Iran

Trump will be wondering if a military confrontation with Iran would help or hurt his dwindling popularity at home, making his decision to strike one of the riskiest bets of his presidency

Iran's vast oil and strategic mineral reserves have moved to the centre of negotiations with the US, which could reshape Trump's calculus

The United States is bolstering its military presence across the Middle East ahead of scheduled nuclear talks with Iran in Geneva, while simultaneously preparing strike options if diplomacy collapses…

As the US and Iran head to talks in Geneva, competing forces are pulling Trump in opposite directions. There are only two "good" scenarios in front of him, and neither will be easy to achieve.

Islamabad emerges as a key bridge in tricky conflicts from Iran to China

Decapitation strikes against the country are likely. An invasion is not.

Trump seems to be ending America's longstanding role as crisis manager, preferring to use decisive force to change realities on the ground before negotiating

His meeting with Trump on 11 February, moved up a full week from its original date and just after talks began between Iran and the US, isn't a routine consultation between allies—it's an intervention

Moscow and Tehran cooperate militarily to an extent, but bilateral trade is low, and Russia doesn't consider Iran a strategic ally