Al Majalla rolled out its May cover story last week, titled Trump and Iran: deal or strike? outlining the possible ramifications of either outcome for Iran and the broader region. Arash Azizi asks the question, What if the US-Iran talks fail? noting that Trump’s approach to Iran is high reward, yet also high risk. For his part, Michael Horowitz explains how the US president’s recent decision to call a ceasefire with the Houthis of Yemen has “blindsided Israel and plays into existing fears that he wants to make a deal with Iran.” And lastly, Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy says Israel’s wish to completely dismantle Iran’s nuclear programme is “unrealistic”. As an IAEA representative helping oversee the dismantling of Libya’s nuclear programme under Gaddafi, he explains why this is and offers advice on the best way forward.

And switching to Business & Economy, Shirley Ze Yu says A new economic order is emerging, and tariffs play no part in it. In her piece, she says: “China has been quietly working to rewrite the rules of global trade and finds itself in a strong position in the current trade war launched by Washington. A look around the world shows why.” And Christopher Phillips explains how Trump’s ‘unforced errors’—from his global trade war to his adversarial approach to allies—could accelerate America’s decline.

On Syria, Radwan Ziadeh lays out the case for why the US should engage with the new government in Damascus, highlighting the progress it has made towards addressing several concerns laid out by Washington.  And Khattar Abu Diab explains Why France may finally recognise Palestine. “Macron may hope that the symbolic gesture, even if extremely late, could help boost France's credibility among key Arab partners,” he says. And finally, on the worrying military escalation between India and Pakistan, Ravi Agrawal offers ways to pull the two nuclear-armed adversaries back from the brink of a dangerous all-out war.

For his part, Con Coughlin profiles the first-ever American pope, Leo XIV, who was reportedly chosen for “his quiet style and commitment to social justice issues, following in late Francis’s footsteps. However, his return to conventional papal dress suggests a more traditional pontiff compared to his “woke Pope” predecessor.

In Culture, Ibrahim Tutunji visits Cinematheque Beirut, “an archive in the Lebanese capital that preserves not just films but memory, offering hope and inspiration for a younger generation of filmmakers.” And Rosette Fadel looks at The towering history of the tantour. She writes, "Part of Lebanon's rich cultural heritage, the tall, conical headdress associated with princesses sparked the curiosity of a global audience when it made a cameo at the Miss Universe pageant."