Analysis Why Saudi Arabia, Egypt are wary of Turkey’s proposed 4-way defense pact with Pakistan The proposed framework faces major hurdles and fault lines, ranging from NATO constraints to Israeli opposition and weak military integration. By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
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 By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Protesters in Iraq and Lebanon demand accountability Demonstrations in Iraq and Lebanon may signal new round of "Arab Springs"; Will Saudi capture of Khobar towers mastermind affect US policy toward Iran? Saudi Arabia
Rouhani faces ballooning expectations at home in post-sanctions era Economic expectations are high in Iran following the recent nuclear deal, but President Hassan Rouhani has warned against "immediate, but harmful" interests. Iran
Syrian Shiites take up arms in support of Assad's army Syria's tiny Shiite community is taking greater steps toward arming itself as the civil war grinds on. Syria
Iranian oil minister: 'Others' should be worried about oil prices Iran's oil minister has said the ministry would welcome an emergency OPEC meeting, but that Iran will not limit its oil production to retain its share of the oil market. Iran
Why did it take Saudi Arabia 20 years to catch Khobar Towers bomber? Reports have emerged that Saudi Arabia is holding Ahmed Ibrahim al-Mughassil, a Saudi Shiite who masterminded the 1996 attack on US military housing in Khobar that left 19 servicemen dead. Saudi Arabia
The impending Shiite leadership crisis Baghdad doesn't see coming With frequent visits between Tehran and Baghdad, the question arises of whether Iranian politics are seeping into Iraq and what that means for the country's future. Iraq
Khamenei supports nuclear deal but warns of 'the enemy' Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, praises the conclusion of the nuclear deal and said if issues remain, he hopes they will be resolved. Iran
Will nuclear deal help improve PA-Iran relations? The Palestinian Authority is exploring the benefits of bettering its relations with Iran following the nuclear deal as Iran’s influence on the international scene becomes more powerful. Palestine
Hammond's comments on Israel strike nerve in Iran The British foreign secretary visited Tehran for the reopening of the United Kingdom's embassy after four years, but his comments about Israel and Iran drew sharp criticism from Iranian officials. Israel
Was it a win or a loss? Checking Rouhani's midterm economic scorecard Halfway into his term Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has done well in terms of fulfilling his economic promises — but much remains to be done. Iran
Syrian official slams UN envoy's report According to information a Syrian official shared with Al-Monitor, it doesn’t seem the report on Syria that UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura submitted to the Security Council recently will have long-lasting effects on the ground. Saudi Arabia
World tunes out Netanyahu's broken record on Iran Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's repeated opposition to an agreement with Iran has turned the world deaf to him, and if Iran does violate the deal's conditions, no one will listen to Israel's warnings. Israel