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May 14, 2026

Tehran 5:05 pm

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TOPSHOT - US President Donald Trump (C) is escorted by China's Vice President Han Zheng (R) upon his arrival at Beijing Capital Airport in Beijing on May 13, 2026. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

Iran looms large over Trump’s China visit, but breakthrough unlikely

Analysts say China is cautiously looking to de-escalate the US-Iran war while limiting its direct involvement.

Elizabeth Hagedorn

By Elizabeth Hagedorn

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

ATTA KENARE / AFP via Getty Images

Iran's IRGC holds anti-helicopter drills in Tehran: What to know

Iran said it downed two US helicopters last month as American forces use the aircraft for strikes in the Gulf.

Latest News

In first, Lebanon files formal UN complaint against Iran: What to know

FADEL Itani / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Ahead of Trump-Xi summit, Iran looks to China as guarantor — but with reservations

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands as they arrive for talks at the Gimhae Air Base in Busan, South Korea, on Oct. 30, 2025.

A correspondent in Tehran

By A correspondent in Tehran

In Tehran, reporting on politics

Kuwait unveils Iran IRGC infiltration plot, arrests 4: What to know

TTA KENARE/AFP/GettyImages

Elizabeth Hagedorn

Diplomatic Correspondent

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

A correspondent in Tehran

In Tehran, reporting on politics

Benjamin Houghton

In Durham, reporting on China in the Middle East

Rahim Rahimov

In Baku, reporting on Middle East-Caucasus ties

Mehrnaz Samimi

In Washington, DC, reporting on Iranian culture

A general view shows smog over northwestern Tehran November 23, 2010. Tehran is choking. Gridlock on urban highways makes the city feel more like Los Angeles than the Middle East, while adding a toxic yellow halo of smog to otherwise perennially blue skies. Picture taken November 23, 2010. To match feature IRAN-METRO/ REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi (IRAN - Tags: ENVIRONMENT TRANSPORT CITYSCAPE) - GM1E6C800LV01

Intel: Why the Trump administration suddenly cares about Iran’s poor environmental record

Barham Salih, Iraq's newly elected President walks during a handover ceremony at Salam Palace in Baghdad, Iraq October 3, 2018. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani - RC1B3C02FD00

Iraq offers to mediate between Trump, Iran

Optimistic about its new government but concerned that brewing tensions between the United States and Iran could negatively impact Iraq, a senior Iraqi diplomat offered that Iraq could mediate between the nations.

Barham Salih, Iraq's newly elected president, walks with Iraq's new Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi at the parliament headquarters, in Baghdad, Iraq October 2, 2018. REUTERS/Khalid al Mousily - RC1CC4B29CE0

Intel: What Iraq is doing to avoid being caught in tug of war between US and Iran

The Iraqi embassy in Washington is working overtime to avoid getting caught up in the feud between the United States and Iran.

U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton answers questions from reporters after announcing that the U.S. will withdraw from the Vienna protocol and the 1955 "Treaty of Amity" with Iran as White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders looks on during a news conference in the White House briefing room in Washington, U.S., October 3, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst - RC17A0C7F6B0

Intel: How the Trump team uses ‘America First’ playbook on Iran

People walk in front of a currency exchange shop in the Iranian capital Tehran on August 8, 2018. - US President Donald Trump warned the world the previous day against doing business with Iran as Washington reimposed "the most biting sanctions ever" on the Islamic republic, triggering a mix of anger, fear and defiance in Tehran. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP) (Photo credit should read ATTA KENARE/AFP/Getty Images)

Consumer prices dropping in Iran as currency regains value

Consumer prices are reportedly dropping in Iran after a period of untamed jumps rarely seen in the country's recent history.

A security personnel stands in front of the Mahshahr petrochemical plant in Khuzestan province, 1032 km (641 miles) southwest of Tehran, September 28, 2011. REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi (IRAN - Tags: BUSINESS ENERGY INDUSTRIAL) - GM1E79T0EIF01

How Iran’s quasi-state firms intensify currency crisis

The clash between the Rouhani administration and Iranian petrochemical companies over foreign currency earnings is another chapter in the battle between the government and quasi-state actors.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 25, 2018. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri - HP1EE9P189Y2Y

How can Turkey survive US sanctions on Iran?

At the United Nations, Turkey repeated its intention to ignore US sanctions. How the Erdogan administration will calculate costs and benefits of subverting the US sanctions remains a mystery.

Netanyahu, defense minister battle discreetly over new IDF chief

Facing the upcoming nomination of IDF’s next chief of staff, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might undermine Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman's prerogative and appoint a relatively young and inexperienced candidate.

Barham Salih, Iraq's newly elected president, walks with Iraq's new Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi at the parliament headquarters, in Baghdad, Iraq October 2, 2018. REUTERS/Khalid al Mousily - RC14461FCEC0

Iraq's new president taps Adel Abdul Mahdi to form government

After May elections, the Iraqi parliament finally elected a new president, Barham Salih, who chose the independent Adel Abdul Mahdi to try to form the next government.

Kurdish rebels join anti-Iran lobbying fray

An Iranian Kurdish opposition group has registered to lobby Congress and the Donald Trump administration.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan leave after a news conference in Tehran, Iran September 7, 2018. Kirill Kudryavtsev/Pool via REUTERS - RC14A5A16440

Will Iran, Turkey jointly confront US influence east of the Euphrates?

Iran and Turkey are gearing their policies in Syria toward jointly tackling the current status quo in northeastern Syria, where US-backed forces constitute a common threat to both Turkish and Iranian interests.

A money changer holds U.S. dollar banknotes as he counts other currency banknotes at Grand Bazaar in Tehran, Iran October 14, 2017. Nazanin Tabatabaee Yazdi/TIMA via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC1B64997900

Iranians mob money changers to sell dollars as rial jumps

Iranians rushed to money changers in several cities to sell their "home-kept" dollars as their national currency started to regain value.