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
Iran’s president meets with political activists In a rare move, Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi met with a group of activists to discuss their political and economic concerns. Iran
Regional diplomacy could break deadlock on Iran’s IRGC While the United States and Iran seem to have hit a dead end over the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, one answer could lie in Iran’s regional policies, including its dialogue with Saudi Arabia. Iran
Iran ratchets up anti-Israeli rhetoric ahead of key rally Iran's state-funded media called for a boost in anti-Israeli militancy as the "final battle" nears, with officials in Tehran meeting Hamas visitors and throwing rants at Arab states for normalization with Israel. Iran
Analysis The Takeaway: US says Iran deal still possible; breakout time is ‘few weeks’ Islamic State steps up attacks during Ramadan; Arab-Israelis call for calm at Al Aqsa; Russian oligarchs and Egypt; Egyptian Christians alarmed by killing of priest; water scarcity threatens Jordan’s oryx; the storyteller from Idlib; and more; in less than 1200 words. By Elizabeth Hagedorn , Andrew Parasiliti
Khamenei urges Iranians to prepare for 'new world order' Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told university students that there is a new multipolar world order emerging. Iran
Iran confirms Taliban diplomats stationed in Tehran Embassy Tehran said the move to allow Taliban-appointed diplomats was not a step toward recognizing the current establishment in neighboring Afghanistan. Iran
Iran says nuclear talks not suspended Though progress has been halted for weeks, Iran says the talks with the United States have not been suspended. Iran
Brent crude falls nearly 10%, OPEC basket drops slightly Saudi Arabia has acted to keep prices high recently against the wishes of the US. Saudi Arabia
Iran parliament speaker in hot water over family's trip to Turkey Under tightening livelihood strains and constantly being told to pursue modesty and exercise austerity, the Iranian public saw the trip as a sign of brazen hypocrisy among some senior officials whose private lives are characterized by extravagance. Iran
Nonproliferation experts push for Iran deal resurrection as talks stall Dozens of nonproliferation experts and former officials have warned that failure to bring Iran back into compliance with the landmark accord would be "misguided, irresponsible, and dangerous." Iran
Iran nuclear negotiations at stalemate over IRGC terror listing Iran and the United States seemingly do not want to budge over the designation of the IRGC in reviving the nuclear deal. Iran
Iranian Reformist faces backlash from hard-liners for criticizing IRGC Outspoken Reformist Faezeh Hashemi has invited furious attacks from hard-liners after suggesting that the United States should keep the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on its terror list. Iran