Newsletter: Daily Briefing Israel strikes south Lebanon after 2 soldiers killed Tehran says Iran, Oman agree on Hormuz shipping route; US lifts sanctions on Iraqi airline linked to Iran's IRGC; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Newsletter: Business & Tech Markets eye Hormuz breakthrough Markets have been cautiously optimistic after US President Donald Trump suggested that a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz could be announced as early as Wednesday. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Explainer Iran-Oman deal spurs Hormuz hopes as Red Sea threats evolve Iran has signaled that an agreement was reached with Oman establishing a Hormuz shipping route even as Houthi attacks in the Red Sea expand. Iran
Newsletter: Gulf Gulf states map out a post-Hormuz export strategy Saudi Arabia and Kuwait unveiled fresh plans to bypass the Strait of Hormuz this week, the latest step in a broader Gulf effort to build a more resilient export network following five months of war. By Francesco Schiavi In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Trump says Hormuz to reopen after ‘very good’ Iran talks By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Mideast rivalries plague fledgling Muslim summit in Malaysia Tensions between Riyadh and Tehran are dogging a summit set to debut this week in Kuala Lumpur. Saudi Arabia
Rouhani heads to Japan as Abe seeks US-Iran deal Iran's president has embarked on a trip that will take him to Japan, a host that has been scrambling to mediate some Tehran-Washington rapprochement at a critical time for the Iranian economy. United States
Targeting of US bases in Iraq a harsh Iranian message to Washington The rise of attacks against US military bases in Iraq in conjunction with the ongoing protests may be a warning message from Iran to Washington. Iraq
Should Jewish refugees from Arab countries be compensated? An Israeli-government project estimates that Jews who fled Arab countries and immigrated to Israel left behind $150 billion in property, and the prime minister has been authorized by law to seek compensation for it in any peace deal. Iraq
Analyzing Iran’s new state budget Iran's state budget introduced no major structural changes, but it did improve transparency in some sectors. Iran
Intel: How Iranian influence operations are receiving new scrutiny in Washington The Senate is poised to follow the House lead in passing legislation to create a center to monitor Iranian, Russian, Chinese and North Korean efforts to sway US public opinion. Congress
Hard-line paper asks for answers on those killed in Iran protests The silence of Iranian officials regarding the number of those killed in the November protests has concerned even hard-line media. Iran
Quran manuscript a 'blessing' for an Iranian Kurdish village A centuries-old manuscript of the Quran continues to play a central role in the identity of residents of an Iranian village. Iran
Rouhani looks to Japan’s Abe to pick up where Macron left off Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who appears to be seeking a mediator for the US-Iranian relationship, next week will visit Japan, a country where Iran has a lot of frozen assets. United States
Intel: How Trump continues to restrict humanitarian trade with Iran The Donald Trump administration on Wednesday sanctioned Tehran’s biggest airline and shipping network, charging them with transporting Iranian weapons in a move that could further restrict the flow of humanitarian goods into Iran. United States
IRGC head blames foreign influence for protest 'sedition' In the aftermath of massive protests that saw hundreds killed in Iran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is still casting blame for the violence outward and warning Western and "hostile regional countries" against provoking unrest in the nation. Iran
Iraqis await fallout from NYT expose on Iranian influence Leaked documents from Iranian intelligence seem to back up Iraqi protestors' angry contention that Iran has corrupted top-level Iraqi politicians, though the politicians themselves offer rebuttals. Iraq