His possible appointment does not bode well for bridging the gap between Tehran and the West over a range of political issues—perhaps most crucially, Iran's nuclear programme
His recent appointment as a national security advisor adds to the trend of more pragmatic sections of the establishment—who advocate negotiating with the West—coming to the fore
The Zangezur Corridor, a route through Armenia linking Azerbaijan and Türkiye, will be built and managed by Americans and will pass along the Iranian border, creating winners and losers
Baghdad wants good relations with Washington, but its ties with Tehran run deep. Under increased pressure, it may have to pick a side once and for all.
A pressure campaign by Washington to curb Tehran's influence over Baghdad seems to be yielding results, but any moves to disarm Iran-allied militias could stoke serious violence
Washington's long-term strategy to unshackle Iraq from Iranian influence is yielding results. Having pulled a potent mix of financial and military levers, the militias have been eerily quiet of late.
US President Donald Trump agreed a ceasefire in early May on the condition that the Houthis do not attack American ships. Good to their word, they are still attacking others, with no comeuppance.
Arming proxies and launching pre-emptive strikes was Iran's 'forward strategy' model since the devastating Iran-Iraq War of 1980-88. Then, from October 2023, Israel copied it. A recipe for disaster?
The gloves are off in cyberspace, with Israeli and Iranian actors increasingly targeting their adversaries' vulnerabilities since the 12-Day War last month. It is forcing a rethink of digital defence.
The White House moved quickly to distance itself from the attack on a key ally in the region, but it's unclear whether the trust can ever be repaired, which bodes badly for hopes of a Gaza ceasefire
A 24-minute standing ovation at the film premiere was more than a symbolic gesture of justice for Israel's murder of little Hind, but a heartfelt cry of real anguish over the ongoing genocide in Gaza
While the US public has long been supportive of Israel, its genocide in Gaza appears to have had a big effect, with most young Americans now outright hostile towards it