US stock markets soar to new records amid Hormuz deal hopes The S&P 500, Nasdaq Composite and Dow Jones Industrial Average are on track for their best five-day performance since April 2025. Iran
US lifts sanctions on Iraqi airline linked to Iran's IRGC: What to know The airline was previously sanctioned for providing assistance for the IRGC and its proxy groups in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. Iran
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Trump says Hormuz to reopen after ‘very good’ Iran talks Turkey submits draft law that would bring PKK peace; UN says Iran executed at least 56 people since March; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Trump’s strategy on Iran may pay off as deal appears imminent Through far-sighted diplomacy and a durable new regional architecture, Trump has cornered Iran between alignment and atrophy — and a deal may now be imminent. Iran
Analysis Why Iran is fighting to keep Hormuz at center of US negotiations By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Newsletter: FutureVerse Red Sea tech risks resurface By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Cargo ship attack near Hormuz clouds US-Iran diplomacy By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Gas price hike, subsidy cuts shake up Saudis The Saudi government's new year is off to a shaky start financially — a burden it's sharing with its citizens, leaving them to wonder just how bad things will get. Saudi Arabia
The truth about the Saudi executions Why the executions of cleric Nimr al-Nimr and three other Shiites in Saudi Arabia are not the result of Sunni-Shiite sectarianism as many have claimed. Legacy: Gulf
Why Hamas hopes to keep low profile in Saudi-Iranian tensions In light of the escalating dispute between Iran and Saudi Arabia, Hamas has remained silent to maintain good ties with each party, as both have provided it with financial or military support. Saudi Arabia
Widespread Iraqi anger threatens Saudi ties The Iraqi government has distanced itself from the Saudi-Iranian dispute and adopted a neutral position despite the Iraqi street’s angry reaction to the Saudi execution of Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr. Saudi Arabia
Is Iran prepared for more Saudi surprises? The Iranian-Saudi rivalry has turned into a direct strategic conflict. With the crisis surrounding the attack on the Saudi Embassy in Tehran contained, it is unclear whether the next crisis can be managed. Saudi Arabia
Are Shiites divided over what to do about Saudi Arabia? Over the years, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of Iran and Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani of Iraq have encouraged Shiites to take opposing approaches toward Sunnis, with ramifications for Saudi Arabia. Legacy: Gulf
Will natural gas shelter Iran from oil price crisis? Although Iran faces many challenges in the global natural gas market, the industry also presents plenty of opportunities post-nuclear deal. Legacy: Gulf
Rouhani: Not even the first Shiite imam was this strict Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is criticizing the Guardian Council for disqualifying parliamentary candidates for "non-adherence to Islam." Iran
Who's winning in Iranian-Arab film festival battle? Censorship and neglect are contributing to the decline of Iran's flagship Fajr Film Festival. Iran
Khamenei condemns attack on Saudi Embassy Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calls the attack on the Saudi Embassy "very bad and wrong" and says thanking the United States for releasing Iranian funds would be like thanking a bully. Saudi Arabia
Don't underestimate Iraqi nationalism The anti-IS campaign in Iraq has deepened sectarian divisions between Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish regions, but despite communal and political fractures, many communities remain loyal to the Iraqi state. Iraq
US lets two Iran banks off UN sanctions list The United States, in a confidence-building gesture with Iran, did not block a Venezuelan request to delist two Iranian banks from a UN Security Council sanctions list. Iran
