Much is made of links between Beijing and Tehran, but the true extent of their relations is more limited. Where there are alternatives, China takes them, with one eye on the US.
Against the backdrop of geopolitical realignments, the burgeoning partnership between Iran and Pakistan can potentially recalibrate the balance of power in South Asia and beyond.
It remains to be seen if, going forward, Israeli strikes on Hezbollah in Syria or Lebanon—or against the PMF in Iraq—will elicit a direct Iranian response. Time will tell.
The US and French withdrawal from the Sahel lets the Russians, Chinese, and Iranians in. Tehran, in particular, will be keen to buy Niger's uranium, despite this being a red line for Washington.
From the Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus to Iran's retaliation on Israel, the Syrian leader has been acting strangely normal. Al Majalla gives a breakdown of the past two weeks.
While this marked the first time Iran directly struck Israel, the weak showing of these drone strikes demonstrates Tehran's clear desire to avoid getting sucked into a direct conflict
Several universities have banned their Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace chapters, two anti-Zionist student clubs, as donors and Congress ramp up pressure
With $175bn worth of annual business between the two blocs, a free trade deal seems only sensible, yet visas and vested commercial interests remain obstacles.
Set to the stunning backdrop of AlUla, Norah by Tawfiq Al-Zaidi has broken new ground for Saudi cinema with a story about two people who inspire one another.