https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/516027/feed en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia was aflush with Formula One fever this weekend, rekindling talk of permanently bringing the race back to the Southeast Asian nation after a long hiatus – despite days of traffic chaos that left thousands of fans stranded for hours. More than 260,000 people flocked to Sepang International Circuit in Selangor state for the Bahrain Grand Prix, which was originally meant to be held in April but had to be postponed and relocated away from the Persian Gulf island nation due to security... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3369773/malaysia-eyes-permanent-f1-comeback-despite-travel-chaos-bahrain-gp?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3369773/malaysia-eyes-permanent-f1-comeback-despite-travel-chaos-bahrain-gp?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Oct 2026 07:08:26 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A US government watchdog released its first report on Monday on the impact of the Iran war, acknowledging the military’s advanced weapons shortfalls and offering the first public look at the damage to American aircraft, bases and diplomatic outposts in the Middle East. Much of the information about Operation Epic Fury has been previously reported over the past six months, but the Pentagon inspector general’s report offered the fullest official accounting so far of the conflict’s costs in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3367551/price-fury-report-details-iran-wars-toll-us-bases-weapons-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3367551/price-fury-report-details-iran-wars-toll-us-bases-weapons-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Sep 2026 06:20:45 +0000 Reuters Reuters Middle East diplomacy appeared to falter heading into Monday with the postponement of a meeting between Iran and other Gulf powers, while attacks around the region’s two most important oil transit routes deepened concern over global energy supplies. Oil prices jumped more than 3 per cent on Monday, following Houthi strikes on the world’s biggest exporter Saudi Arabia, a separate attack that forced the closure of its key 1,200km (745-mile) east-west pipeline on the weekend, and attacks on ships... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3367372/iran-set-unveil-temporary-hormuz-agreement-gulf-nations-monday?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3367372/iran-set-unveil-temporary-hormuz-agreement-gulf-nations-monday?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Sep 2026 18:57:50 +0000 Reuters Reuters Iran said on Wednesday it had attacked 10 ships near the Strait of Hormuz after the US sank five Iranian oil tankers, in the biggest declared wave of tit-for-tat attacks on shipping by both sides since the start of the six-month-old war. The attacks sent the price of oil surging, with benchmark Brent crude futures breaching US$100 a barrel for the first time since July. At least one seafarer aboard a tanker was reported killed and another listed as missing. Iran also said it had fired ballistic... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3366837/us-strikes-iranian-tankers-after-more-attempted-missile-attacks-navy-warship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3366837/us-strikes-iranian-tankers-after-more-attempted-missile-attacks-navy-warship?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Sep 2026 21:42:36 +0000 Reuters Reuters US Vice-President J.D. Vance said that the United States ⁠was investigating a deadly strike on an Iranian wedding earlier this week that an analysis published by Reuters showed likely resulted from a direct hit by a US munition. An explosion that ripped through a wedding celebration in southern Iran on Tuesday likely resulted from a direct hit by a US munition and not a ricochet off another target, according to an analysis on Thursday by weapons experts who reviewed images and video verified by... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3366297/us-probes-deadly-strike-iran-wedding-experts-link-us-munition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3366297/us-probes-deadly-strike-iran-wedding-experts-link-us-munition?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Sep 2026 03:08:27 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Iran attacked US military bases in Kuwait on Thursday, despite US President Donald Trump threatening further strikes in a fresh flare-up six months into the war. Trump said his military was prepared to attack Iran “any time we want” after extensive US bombardment of sites across the country left at least 19 Iranians dead. Tehran retaliated by hitting US military targets across the Middle East, including in Kuwait, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3366202/iran-targets-us-bases-kuwait-despite-warnings-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3366202/iran-targets-us-bases-kuwait-despite-warnings-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Sep 2026 06:15:19 +0000 Reuters Reuters Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest crude exporter, said on Wednesday that an Iranian ‌attack on an oil tanker owned by its national shipping company had killed two Filipino seafarers. Sidr, owned by Bahri, was one of two supertankers carrying Saudi oil reported to have been hit late on Monday while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran has threatened tankers attempting ⁠to sail through the narrow waterway without authorisation, impeding energy exports from neighbouring ‌oil-rich Gulf... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3366151/2-filipino-sailors-killed-irans-attack-vessel-saudi-arabia-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3366151/2-filipino-sailors-killed-irans-attack-vessel-saudi-arabia-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Sep 2026 15:10:11 +0000 Josephine Ma Josephine Ma Trita Parsi is co-founder and executive vice-president of the Quincy Institute, a Washington-based think tank. He is an expert on US-Iranian relations, Iranian foreign policy and the geopolitics of the Middle East. He has written four books on US foreign policy in the Middle East, with a particular focus on Iran and Israel. Born in Iran, Parsi moved to Sweden with his family as a child and then to the United States as an adult. This interview first appeared in SCMP Plus. For other interviews in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3365735/trita-parsi-why-us-air-strikes-strengthened-irans-hand-and-failed-trigger-revolt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3365735/trita-parsi-why-us-air-strikes-strengthened-irans-hand-and-failed-trigger-revolt?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Aug 2026 22:00:06 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump’s administration is starting to send staff back to some diplomatic missions in the Middle East that were evacuated ‌or downsized amid tensions with Iran, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters. The posts in Lebanon, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Baghdad, Iraq, are among those where staff will return, the sources said. Family members will also be allowed to return to the US post in Riyadh, they added. The move suggests Washington sees a lower risk of the conflict... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3365259/us-starts-returning-staff-middle-east-missions-after-iran-war-evacuations-sources-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3365259/us-starts-returning-staff-middle-east-missions-after-iran-war-evacuations-sources-say?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Aug 2026 23:18:37 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Malaysian Formula One (F1) fans hoping to catch the sport’s one-off return to Sepang International Circuit (SIC) after almost a decade are facing a frustrating race of their own, with many complaining of confusing ticketing arrangements and broken links. Tickets for the Formula One Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, to be held at Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit from October 2 to 4, went on sale on Thursday, triggering a scramble among local fans eager to attend the country’s first F1 race... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3364005/malaysian-f1-fans-vent-fury-over-sales-process-organisers-cite-high-traffic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3364005/malaysian-f1-fans-vent-fury-over-sales-process-organisers-cite-high-traffic?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Aug 2026 05:54:55 +0000 Nayan Seth Nayan Seth US President Donald Trump on Monday demanded that Iran compensate the victims of attacks, conflicts and domestic repression he blamed on Tehran, adding a new condition to negotiations over reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The demand came after Iran reiterated that Washington must compensate it for damage caused by more than five months of US and Israeli strikes before the strategic waterway can be fully reopened. “It is an interesting idea because now I am likewise demanding compensation from... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3363579/trump-demands-iran-pay-compensation-hopes-fade-hormuz-agreement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3363579/trump-demands-iran-pay-compensation-hopes-fade-hormuz-agreement?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Aug 2026 19:25:31 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain A defence pact among Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan appears to be aimed at deterring Iran and Israel from tearing up the Middle East with their conflict amid Washington’s inability to guarantee regional security, observers say. Under the terms of the deal signed on Friday in Mecca by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, an armed attack against any one of the three states “shall be regarded as an attack... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3363383/how-saudi-arabia-turkey-pakistan-defence-pact-acts-insurance-over-us-disengagement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3363383/how-saudi-arabia-turkey-pakistan-defence-pact-acts-insurance-over-us-disengagement?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Aug 2026 08:00:06 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain The United States is staring a historic “strategic defeat” in the face five months after launching the Iran war at Israel’s behest, according to Middle East observers. The Islamic Republic is unlikely to fully relinquish its new-found hegemony over the Strait of Hormuz, despite US President Donald Trump’s rhetorical mix of daily ultimatums and optimism about a deal, they say. Doing so would be giving up its leverage over the global economy – by far its greatest weapon in a war it cannot win... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3363142/desperate-trump-running-out-options-iran-war-tehran-exploits-hormuz-leverage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3363142/desperate-trump-running-out-options-iran-war-tehran-exploits-hormuz-leverage?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Aug 2026 06:41:10 +0000 Nayan Seth Nayan Seth US President Donald Trump on Monday said Iran was facing its “last chance” to reach an agreement with Washington to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the five-month-long war. “This is a last chance for them to sign a good document,” Trump said at the Oval Office in the White House. “I want to give them every last chance before decapitation.” He also claimed that negotiations with Tehran are “going on right now” despite Tehran’s insistence that no direct talks were under way. “We are talking,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3362850/trump-claims-last-chance-iran-strike-deal-latest-warning?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3362850/trump-claims-last-chance-iran-strike-deal-latest-warning?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Aug 2026 21:23:20 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US embassies in capitals across the Middle East on Saturday warned American citizens to beware of an “unforeseen escalation” in the regional conflict and urged them to be ready to leave. The warning, posted online by US embassies in Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates came a day after US President Donald Trump threatened to hit Iran “very hard”. Iran and the United States have been at war since February 28. A period of calm... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3362658/us-embassies-urge-citizens-consider-departing-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3362658/us-embassies-urge-citizens-consider-departing-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Aug 2026 16:57:17 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Malaysia once decided Formula One was too expensive to keep, but Bahrain’s displaced Grand Prix has given it an unexpected route back to the calendar, as well as a chance to test whether the sport can still deliver value without the full financial burden of a long-term comeback. Analysts say the one-off race, made possible by the war in Iran and the cancellation of April’s races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, offers Malaysia more than a nostalgic return to Sepang: it provides a timely tourism lift... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3362060/how-displaced-f1-race-could-be-malaysias-blessing-disguise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3362060/how-displaced-f1-race-could-be-malaysias-blessing-disguise?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Jul 2026 02:38:41 +0000 Reuters Reuters US missiles struck targets across ⁠Iran on Friday and President Donald Trump vowed “major military punishment” for Tehran and its Houthi allies in Yemen, though he once again left open the door to a diplomatic deal with Iran. Separately, the US military said it had fired on and disabled a tanker ship after it was “repeatedly warned” and “didn’t comply” with the American blockade on Iranian ports. Two weeks after the collapse of an interim truce meant to end the war, Iranian armed forces... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3361831/trump-says-us-locked-and-loaded-vows-more-iran-strikes-while-hinting-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3361831/trump-says-us-locked-and-loaded-vows-more-iran-strikes-while-hinting-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Jul 2026 07:06:05 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Drones carrying explosives targeted a city in northern Iraq where US forces are stationed, and sirens rang out in Bahrain on Friday, hours after the American military said it finished its 13th night of strikes against Iran. The conflict has flared again over the past week, as the US pounded Iran while Tehran attacked ships in the Strait of Hormuz and targeted US assets and allies in the region. The strait, a crucial passage for the world’s energy supplies, is at the centre of the latest fighting... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3361773/us-iran-fighting-escalates-explosions-heard-near-us-base-iraq-sirens-bahrain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3361773/us-iran-fighting-escalates-explosions-heard-near-us-base-iraq-sirens-bahrain?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Jul 2026 11:01:03 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado US President Donald Trump threatened on Wednesday to destroy an Iranian bridge or power plant each time Tehran attacks a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, escalating Washington’s response as the conflict spread across the region and placed another major shipping route at risk. The warning came hours before Trump was due to attend the return of four US service members killed in Iranian attacks and related operations in Jordan and Iraq. “From this point forward, any time the Islamic Republic of Iran... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3361503/trump-threatens-bomb-iranian-bridge-or-power-plant-after-hormuz-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3361503/trump-threatens-bomb-iranian-bridge-or-power-plant-after-hormuz-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Jul 2026 14:41:21 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei Chinese military analysts are urging the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to rapidly strengthen harbour defences after the United States carried out its first combat strike using unmanned surface vessels (USVs) to destroy an Iranian submarine. US Central Command released footage on July 13 of what it said was the first combat use of American sea drones. Three vessels were shown striking an Iranian base, reportedly destroying one Ghadir-class midget submarine. The Iranian-made submarine has an... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3361313/what-can-china-learn-us-sea-drone-strike-iranian-submarine-base?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3361313/what-can-china-learn-us-sea-drone-strike-iranian-submarine-base?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Jul 2026 11:30:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Iran is fighting a “full-scale war” with the United States, its president said on Monday, as Washington expanded its strikes across the Islamic republic. The declaration came as Tehran’s Yemeni allies, the Houthi rebels, threatened to broaden the war even further by announcing they would blockade Saudi ports, putting at risk Riyadh’s ability to bypass the Strait of Hormuz for some of its oil exports. Throughout the war, which began in late February, Iran has hit countries across the region,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3361137/us-hit-iran-very-hard-trump-says-both-inch-closer-all-out-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3361137/us-hit-iran-very-hard-trump-says-both-inch-closer-all-out-war?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Jul 2026 01:20:07 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier In Iran war news with major US political implications, two US soldiers were killed and several wounded by an Iranian drone, the Pentagon announced on Saturday. The tragedy, the first US combat deaths in months, came as US President Donald Trump has tried to downplay or distract attention from the hugely unpopular war that he started in late February, as his polling numbers tank four months in advance of a hugely consequential midterm election. “Two US service members in Jordan were killed in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3361068/2-us-troops-dead-1-missing-after-iran-attacks-base-jordan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3361068/2-us-troops-dead-1-missing-after-iran-attacks-base-jordan?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Jul 2026 18:01:11 +0000 Reuters Reuters Iran launched more attacks on Washington’s Gulf allies and Jordan on Saturday after a seventh straight night of US strikes on Iranian military targets, including logistics hubs, escalating the war one week after a ceasefire collapsed. Kuwait came under sustained attack, with a desalination plant hit and operations at Kuwait International Airport suspended due to repeated missile and drone threats. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had struck a US military support centre at Camp... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3361019/us-and-iran-attack-infrastructure-raising-fears-escalation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3361019/us-and-iran-attack-infrastructure-raising-fears-escalation?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Jul 2026 19:40:22 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The United States and Iran traded attacks on Friday, with Tehran targeting American assets across the Middle East in the biggest escalation since the two foes returned to outright war. A month after the two sides agreed a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the conflict that began in February, Iran accused US forces of hitting civilian and energy infrastructure on Friday – including an airport, a railway station and two bridges, with state media reporting at least eight dead and 20... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3360852/us-and-iran-exchange-blows-rekindled-middle-east-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3360852/us-and-iran-exchange-blows-rekindled-middle-east-war?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Jul 2026 23:53:22 +0000 Reuters Reuters Iran ⁠said on Thursday that the Strait of Hormuz was an inviolable “red line”, warning that if US President Donald Trump carried out his threat to attack Iran’s infrastructure, it would strike all infrastructure across the Gulf region. The US intensified its strikes on Iran early Thursday, hitting targets further north as American forces also fired into a ship it accused of trying to break its naval blockade on the Islamic Republic. Iran retaliated with missile and drone fire targeting US allies... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3360730/us-launches-more-iran-strikes-hits-oil-tanker-trying-break-hormuz-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3360730/us-launches-more-iran-strikes-hits-oil-tanker-trying-break-hormuz-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Jul 2026 22:32:49 +0000 Reuters Reuters Iran threatened on Wednesday to ⁠shut off more regional energy exports, after the US reimposed a naval blockade of Iranian ports and both sides launched more strikes as they vie for control of the Strait of Hormuz. The apparent threat to shipping through Bab el-Mandeb, a gateway to the Red Sea, follows an escalation between Iran and the US since last week that has severely frayed a tentative truce signed in June. The war, which began with US and Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3360625/iran-threatens-block-more-vital-seaways-us-renews-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3360625/iran-threatens-block-more-vital-seaways-us-renews-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Jul 2026 05:37:54 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The United States and Iran each asserted on Monday they controlled the Strait of Hormuz after a weekend of attacks stretching across the wider Middle East, further threatening any diplomacy to end the war. The attacks, sparked by Iran striking a container ship Sunday in the strait off the coast of Oman, again underlined that the waterway that once saw a fifth of the world’s traded crude oil and natural gas pass through it remained the key issue in negotiations. The narrow mouth of the Persian... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3360303/us-military-says-it-has-launched-more-strikes-against-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3360303/us-military-says-it-has-launched-more-strikes-against-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Jul 2026 23:48:21 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma China called on the United States and Iran to stick with peace plans after a resumption of missile strikes in the Middle East spurred a jump in oil prices. “Reigniting the conflict does not serve any party’s interests,” a spokesman for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday. “We call on the US and Iran to follow through on their memorandum of understanding, resolve disputes through dialogue and negotiation, and avoid resorting to force.” Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, rose... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3359977/us-iran-ceasefire-collapse-revives-risks-global-inflation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3359977/us-iran-ceasefire-collapse-revives-risks-global-inflation?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Jul 2026 09:03:15 +0000 Judy Xue Judy Xue Bahrain has deepened its presence in Hong Kong to tap mainland China capital, as the Gulf state launches a charm offensive to court foreign investors amid the US-Israel war on Iran. Two major Bahraini investors have already placed bets in Hong Kong to seize rising opportunities in China, while the kingdom’s investment promotion agency has vowed to lure more capital with financial deregulation. “We are here to make sure that we continue the momentum and continue the extensive engagement with... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3358707/bahrain-doubles-down-hong-kong-woo-mainland-china-capital-amid-middle-east-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3358707/bahrain-doubles-down-hong-kong-woo-mainland-china-capital-amid-middle-east-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Jun 2026 06:01:03 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Iranian and US technical teams working on the implementation of an interim peace deal are expected to meet in Doha in the coming days, after tit-for-tat weekend strikes threatened to derail the fragile accord. The exchanges have underscored the fragility of a Pakistan-brokered agreement to end the conflict that has killed thousands and snarled the flow of oil shipments through the vital Strait of Hormuz. Although a ceasefire took effect in April, sporadic violence has flared up in the Gulf... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3358681/iran-warns-ships-not-bypass-its-chosen-hormuz-route?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3358681/iran-warns-ships-not-bypass-its-chosen-hormuz-route?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Jun 2026 22:27:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Iran and the US continued their attacks in the Gulf as each accused the other of violating an interim deal signed less than two weeks ago to end their four-month-old war. Shortly after President Donald Trump warned the US might “militarily complete the job”, Iran early on Sunday launched missiles and drones on US military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain, continuing a series of escalating attacks. Beyond the Gulf, Israel said it had struck Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon as... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3358626/iranian-drones-target-bahrain-after-us-offensive-straining-ceasefire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3358626/iranian-drones-target-bahrain-after-us-offensive-straining-ceasefire?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Jun 2026 02:10:55 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that ‌the American military struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations, and coastal radar ⁠sites for violating a US-Iran ‌ceasefire agreement. “There may come a point ‌when we are no ⁠longer ⁠able to be reasonable, ‌and will be forced to ‌militarily complete ‌the job that we ‌very successfully started,” ⁠Trump wrote on social media. “If that happens, the Islamic Republic ‌of Iran ‌will no longer exist.” The president’s remarks came soon after US... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3358609/us-ally-bahrain-claims-iran-attacked-navy-base-hormuz-closed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3358609/us-ally-bahrain-claims-iran-attacked-navy-base-hormuz-closed?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Jun 2026 10:13:12 +0000 Reuters Reuters US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Gulf allies on Thursday that any deal with Iran would take their interests into account, as he wrapped up a Middle East trip aimed at winning over regional partners with deep reservations about the preliminary accord. Speaking at a meeting of Gulf Arab foreign ministers in Bahrain – home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet – Rubio said Washington was seeking an ‌enduring peace with long-time foe Iran that would not come at the expense of the security of allies in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3358373/us-rubio-wraps-gulf-tour-allies-share-concerns-over-iran-peace-accord?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3358373/us-rubio-wraps-gulf-tour-allies-share-concerns-over-iran-peace-accord?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Jun 2026 12:26:38 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei Lessons from the Iran war suggest that China’s ageing Dongfeng-15B short-range missiles may be more useful in penetrating modern missile defences than previously thought, according to military analysts. The suggestion surfaced this month in an article published by Ordnance Science and Technology which said that missiles with biconic manoeuvring re-entry vehicles (MRVs) could achieve a penetration effect close to that of hypersonic projectiles. The article, written under the byline Ma Lihua,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3358345/did-iran-war-just-prove-chinas-ageing-df-15bs-are-still-big-guns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3358345/did-iran-war-just-prove-chinas-ageing-df-15bs-are-still-big-guns?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Jun 2026 11:00:11 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan,Alyssa Chen Cao Jiaxuan,Alyssa Chen A US$300 billion reconstruction fund for Iran has emerged as a flashpoint in a newly reached ceasefire agreement between Washington and Tehran, raising fresh questions over who will ultimately bear the cost. Outlined in a 14-point memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by the United States and Iran after more than 100 days of conflict, the fund commits Washington to work with regional partners on Iran’s reconstruction and economic recovery. Yet, the agreement offers no details on how... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3357601/who-pays-irans-recovery-us300-billion-fund-emerges-flashpoint-ceasefire-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3357601/who-pays-irans-recovery-us300-billion-fund-emerges-flashpoint-ceasefire-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Jun 2026 14:00:08 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu The Strait of Hormuz was still largely devoid of shipping traffic in the hours following the announcement of a US-Iran peace deal, as analysts warned it remained uncertain how and when normal operations along the waterway would be restored. The only vessel moving in the strait on Monday morning was broadcasting its status as a patrol ship, according to data from vessel tracking platform MarineTraffic, as hundreds of commercial ships remained stranded in the region. A liquefied natural gas tanker... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3357105/strait-hormuz-still-eerily-quiet-doubts-remain-over-fragile-peace-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3357105/strait-hormuz-still-eerily-quiet-doubts-remain-over-fragile-peace-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Jun 2026 03:42:33 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he had cancelled planned military strikes against Iran after negotiations with Tehran reached what he described as the highest levels of the Iranian leadership and received approval from all parties involved. “Based on the fact that discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved, I have, as President of the United States of America, cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/article/3356810/trump-cancels-planned-strikes-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/article/3356810/trump-cancels-planned-strikes-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Jun 2026 17:52:39 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Pakistan’s interior minister was in Tehran on Sunday in a fresh bid to restart negotiations between Iran and the US, as the American military said it shot down two more Iranian drones over the Strait of Hormuz that threatened international maritime traffic. The latest action came as the Washington presses for Iran to make a deal to end the war in the Middle East, which has strained the global economy and threatened a hunger crisis in some of the world’s most vulnerable countries. The heaviest... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3356261/pakistans-mediators-iran-us-downs-drones-lebanon-looks-peace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3356261/pakistans-mediators-iran-us-downs-drones-lebanon-looks-peace?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Jun 2026 11:52:27 +0000 Reuters Reuters Gulf hostilities ⁠flared again on Wednesday as Iranian attacks on Kuwait damaged its airport and injured dozens while the US military carried out strikes near the Strait of Hormuz, with diplomacy to halt the war showing little sign of progress. The attacks are the latest to test a shaky ceasefire as the strait remains largely closed more than three months after the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran. Flights at Kuwait International Airport were suspended after an Iranian drone and missile... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3355759/us-and-iran-exchange-new-attacks-sides-locked-stalemate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3355759/us-and-iran-exchange-new-attacks-sides-locked-stalemate?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 01:14:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Iran’s foreign ⁠ministry ⁠said in a statement on Tuesday that the United States had violated the ceasefire ‌with strikes in Iran’s southern Hormozgan province. US forces attacked missile sites in southern Iran and boats trying to lay mines on Monday, US Central Command said, imperilling a fragile ceasefire and casting new doubt on a deal to end the Middle East war. “The United States ‌committed a gross violation of ⁠the ceasefire in the Hormozgan region ⁠in the past 48 hours … Iran holds the US... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3354821/us-attacks-missile-sites-iran-amid-negotiations-end-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3354821/us-attacks-missile-sites-iran-amid-negotiations-end-war?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 01:07:30 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US President Donald Trump said Monday that any agreement to end the Iran war should include a requirement for several additional countries, including Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, to join the Abraham Accords, the US-brokered agreements from Trump’s first term aimed at normalising relations with Israel. US and Iranian forces have observed a ceasefire since April 8 while diplomats push for a negotiated settlement, although Iran has maintained controls on Gulf shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3354809/trump-says-iran-deal-should-include-additional-countries-joining-abraham-accords?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3354809/trump-says-iran-deal-should-include-additional-countries-joining-abraham-accords?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 May 2026 16:44:04 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Asia’s clean energy push is facing heightened supply-chain risk as the Middle East conflict disrupts aluminium and nickel production and could raise costs for solar panels, wind turbines and grid upgrades. Countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines have installed more rooftop solar panels and other green infrastructure in recent years, driven by high power bills caused by elevated oil and gas prices. However, these green projects are facing uncertainties as the blockade of the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3354128/aluminium-supply-crunch-threatens-asias-clean-energy-push-amid-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3354128/aluminium-supply-crunch-threatens-asias-clean-energy-push-amid-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:13 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Middle Eastern governments are dusting off decades-old proposals for overland oil and gas pipelines, and urgently drawing up plans for new rail-sea transport corridors in a belated response to the wartime disruption of major maritime trade through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. With the threats to these key shipping lanes and economic infrastructure set to linger after the multifront conflict between the US-Israel alliance and the Iran-led Axis of Resistance draws to a close, other... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3352166/middle-east-states-eye-transport-resilience-new-logistics-corridor-bypass-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3352166/middle-east-states-eye-transport-resilience-new-logistics-corridor-bypass-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 02:30:08 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain As Islamabad prepares to host a second round of negotiations between the United States and Iran, Pakistani mediators are seeking ways to extricate the Gulf monarchies from the conflict, according to a well-placed diplomatic source. While the success of those efforts depends largely on the outcome of talks that US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday could resume by the end of the week, Pakistan’s mediation has produced a second confidence-building phone call in a week between the Iranian and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3350175/pakistan-seeks-shield-gulf-states-us-iran-talks-set-resume?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3350175/pakistan-seeks-shield-gulf-states-us-iran-talks-set-resume?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 10:00:04 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain The Gulf’s six Arab monarchies, battered by Iranian drones and missiles because of a war they never wanted, are watching with trepidation to see what Pakistan-hosted US-Iran negotiations will yield for their collective future. After China and Russia vetoed the Gulf Cooperation Council’s bid to attain UN Security Council approval for “defensive” measures to force open the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week, analysts say the GCC states have little sway over what is about to transpire in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3349655/us-iran-talks-leave-gulf-states-edge-about-price-peace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3349655/us-iran-talks-leave-gulf-states-edge-about-price-peace?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:00:18 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Dewey Sim,Teresa Elena Frontado,Lucy Quaggin Khushboo Razdan,Dewey Sim,Teresa Elena Frontado,Lucy Quaggin Control of the Strait of Hormuz has emerged as the central fault line in US-Iran negotiations, with US President Donald Trump appearing to recast an earlier off-the-cuff idea into a more formal proposal that seeks to bridge Tehran’s push for dominance and Washington’s insistence on open passage. Following his Tuesday announcement of a two-week ceasefire, Trump on Wednesday told the American Broadcasting Company that his administration may seek a “joint venture” with Iran to safeguard the global... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3349436/strait-hormuz-trump-iran-joint-venture-really-possible?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3349436/strait-hormuz-trump-iran-joint-venture-really-possible?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 21:02:48 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Russia and China on Tuesday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz that had been repeatedly watered down in hopes those two countries would abstain. The vote – 11-2, with two abstentions from Pakistan and Colombia – took place shortly after US President Donald Trump issued an unprecedented threat that a “whole civilisation will die tonight” if Iran does not open the strategic waterway and make a deal. But late Tuesday, less than two hours before the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/article/3349309/iran-war-russia-and-china-veto-un-resolution-reopen-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/article/3349309/iran-war-russia-and-china-veto-un-resolution-reopen-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 17:25:04 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado,Lucy Quaggin,Orange Wang Teresa Elena Frontado,Lucy Quaggin,Orange Wang Iran will reopen the Strait of Hormuz under a ceasefire agreement with the United States brokered by Pakistan, as the two sides also agreed to start negotiations in Islamabad on Friday for a peace deal. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said the US would pause its bombing campaign in Iran for two weeks, calling it a “double-sided ceasefire” requested by Pakistani mediators in a last-minute bid to create space for diplomacy. In a social media post, Trump said the suspension of military action was... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3349299/trump-agrees-suspend-bombing-iran-2-weeks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3349299/trump-agrees-suspend-bombing-iran-2-weeks?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:28:16 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Southeast Asia’s largest low-cost carrier AirAsia X said on Monday it was raising ticket prices by as much as 40 per cent and cutting routes to cushion the impact of the war on Iran, but stressed demand for flights remained high. The Malaysia-based no-frills airline said about 10 per cent of its overall flights had been cut so far. It has raised fuel surcharges by about 20 per cent, while fare prices have increased between 31 per cent and 40 per cent. Average jet fuel costs have soared to about... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349143/airasia-x-hikes-ticket-prices-40-cut-capacity-10-iran-war-hits-fuel-costs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349143/airasia-x-hikes-ticket-prices-40-cut-capacity-10-iran-war-hits-fuel-costs?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 07:41:39 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Critical infrastructure across the Gulf came under attack from Iran on Sunday with damage reported at civilian facilities in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait. Gulf countries have faced repeated drone and missile salvoes from Iran over past weeks in response to US and Israeli strikes that began at the end of February. Iran has targeted energy and other industrial infrastructure in the oil-rich Gulf nations, accusing its neighbours of allowing US forces to carry out attacks from their... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3349084/uae-bahrain-and-kuwait-lose-water-energy-infrastructure-iran-strikes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3349084/uae-bahrain-and-kuwait-lose-water-energy-infrastructure-iran-strikes?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 08:53:41 +0000