Analysis Araghchi’s Russia, regional tour tests path to breaking US-Iran deadlock Iranian officials say dialogue remains open, but negotiations are clouded by intensifying hard-line domestic messaging and conflicting signals over Tehran’s red lines. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
IEA delivers grim gas supply forecast as oil notches 15% weekly rise A wave of new LNG supplies will be delayed for at least two years due to war-related damage to Qatari energy infrastructure, according the International Energy Agency's latest market update. Qatar
Why did the Met Opera lose its Saudi funding deal? The deal, announced as a nonbinding memorandum of understanding last September, would have seen the PIF inject up to $200 million into the opera institution over the next eight years. Saudi Arabia
Analysis Israel fears Trump angling for Lebanon deal to offset Iran missteps Some Israelis worry the US president might force them to accept an unsatisfactory agreement driven by his inability to secure a tangible achievement in Iran. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Who was behind Saudi Embassy attack in Iran? Iranian officials have announced the name of the main culprits behind the attack on the Saudi Embassy in Iran. Saudi Arabia
Gas price hike, subsidy cuts shake up Saudis The Saudi government's new year is off to a shaky start financially — a burden it's sharing with its citizens, leaving them to wonder just how bad things will get. Saudi Arabia
The truth about the Saudi executions Why the executions of cleric Nimr al-Nimr and three other Shiites in Saudi Arabia are not the result of Sunni-Shiite sectarianism as many have claimed. Legacy: Gulf
Why Hamas hopes to keep low profile in Saudi-Iranian tensions In light of the escalating dispute between Iran and Saudi Arabia, Hamas has remained silent to maintain good ties with each party, as both have provided it with financial or military support. Saudi Arabia
Widespread Iraqi anger threatens Saudi ties The Iraqi government has distanced itself from the Saudi-Iranian dispute and adopted a neutral position despite the Iraqi street’s angry reaction to the Saudi execution of Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr. Saudi Arabia
Is Iran prepared for more Saudi surprises? The Iranian-Saudi rivalry has turned into a direct strategic conflict. With the crisis surrounding the attack on the Saudi Embassy in Tehran contained, it is unclear whether the next crisis can be managed. Saudi Arabia
Are Shiites divided over what to do about Saudi Arabia? Over the years, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of Iran and Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani of Iraq have encouraged Shiites to take opposing approaches toward Sunnis, with ramifications for Saudi Arabia. Legacy: Gulf
Will natural gas shelter Iran from oil price crisis? Although Iran faces many challenges in the global natural gas market, the industry also presents plenty of opportunities post-nuclear deal. Legacy: Gulf
Rouhani: Not even the first Shiite imam was this strict Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is criticizing the Guardian Council for disqualifying parliamentary candidates for "non-adherence to Islam." Iran
Who's winning in Iranian-Arab film festival battle? Censorship and neglect are contributing to the decline of Iran's flagship Fajr Film Festival. Iran
Khamenei condemns attack on Saudi Embassy Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calls the attack on the Saudi Embassy "very bad and wrong" and says thanking the United States for releasing Iranian funds would be like thanking a bully. Saudi Arabia
Don't underestimate Iraqi nationalism The anti-IS campaign in Iraq has deepened sectarian divisions between Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish regions, but despite communal and political fractures, many communities remain loyal to the Iraqi state. Iraq