iranian targets. Russia
Assad’s forces resume shelling of Idlib President Bashar al-Assad’s forces have suspended a cease-fire and resumed airstrikes against Syria’s last rebel stronghold of Idlib, accusing the opposition of violating the truce. Syria
Iran says US-led maritime coalition will create instability Iran’s defense minister has told regional defense officials that the US-proposed military coalition in the Persian Gulf would lead to instability. United States
Can Iran combat corruption in petroleum sector? Iran is showing a greater transparency about corruption, perhaps in part because of the problems caused by sanctions, but has a long way to defeat this scourge. Iran
Rouhani takes fire from hard-liners for defending nuclear deal President Hassan Rouhani's latest speech in defense of the Iran nuclear deal prompted a barrage of attacks from hard-liners, who have long demanded he apologize for the "humiliating" accord. Iran
Iran's Rouhani eases conditions for talks with Trump Iran's president says sanctions removal alone could initiate a Tehran-Washington dialogue, marking a departure from his earlier position where he strictly demanded the US rejoin the nuclear deal before any negotiation. United States
Tehran issues deadline for bypass to US sanctions Iran is stepping up its pressure on Europe to devise a successful workaround that will provide economic relief from US sanctions. United States
Zarif says he was sanctioned for refusing to meet Trump Iran’s foreign minister claims he was warned in New York that if he refused to meet Trump at the White House he would be sanctioned. United States
Division threatens Islamic Dawa after Maliki’s reelection The Islamic Dawa Party could on the verge of division after the reelection of Nouri al Maliki as its secretary-general; however, many party leaders see the party as continuing to be a strong and unified one. Iraq
Tinderbox: Israeli military attacks in Iraq could complicate US strategy in Middle East Washington may need to draw some red lines to protect its larger regional interests. Iraq
Why Iran's Reformists are disillusioned with one of their own The political maneuvering of Reformist leader Mohammad Reza Aref has already cost him a bid for the presidency two years before the race begins. Iran
Iranians unite to condemn sanctions on Zarif Iranian officials from opposing political sides have united in defense of the country’s foreign minister, the latest target of US sanctions. United States
