Citi, HSBC order Gulf evacuations after Iran threatens US tech, banks The United Arab Emirates is home to Dubai Internet City, which hosts more than 4,000 businesses, including US tech giants such as Google, Microsoft, Oracle, Dell, Amazon, Mastercard and Visa. Several of these companies also have offices in Abu Dhabi. Iran
Trump warns Iran over Hormuz mines as senator cautions US may be nearing ground war Iran has begun placing mines in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a recent report, after the American president threatened to strike Iran harder if oil shipments are interfered with. Iran
Analysis As Trump says war may end soon, Iran signals longer fight As President Donald Trump claims Iran is ready to talk, its leaders show no sign of backing down. By Elizabeth Hagedorn In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights
Newsletter: FutureVerse AI and the fog of war From battlefield AI to tech investment risks, the US-Israel-Iran war is reshaping the region’s digital landscape. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Analysis Behind Mojtaba Khamenei: How IRGC steers Iran's wartime power structure By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Analysis Oil-price hikes from Iran war threaten Turkey's rate cuts in inflation fight By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Criticism grows as Iranian authorities respond to floods Many Iranian provinces have been hit by flash flooding as criticism grows online about prevention efforts. Iran
Tehran cop standing up to celeb raises debate on privilege, rule of law A controversial incident involving a former Iranian soccer player who refused to abide by traffic laws has ignited furious reactions in Iran against celebrities expecting special favors. Iran
US, announcing new sanctions, says it hopes Iran comes 'back to negotiating table' New sanctions on Iranians who have engaged in sensitive defense research are intended to make those individuals “radioactive,” according to a senior US administration official. United States
How US, Iranian regional security strategies diverge The Iranian and US models to promote regional security differs because the former emphasizes engagement with nations to raise popular forces while the latter solely relies on states. United States
Will Iraq lose its benefits from Shatt al-Arab River to Iran? The recent renewal of an Iraqi-Iranian agreement on the Shatt al-Arab River stirred controversy among Iraqis, as many are concerned Iran will take over the border river. Iraq
Iran turns to crypto to enable easier spending by tourists Iran’s government and private sector are eyeing cryptocurrencies to resolve a decadeslong lack of international payment channels in the Islamic Republic. Iran
Iran brings in New Year by focusing on domestic production Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stressed the need to focus on domestic production in the upcoming year. Iran
US singles out ‘mafia’-like groups as key threat to Iraq’s future In exclusive interviews with Al-Monitor at the State Department, two top State Department officials lay out US policy goals as Iraq seeks normalize and balance ties with Iran and its other neighbors while seeking to prevent a return of the Islamic State. Iraq
Road map for Iran-EU trade and investment relations Europe is making efforts to set up a special purpose vehicle to uphold legitimate trade with Iran, but there is a need for a more comprehensive action plan for such trade and political relations. United States
Saudi-Iran conflict threatens to flare in Pakistan Recent Saudi investments in a Pakistani port near the border with Iran are likely to irk Tehran, but Islamabad’s strategic ties to both Tehran and Riyadh make it a prime contender to ease the tensions. Saudi Arabia
France bans flights operated by Iran's second-largest airline Iran's second-largest airline, Mahan Air, has to stop flights to Paris for what has been reported as sanctions imposed by the French government. United States
Is Tehran trying to distance Qasem Soleimani from Iraq? The recent visit of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to Iraq has been read as attempt to distance Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani from Iraq, replacing him with the Foreign Ministry. Iraq