Iran
Tehran enters sixth consecutive year of drought as dam levels drop
Tehran has entered its sixth consecutive year of drought with rainfall down 35%, as the capital's water utility warns dam levels remain fragile and calls on residents to cut consumption ahead of summer.
Pakistan races to arrange second round of US-Iran talks as Strait of Hormuz standoff deepens
Pakistan is racing to arrange a second round of US-Iran peace talks as the Strait of Hormuz blockade deepens, with a Chinese-linked tanker defying the US naval cordon and Iran warning of retaliation against Gulf ports.
Iran's business leaders warn of unemployment crisis by June
Iranian business leaders warn of an unemployment crisis by June unless the Pezeshkian government restores internet access, cuts bureaucracy and gives the private sector a greater role in economic recovery.
Kremlin flags Hormuz risk, cautious on Magyar victory in Hungarian elections
The Kremlin has warned that a potential US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz would deliver a direct shock to global markets, even as Moscow positions itself as both an energy anchor and a diplomatic intermediary in a rapidly widening crisis.
Russia warns of danger of war resuming as US blockade of Iranian ports takes effect
The Kremlin has warned that the danger of war resuming in the Middle East remains after US-Iran talks ended without result, as a US naval blockade of Iranian ports took effect on April 13.
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Quality matters: how the Hormuz crisis tests refinery flexibility
The disruption highlights a key reality often overlooked in the oil market: while volumes may be globally fungible, crude quality is not.
Iran war is pushing the CRINK alliance closer together, turning it into a military alliance
One of the upsets of the war in Iran has been to drive the members of the CRINK alliance (China, Russia, Iran and North Korea) into a closer military cooperation that is not in the West's interests.
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UPDATE: Pakistan launches Iran transit corridor with first shipment to Central Asia
Pakistan has formally launched a new overland trade corridor via Iran, dispatching its first export consignment from Karachi to Tashkent.
Spain reopens embassy in Tehran as diplomatic activity resumes
Spain has reopened its embassy in Tehran, with Ambassador Antonio Sanchez Bendito saying he returned to join peace efforts in line with Madrid's foreign policy guidelines.
Iran's business leaders warn internet shutdowns costing up to $80mn a day
Iran's business chambers warn that internet shutdowns are costing the digital economy up to $80mn a day as the country remains offline for the seventh week.
COMMENT: The US naval blockade of Iran won't work
The US is moving to choke Iran’s oil lifeline. The market is starting to price something much bigger because the Trump administration naval blockade of Iran is not going to work.
Iran warns Persian Gulf port security ‘for all or none’ as Hormuz tensions escalate
Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya command has warned that no Gulf port will be safe if Iranian ports are threatened, vowing permanent control of the Strait of Hormuz even after the war ends.
Disinformation over Erdogan threat to invade Israel reportedly goes viral
Video clip taken from real speech, but edited and misrepresented, says Dailymotion.
Iran-linked hackers claim major cyberattack on Dubai government infrastructure
Iran-linked hacker group Handala claims to have destroyed 6 petabytes of data and extracted 149TB of classified documents from three Dubai government bodies in what it calls a warning to Gulf states.
Trump orders naval blockage of Iran in a new shockwave for energy markets
Following the collapse of ceasefire talks this weekend US President Donald Trump has ordered a full naval blockade of shipping into and out of the Persian Gulf.
Tehran e-commerce body demands internet restoration immediately
Tehran's e-commerce association demands the immediate restoration of internet services, saying continued restrictions are damaging household incomes and the private sector as Iran's digital economy struggles to recover from the war.
US-Iran Islamabad talks end without deal as Hormuz control remains key sticking point
The first direct US-Iran talks since 1979 end without a deal after 14 hours in Islamabad. The Strait of Hormuz is the main sticking point, with Washington demanding free navigation and Tehran insisting on control of the waterway.
US naval showdown with Iran in strait of Hormuz
As talks got underway in Islamabad between Iran and the US to find a ceasefire formula, a dramatic showdown was playing out in the Strait of Hormuz, as several US Navy vessels attempted to sneak through and exit the Persian Gulf,
PANNIER: Taliban look north for friends
Faced by a hostile Pakistan to the east and south, and a conflict-wracked Iran to the west, Afghanistan’s rulers turn to Central Asia for options.