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August 8, 2026

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US President Donald Trump (R) meets with Jordanian King Abdullah II in the Oval Office of the White House, Washington, DC, Feb. 11, 2025.

Analysis

Jordan shores up US lifelines as Iran targets Amman’s reliance on Washington

Already a leading recipient of US aid, Jordan has secured fresh funds from the United States as the Iran war tests Amman and Washington's partnerships.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Hussein FALEH / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

As US rethinks regional presence, Israel shifts focus to destabilizing Iran

Uncertain how to interpret the American regional redeployment, Israel is focusing on efforts to destabilize the Iranian regime and stop its nuclear program.

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Latest News

Explainer

Iran-Oman deal spurs Hormuz hopes as Red Sea threats evolve

Khaled ZIAD / AFP via Getty Images

US stock markets soar to new records amid Hormuz deal hopes

Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Elizabeth Hagedorn

Diplomatic Correspondent

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

A correspondent in Tehran

In Tehran, reporting on politics

Benjamin Houghton

In Durham, reporting on China in the Middle East

Rahim Rahimov

In Baku, reporting on Middle East-Caucasus ties

Mehrnaz Samimi

In Washington, DC, reporting on Iranian culture

A policeman keeps watch at a checkpoint on the outskirts of Farah province February 4, 2015. Farah offers a prime example of Afghanistan's nexus between Islamist militancy, crime, opium and Kabul's feeble grip on power. Residents say problems escalated after foreign troops withdrew in early 2013 and locals in Farah's most lawless areas say the breakdown in order is complete. Farah has doubled its poppy harvest in five years, is Afghanistan's third largest opium producing region and occupies a key position i

Tehran-Kabul relationship faces difficult road

As militants begin to prepare for the spring offensive, Iran will face new challenges in dealing with its neighbor to the east.

Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan arrives for a welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, March 3, 2015. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR4RUU4

Turkey's misguided Yemen move

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s backing for the Saudi-led camp in the Yemen crisis aims both at an indirect score-settling with Iran and injecting Gulf money into the veins of the troubled Turkish economy.

Saudi King Salman attends the opening meeting of the Arab Summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, in the South Sinai governorate, south of Cairo, March 28, 2015. Arab League heads of state are holding a two-day summit to discuss a range of conflicts in the region, including Yemen and Libya, as well as the threat posed by Islamic State militants. REUTERS/Stringer - RTR4V96H

Why did Israel side with Saudi Arabia on Yemen?

Rather than celebrating Saudi Arabia’s attack on Yemen, Israel should feel aversion toward it, since the destabilization of any Arab state can only lead to more and more terrorism and ultimately impacts Israel.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry waits with others before a meeting with P5+1, European Union and Iranian officials at the Beau Rivage Palace Hotel in Lausanne March 30, 2015, during Iran nuclear talks. REUTERS/Brendan Smialowski/Pool - RTR4VF2S

Negotiators work through night on Iran deal

Foreign ministers from the P5+1 countries must now contend with the clock as they work out remaining hang-ups.

France's Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius (L-R), Germany's Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond pose ahead of nuclear talks in Brussels March 16, 2015. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir (BELGIUM - Tags: POLITICS ENERGY) - RTR4TL7X

Iranian conservatives say they're getting a bad deal

One of Iran's well-connected conservative editors said that the nuclear deal being negotiated could end Iran's ballistic missile program.

(L-R) U.S. Under Secretary for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz and British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond wait for a P5+1 meeting at the Beau Rivage Palace Hotel in Lausanne, Switzerland March 29, 2015. Members of the P5+1 met while in Switzerland for negotiations on Iran's nuclear program. REUTERS/Brendan Smialowski/Pool - RTR4VDO4

Two issues remain in push for Iran deal

The last round of talks between the P5+1 and Iran are focusing on two sticking points as the deadline approaches.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L) and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (R) wait for a meeting at the Beau Rivage Palace Hotel in Lausanne, Switzerland March 28, 2015. Officials are meeting while in Switzerland for negotiations on Iran's nuclear program. Iran and six world powers tried to break an impasse in nuclear negotiations on Sunday, but officials cautioned that attempts to reach a preliminary deal by a deadline in two days could yet fall apart. REUTERS/Brendan Smialowski/Pool - RTR4VDF

Will Russia disrupt Iran nuclear talks?

Russia could choose to escalate its relationship with the United States and Europe by interfering in the Iran nuclear negotiations.

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif (L) talks with Head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization Ali Akbar Salehi after an afternoon meeting with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and U.S. officials at the Beau Rivage Palace Hotel in Lausanne March 27, 2015.
Major powers and Iran were pushing each other for concessions on Friday ahead of an end-March deadline for a preliminary nuclear deal, with Tehran demanding an immediate end to sanctions and freedom to continue sensitive atomic research, officials s

Iran nuclear talks intensify

Iran nuclear talks intensify as foreign ministers arrive; a possible accord to emerge this week may be a brief statement followed by further drafting.

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif speaks with members of his delegation during talks at the Beau Rivage Palace Hotel in Lausanne March 27, 2015. Major powers and Iran were pushing each other for concessions on Friday ahead of an end-March deadline for a preliminary nuclear deal, with Tehran demanding an immediate end to sanctions and freedom to continue sensitive atomic research, officials said. REUTERS/Brendan Smialowski/Pool - RTR4V6PB

Time for decisions on Iran deal

The US and Iran signaled negotiations to reach a political agreement for an Iran nuclear deal are likely to go down to the wire March 31.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani and Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan attend a news conference in Ankara June 9, 2014. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR3SXIL

Iran MP calls for postponing Erdogan’s Tehran trip

Iranian officials have called for the postponement of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's April trip to Tehran based on his comments that Iran is trying to "dominate" the region.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L), U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz (2nd L), Head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organisation Ali Akbar Salehi (2nd R) and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif (R) wait with others ahead of a meeting at the Beau Rivage Palace Hotel in Lausanne on March 26, 2015 during negotiations on the Iranian nuclear programme. REUTERS/Brendan Smialowski/Pool - RTR4UXKJ

Rouhani writes Obama as Iran talks enter endgame

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani wrote US President Obama and called other P5+1 leaders as foreign ministers from six world powers are expected to join Iran talks over the weekend to try to reach a political agreement on an Iran nuclear deal by March 31.

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif (2nd R) waits for the start of a meeting with a US delegation at the Beau Rivage Palace Hotel in Lausanne on March 26, 2015 during negotiations on the Iranian nuclear programme. REUTERS/Brendan Smialowski/Pool - RTR4UXL4

Who determines Iran's foreign policy?

While Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei makes the final decisions on foreign policy, a number of other factors and players play significant roles.