The US wants this huge Iran-aligned group to disband, but with 240,000 personnel, an arsenal of weapons, and a $3.4bn annual budget, the PMF is closer to becoming an integral part of the Iraqi state

Tehran has long sponsored the Houthis in Yemen, which is the last member of Iran's 'axis of resistance' still standing up to Israel. Neither fully trust each other and never have.

The US and Israel want Tehran to completely dismantle its nuclear infrastructure, which it will not do. If they do decide to strike, Iran has limited options on how to respond.

As defiant as it might sound, Tehran will ultimately find its way to a deal with Washington

Some predict partition, others federalism or fragmentation. Amidst the competing interests of Arab states, Russia, the US, Israel, Iran, Türkiye, and Europe, Syria treads its own path

Were recent strikes ordered by Trump intended as a warning to Tehran, or could they be a prelude to an expanded war? Al Majalla weighs in on the possible motives.

Tehran would be wise not to bank on Moscow coming to its defence

The US might threaten Iran with Israeli strikes in order to get it to come to the table, but Trump prefers a deal with Tehran

Despite the fall of its long-time ally in Syria, Russia isn't retreating; it is adjusting—leveraging military assets and transactional diplomacy to pursue its strategic interests across the region

Tehran must choose between reaching a diplomatic resolution that stops its nuclear proliferation or risk a military attack that destroys the programme and possibly ends the regime