Qatar PM meets Pezeshkian, Rezaee as Doha seeks US-Iran mediation Iran has recently signaled a desire to re-engage with the US but is hampered by internal divisions, said one expert. Qatar
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Qatari PM heads for Tehran amid flurry of regional diplomacy US designates UK-based Palestine Action, two others as terror outfits; Iraq summons Iran envoy over 'Persian Gulf' post; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Newsletter: City Pulse Doha Qatari artists reimagine Uzbekistan Also this week: Falcons meet AI, John Legend live and tales from the sea By Reve Chaaban In Doha reporting on culture
Qatar PM heads to Tehran amid flurry of regional diplomacy The visit by Sheikh Mohammed al-Thani to Tehran follows Pakistan and Oman sending senior officials to the Islamic Republic. Iran
Analysis Netanyahu yields to Trump on Gaza, betting Hamas won’t disarm By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Newsletter: City Pulse Doha A day at Qatar's national museum By Reve Chaaban In Doha reporting on culture
Newsletter: City Pulse Doha Hunt for hidden treasures at Doha's sports museum By Reve Chaaban In Doha reporting on culture
The Saudi-Turkey cold war for Sunni hegemony Saudi Arabia views Turkey's mix of democracy and Islam as a threat to its own regional role. Saudi Arabia
Iraq-Saudi ties need strategic context While Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has accused Saudi Arabia of supporting terrorist groups, Baghdad should instead work on establishing effective channels of communication to cooperate in anti-terror efforts. Saudi Arabia
Hamas seeks to retain Saudi ties despite Brotherhood ban Hamas is hoping to escape the anti-Brotherhood wave sweeping the Gulf and is trying to stay on good terms with Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia
Al-Monitor launches Gulf Pulse With the launch of its Gulf Pulse, Al-Monitor is expanding its coverage of the region. Saudi Arabia
Baghdad holds international anti-terrorism conference According to the conference organizers, Saudi Arabia and Qatar were invited, but didn’t attend, despite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's accusing of them of supporting terrorism. Saudi Arabia
Egypt fears backlash if it cuts ties with Qatar Egypt is hesitating to join the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and cut ties with Qatar, because the government fears the repercussions such a step would have for the many Egyptians working in Qatar. Saudi Arabia
What next for Qatar and the GCC? Following the decision by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates to withdraw their ambassadors from Qatar, will Doha reassess its foreign policy to ensure it can continue playing the vital role of mediator in thorny regional issues? Saudi Arabia
Saudi-Qatar divide means reset for GCC Saudi Arabia and Qatar have different ideas about what constitutes internal and external threats to the Gulf region, making their partnership within the Gulf Cooperation Council difficult. Saudi Arabia
GCC rift another blow to Erdogan’s Mideast policies Turkey is increasingly isolated in the region, more so as Qatar is on the outs with other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Saudi Arabia
Egypt seeks Saudi help on Ethiopia water dispute Egypt has turned to Saudi Arabia to help pressure Ethiopia into compromising on the Renaissance Dam, which Cairo fears will cut off vital water supplies from the Nile River. Saudi Arabia
Saudi-Qatar tensions divide GCC The announcement by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates that they are withdrawing their ambassadors to Qatar is a further sign of the deterioration in Saudi-Qatar ties and the fragmentation of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Saudi Arabia
The Qatar channel between Gaza and Israel Qatar, which has taken upon itself major construction projects in the Gaza Strip, has become an indirect communication channel between Israel and Hamas. Qatar