Iran war hits fertilizer supplies as Fitch warns prices could rise some 25% Higher prices and availability, due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, are raising food security concerns globally as well as in the Middle East. Iran
Analysis Hormuz dilemma denies Trump administration easy exit from Iran war Iran’s forces are practiced in sabotage, threatening the shipping channel as the US military tries to thwart Tehran’s efforts to disrupt the global economy. By Jared Szuba In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military
Pentagon: Iran's missiles, not mines, pose main threat to Hormuz shipping The top US defense official said US strikes this week destroyed Iran’s ability to manufacture new ballistic missiles. Iran
Analysis Israel, Gulf fear Trump may lose interest in war as Iran weighs nuclear breakout If the current war ends with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps emboldened, many worry that Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, will increase efforts to pursue a nuclear weapon to deter future attacks, similar to North Korea. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Feature Iranians crossing into Turkey haunted by regime crackdown more than war By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Analysis As Trump shrugs off possible Iran attacks at home, experts see increased risk By Elizabeth Hagedorn In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights
Iranian authorities under fire after deadly school blaze A fire at a primary school in the southeastern Iranian border town of Zahedan has killed at least four children, leaving the nation in grief as well as outraged over government negligence of some regions. Iran
What made this Iranian TV host lose his job? A young state TV host is fired from his job after he criticized one of the most outspoken cinema critics of Iran. Iran
Iran faces budget deficit, but no shortage of means to cover it Having stabilized the Iranian rial in recent weeks, the Rouhani administration is poised to fill its projected budget deficit by reducing the flow of money going to the National Development Fund while pushing the official and open market rates closer to each other. Iran
Hard-liners attack Rouhani over outreach to Europe on JCPOA Iranian hard-liners show no sign of compromise with moderate President Hassan Rouhani, reigniting their attacks on him for his push to maintain the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Iran
Iran's energized conservatives move to unite ahead of upcoming polls Reinvigorated by the Trump administration’s harsh rhetoric against the Rouhani administration, divided Iranian conservatives appear to be coalescing around a new grouping. Iran
Iran media on Bashir trip to Syria: Arab states have accepted reality of Assad Iranian media believe that the Sudanese president's meeting with Bashar al-Assad is a sign that Arab countries are beginning to accept the reality on the ground in Syria. Saudi Arabia
Son of deposed shah urges US to back Iran regime change The son of the former shah of Iran urged the US administration to back Iran regime change rather than try to pressure the Iranian government to change its policies abroad and at home. Iran
Congress sees unprecedented opportunity to confront OPEC For the first time since OPEC’s formation, both the White House and Congress appear to be on the same page when it comes to suing the oil cartel for violating the US antitrust law. Saudi Arabia
Iranian Reformists clash with hard-liners in drive to restrict child marriage A parliamentary bill to restrict child marriage is pitting hard-liners against Reformists in Iran. Iran
Shrinking pie causes intense struggle over wages in Iran Stuck between a rock and a hard place, the Rouhani administration is under pressure to increase salaries while facing the threat of spiraling inflation. Iran
Iran says US is ‘bragging’ about violating UNSC resolution While the United States has failed to receive European support for scrapping the nuclear deal, Europe is more sympathetic to concerns about Iran’s missile program. United States
On Iran, US allies fear ‘maximum pressure’ could provoke escalation While Iran continues to comply for now with the 2015 nuclear deal even after the reimposition of US sanctions, European allies fear that the US administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign could eventually lead to war. United States