Iran
Trump’s global disapproval reaches all-time high - Gallup
A record 48% of adults worldwide now disapprove of the United States’ leadership, marking the highest level since tracking began, according to Gallup.
Iran pushes to denominate Hormuz tolls in rials
An Iranian official has called for Hormuz transit fees to be charged in rials rather than yuan, citing Russia's rouble gas model as an example.
Iran and US-Israeli coalition trade tit-for-tat missiles strikes as Trump’s Power Plant Day deadline looms
The clock is running down on US President Donald Trump’s “Power Day” deadline, where he has threatened to destroy Iran’s entire power sector, that could lead to major escalation in the Gulf war.
Tehran rejects Pakistan's two-phase peace plan, offers its own 10-point plan
Tehran responds to Pakistan's two-phase peace plan Tehran has responded to Pakistan's two-phase peace plan which calls for 45 day ceasefire followed by negotiations to bring about a more lasting peace in the Iran conflict in a second phase.
Pakistan proposes a two-phase ceasefire deal to Iran war
Pakistan is proposing a two-phase ceasefire to the escalating war in Iran ahead of US President Donald Trump’s deadline threatening to destroy the country's power sector that would lead to a massive escalation.
US pilot shot down in Iran rescued in prelude to possible ground invasion
A dramatic game of cat and mouse played out in the mountains of Iran in the last few days following the Downing of an F15E Strike Eagle by an Iranian missile as US Special Forces searched for and eventually extracted one of its airmen.
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Mission Impossible: Trump’s Iran campaign faces mounting setbacks as asymmetric tactics bite
Iran's elite IRGC troops and mountain villagers joined forces in a manhunt for a down US pilot after Iran shot down a F-15 jet fighter over its territory. The US flew in special forces to try and find him.
This is "the worst oil crisis in history", says Goldman Sachs
US investment bank Goldman Sachs says we are facing the “worst oil crisis in history” as a result of the shutdown of Gulf state hydrocarbon exports.
Rosatom warns of nuclear risk after reported strike near Iran's Bushehr plant
Rosatom says a strike breached the protection circuit of Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, warning the risk of a catastrophic nuclear incident is rising sharply as Russian personnel are evacuated from the site.
China's invisible hand in Iran’s F-35 success
Just days before Iran claimed to have hit one of the US Air Force's most formidable jets - an F-35 stealth fighter - a Chinese social media account published a detailed guide on how such an attack could be carried out.
Middle East conflict pushes global food prices up in March, FAO says
UN agency highlights broader economic impact of disruptions in key energy routes, as Strait of Hormuz closure “sent shockwaves across the global economy, with notable spillovers to the agricultural sector”.
IRGC has denied any link to the reported attack on US Embassy in Riyadh
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has denied involvement in an ആക്രമ on the US embassy in Riyadh, describing the incident as an Israeli “false-flag operation”.
US and Israel strike Iranian petrochemical hub, raising fears of supply shocks
The US and Israel struck Iran’s major petrochemical complex on April 4, damaging multiple facilities in the southern Mahshahr region and raising concerns over global supply disruptions in plastics and fertilisers.
Three tankers exit Hormuz hugging Omani coast
In what appears to be the first exit from the Persian Gulf by oil tankers without permission from Iran, three large vessels linked to Oman left the Strait of Hormuz by hugging the sultanate’s coastline, Bloomberg reported on April 3.
Iran war accelerates Chinese US treasure bill sell off
The war in Iran has triggered a potential step change in the rate that China is selling off its US Treasury bill holdings. T-bill holdings are a good barometer for geopolitical tensions. China and the BRICS are dumping their T-bills.
UPDATE: Iranian tribesmen hunt downed US f-15 pilot as Black Hawk allegedly shot down
Armed Iranian tribesmen are hunting for a downed US pilot in southwestern Iran as American forces deploy Black Hawks and a C-130 in a large-scale search, with reports of a US helicopter also shot down near the border.
Gulf Islamic sukuk bond spreads hit five-year highs amid Iran war uncertainty
Yields on Gulf sovereign and corporate debt have surged to their widest spreads in five years as the war involving Iran drives a sharp reassessment of regional risk, according to Fitch Ratings.
Iran denies US helicopter assault on Kharg Island
Iran denied rumours of a US helicopter assault on Kharg Island, its main oil export hub, as speculation mounts over a possible ground operation targeting Iranian coastal infrastructure in the Persian Gulf.
US influence in the Gulf fades as Qatar, Oman strike deals with Tehran
The US influence in the Gulf is fading as the war goes into its fifth week with no sign of ending and regional players are starting to cut deals with Tehran to end the attacks on their territories.