Analysis MENA wheat importers face food security risks as Hormuz crisis festers Home to many of the world's largest wheat importers, the Middle East and North Africa face acute food security risks as the US-Israel-Iran war disrupts global fertilizer flows and pushes up prices. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Analysis How Iran is rebuilding its bruised military as ceasefire masks recalibration Iran is using the fragile truce to recover by blending redeployment and reverse engineering into broader preparedness for renewed conflict. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
US sanctions Iran’s shadow banking channels moving oil proceeds from China The latest sanctions come as the Trump administration weighs Iran's latest proposal to end the war. Iran
Analysis Without exit strategy, Israel faces emboldened Hezbollah, limited options on Iran While President Donald Trump remains undecided on striking Iran again, the Israeli military is sinking deeper into its Lebanon quagmire with a reinforced Hezbollah. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran defies Trump's blockade as oil prices soar By Beatrice Farhat In Beirut, reporting on regional news, culture, conflict
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
Israel's 'campaign between the wars' with Iran The latest capture of a vessel carrying weapons en route to the Gaza Strip reveals Israel's ongoing battle against Iranian attempts to gain a military foothold in the region — while nuclear negotiations follow their course. Palestine
US-Russia Mideast cooperation in balance over Ukraine? In the absence of a diplomatic settlement between the West and Russia over Ukraine, Moscow may seek to capitalize on recent gains in the Middle East at US expense. Near East
Russia has Mideast options in response to Ukraine As the United States weighs its options in response to Russia’s moves in Crimea, Russia holds its own cards, especially with Syria and Iran. Syria
Iran-India energy ties may take off If the P5+1 and Iran agree on a nuclear accord, India’s energy sector stands to benefit. Iran
Gulenists use hate speech against Shiites, Iranians Turkey’s Gulenists, hostile to Iran and to Shiites, incite Sunnis to enmity and hatred against Shiites. Turkey
Iran’s four-part plan for a political solution in Syria The best approach to a political solution in Syria lies in addressing both the threat of international terrorism and the urgent humanitarian crisis, as well as a national and international process leading to a direct vote by the Syrian people, according to Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein-Amir Abdollahian. Syria
Israeli officials believe Obama lacks resolve on Iran Israeli officials consider the Obama administration now as the weakest the United States has known in decades, and as the one that history will remember as having paved the way to a nuclear Iran. Israel
Iraq looks East in foreign policy As disputes between Iraq and the West seem to be on the rise, Baghdad is refocusing its efforts on the “East,” in particular Russia, China and Iran. Iraq
Dispute between Lebanese president, Hezbollah heats up As presidential elections approach in Lebanon, the dispute between President Michel Suleiman and Hezbollah over the latter’s intervention in Syria has intensified. Lebanon
Rouhani seeks to turn around Iran's auto sector Despite President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's raising car import duties to 90%, domestic manufacturers have struggled with low-quality cars, resulting in high layoffs. Iran
Diplomacy, not sanctions, key to deal with Iran As the American Israel Public Affairs Committee holds its annual policy conference, it would do well to remember that the Obama administration's diplomacy, not sanctions, has yielded better results, according to a former senior Iranian diplomat. Israel