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Iran

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Iran. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Tehran

Head of State

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei

Head of Government

President Masoud Pezeshkian

Fertiliser prices have surged amid global supply disruptions and export curbs, squeezing farmers and reshaping crop decisions. Photo: Shutterstock

2026 Trump-Xi summit

High fertiliser prices mean more soybeans for farmers – and greater reliance on China

Analysts question the cost of China deploying ‘fertiliser diplomacy’ and boosting soybean purchases ahead of the Trump-Xi summit.

1 minute agovideocam

Singapore

Singapore, Australia vow uninterrupted fuel supply amid global energy shock

10 Apr 2026 - 8:40PM

France

Macron woos Trump to G7 summit with French palace dinner. Will he bite?

10 Apr 2026 - 8:35PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran’s Hormuz toll threat lays bare Asia’s energy vulnerability

Analysts warn that charging ships to pass through Hormuz could set a dangerous precedent for other strategic waterways and hit Asia hardest.

6 hours agovideocam

Tankers sail in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from northern Ras al-Khaimah, near the border with Oman’s Musandam governance, on March 11. Photo: Reuters

Malaysia

‘Their affair’: Anwar on Singapore’s refusal to negotiate over Hormuz

Responding to remarks by the city state’s top diplomat, Anwar said Malaysia balances regional ties with firm stands on global issues.

10 Apr 2026 - 8:39PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Iranian duo set to lead US ceasefire talks were once on Israeli hit list

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf will lead first direct talks since Operation Epic Fury began.

5 hours agovideocam

China energy security

Why China’s green energy strategy may shield it from the Iran war oil shock

As war in the Persian Gulf triggers volatility in global oil markets, Beijing sees its energy system as a stabilising force.

10 Apr 2026 - 8:00PMvideocam

Employees work on the production line of solar panels at a workshop of Jiangsu DMEGC New Energy on February 25, 2026, in Sihong county, Suqian city, in China’s Jiangsu province. Photo: VCG via Getty Images

US, Israel war on Iran

‘I’m scared of war starting again’: fear grips Iranians ahead of US talks

Residents of Tehran face Pakistan-hosted talks with scepticism and anger, caught between a repressive regime and Trump’s threats.

10 Apr 2026 - 6:15PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

US-Iran talks leave Gulf states on edge about the price of peace

The six GCC nations worry that the US will prioritise Tehran’s needs and leave the Gulf monarchies vulnerable to Iranian retaliation.

10 Apr 2026 - 7:01PMvideocam

Israel-Gaza war

Gaza marks 6 months of ceasefire. Does it offer lessons for the Iran war?

A ceasefire has been in place between Israel and Hamas since October 10, but deadly attacks have continued and limited aid is entering.

10 Apr 2026 - 5:14PM

A makeshift camp for displaced people in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip. Photo: AP

SCMP Highlights

Dying man leaves riches to young wife; fisherman’s surprise catch: 7 highlights

From a missing elderly hiker in Hong Kong to a tragic car accident in Singapore, here are highlights from SCMP’s recent reporting.

10 Apr 2026 - 1:51PM

A terminally ill Chinese man bequeathed his US$43 million fortune to his wife, who is 28 years his junior, causing outrage among his ex-wife’s family. Photo: Douyin

United States

Pentagon plays down rift with Vatican despite Pope Leo’s criticism

The first American pope’s criticism of US actions in conflict creates a rare public fracture between Washington and the Holy See.

10 Apr 2026 - 1:15PM

US, Israel war on Iran

Letters | US-Iran ceasefire is more of a recalibration than an off-ramp

Readers discuss the strategic purpose of the ceasefire, lessons for Taiwan in the Iran war, and war reporting.

10 Apr 2026 - 11:30AM

US, Israel war on Iran

Israel plans talks with Lebanon as violence imperils Iran ceasefire

Israel’s Netanyahu approves talks with Lebanon as the US plans for meeting in Washington next week.

10 Apr 2026 - 10:56AMvideocam

Men inspect the damage to their home destroyed in an Israeli airstrike a day earlier in Beirut, Lebanon. Photo: AP

US, Israel war on Iran

Asian economies face ‘formidable test’ as Middle East conflict drags on: ADB

Even if oil prices stabilise in the coming months, developing Asia-Pacific countries will still take years to recover, the bank says.

10 Apr 2026 - 10:32AMvideocam

A farmer sprinkles fertiliser on crops in a field on the outskirts of Amritsar, India, on Thursday. Photo: AFP

US, Israel war on Iran

US Vice-President J.D. Vance strikes upbeat tone en route to Iran talks

As the clock ticks down to negotiations in Islamabad, two big factors stand in the way of progress.

6 hours agovideocam

South Korea

Trump lashed out at Seoul over Hormuz. Will it affect US-South Korea ties?

Strong security ties and other allies’ reluctance to support Washington’s ‘war of choice’ will help Seoul withstand the blow, analysts say.

10 Apr 2026 - 10:37AMvideocam

US-China relations

Opinion | A stark clash of world views will overshadow Trump’s visit to China

As Xi and Trump prepare to meet, the divergence between their visions of global order has never been more acute.

10 Apr 2026 - 10:29AMvideocam

Hong Kong economy

Is oil crisis just the start of economic pain for Hongkongers?

With diesel and petrol prices in city highest in the world, analysts warn that consumers will inevitably feel the impact in their wallets.

10 Apr 2026 - 8:36AMvideocam

Nato

What Trump’s Iran war ‘loyalty test’ may mean for Nato’s long-standing alliance

Transatlantic allies’ refusal to back the Iran war fuels latest Trump outburst after meeting with Nato chief Mark Rutte.

10 Apr 2026 - 7:25AMvideocam

China economy

Opinion | Why Latin America is becoming indispensable to China

Latin America fits Beijing’s need for alternative partners with uncomfortable precision. That is a problem for Washington.

10 Apr 2026 - 9:18AMvideocam

Chinese President Xi Jinping and wife Peng Liyuan (right) pose for a photo with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his wife Rosangela da Silva in Beijing, China, on May 13, 2025, on the sidelines of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum. Photo: EPA-EFE/Xinhua

Israel

Netanyahu corruption trial to resume on Sunday after Israel eases war restrictions

Netanyahu, who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, is the first sitting Israeli prime minister to stand trial for corruption.

10 Apr 2026 - 4:44AM

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Photo: Reuters

United States

Russian special envoy in US to meet Trump administration officials: sources

Kirill Dmitriev’s reported trip comes before a US decision on ⁠whether to extend sanctions relief on Russian oil, ‌which expires on Saturday.

10 Apr 2026 - 4:57AM

US, Israel war on Iran

Yuan tokens and oil-linked fees? China experts propose ‘innovative’ Hormuz tolls

Analysts warn Trump’s ‘joint venture’ plan with Iran could formalise grey zone, while Beijing balances roles as mediator, energy importer.

10 Apr 2026 - 4:56PMvideocam

War and conflict

Opinion | For Asia, US-Iran ceasefire offers little relief – and much uncertainty

What may be coming is neither stable peace nor uninterrupted war, but something in between: a prolonged condition of managed instability.

9 Apr 2026 - 10:30PMvideocam

Demonstrators against military action in Iran after US President Donald Trump said he had agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran, outside the White House in Washington on April 7. Photo: Reuters

US-China relations

How can Beijing prepare for Trump’s ‘drunken boxing’ style before he meets Xi?

As Trump loomed large in both Iran war and subsequent pause, analysts weigh the importance of rhetoric vs results in his talks with China.

9 Apr 2026 - 10:47PMvideocam

Commentators say the US president’s volatile, and often contradictory, negotiation style may be effective and parties across the table should react to his actions, not his words. Photo: AP

Middle East

Video | The Iran war could leave Asian airlines grounded

Jet fuel is often the first petroleum product to see shortages in a fuel crisis.

9 Apr 2026 - 9:45PM

China-EU relations

China sidelined: EU shelves rare debate as Middle East crisis takes priority

Delay risks entrenching a policy vacuum as member states diverge and Brussels struggles to evolve its approach.

9 Apr 2026 - 9:00PMvideocam

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Iran

High fertiliser prices mean more soybeans for farmers – and greater reliance on China

Analysts question the cost of China deploying ‘fertiliser diplomacy’ and boosting soybean purchases ahead of the Trump-Xi summit.

Singapore, Australia vow uninterrupted fuel supply amid global energy shock

Macron woos Trump to G7 summit with French palace dinner. Will he bite?

Iran’s Hormuz toll threat lays bare Asia’s energy vulnerability

Analysts warn that charging ships to pass through Hormuz could set a dangerous precedent for other strategic waterways and hit Asia hardest.

‘Their affair’: Anwar on Singapore’s refusal to negotiate over Hormuz

Responding to remarks by the city state’s top diplomat, Anwar said Malaysia balances regional ties with firm stands on global issues.

Iranian duo set to lead US ceasefire talks were once on Israeli hit list

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf will lead first direct talks since Operation Epic Fury began.

Why China’s green energy strategy may shield it from the Iran war oil shock

As war in the Persian Gulf triggers volatility in global oil markets, Beijing sees its energy system as a stabilising force.

‘I’m scared of war starting again’: fear grips Iranians ahead of US talks

Residents of Tehran face Pakistan-hosted talks with scepticism and anger, caught between a repressive regime and Trump’s threats.

US-Iran talks leave Gulf states on edge about the price of peace

The six GCC nations worry that the US will prioritise Tehran’s needs and leave the Gulf monarchies vulnerable to Iranian retaliation.

Gaza marks 6 months of ceasefire. Does it offer lessons for the Iran war?

A ceasefire has been in place between Israel and Hamas since October 10, but deadly attacks have continued and limited aid is entering.

Dying man leaves riches to young wife; fisherman’s surprise catch: 7 highlights

From a missing elderly hiker in Hong Kong to a tragic car accident in Singapore, here are highlights from SCMP’s recent reporting.

Pentagon plays down rift with Vatican despite Pope Leo’s criticism

The first American pope’s criticism of US actions in conflict creates a rare public fracture between Washington and the Holy See.

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Letters | US-Iran ceasefire is more of a recalibration than an off-ramp

Readers discuss the strategic purpose of the ceasefire, lessons for Taiwan in the Iran war, and war reporting.

Israel plans talks with Lebanon as violence imperils Iran ceasefire

Israel’s Netanyahu approves talks with Lebanon as the US plans for meeting in Washington next week.

Asian economies face ‘formidable test’ as Middle East conflict drags on: ADB

Even if oil prices stabilise in the coming months, developing Asia-Pacific countries will still take years to recover, the bank says.

US Vice-President J.D. Vance strikes upbeat tone en route to Iran talks

As the clock ticks down to negotiations in Islamabad, two big factors stand in the way of progress.

Trump lashed out at Seoul over Hormuz. Will it affect US-South Korea ties?

Strong security ties and other allies’ reluctance to support Washington’s ‘war of choice’ will help Seoul withstand the blow, analysts say.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | A stark clash of world views will overshadow Trump’s visit to China

As Xi and Trump prepare to meet, the divergence between their visions of global order has never been more acute.

Is oil crisis just the start of economic pain for Hongkongers?

With diesel and petrol prices in city highest in the world, analysts warn that consumers will inevitably feel the impact in their wallets.

What Trump’s Iran war ‘loyalty test’ may mean for Nato’s long-standing alliance

Transatlantic allies’ refusal to back the Iran war fuels latest Trump outburst after meeting with Nato chief Mark Rutte.

Opinion | Why Latin America is becoming indispensable to China

Latin America fits Beijing’s need for alternative partners with uncomfortable precision. That is a problem for Washington.

Netanyahu corruption trial to resume on Sunday after Israel eases war restrictions

Netanyahu, who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, is the first sitting Israeli prime minister to stand trial for corruption.

Russian special envoy in US to meet Trump administration officials: sources

Kirill Dmitriev’s reported trip comes before a US decision on ⁠whether to extend sanctions relief on Russian oil, ‌which expires on Saturday.

Yuan tokens and oil-linked fees? China experts propose ‘innovative’ Hormuz tolls

Analysts warn Trump’s ‘joint venture’ plan with Iran could formalise grey zone, while Beijing balances roles as mediator, energy importer.

Opinion | For Asia, US-Iran ceasefire offers little relief – and much uncertainty

What may be coming is neither stable peace nor uninterrupted war, but something in between: a prolonged condition of managed instability.

How can Beijing prepare for Trump’s ‘drunken boxing’ style before he meets Xi?

As Trump loomed large in both Iran war and subsequent pause, analysts weigh the importance of rhetoric vs results in his talks with China.

.css-1t72pn8{color:#C79A00;}Video | The Iran war could leave Asian airlines grounded

Jet fuel is often the first petroleum product to see shortages in a fuel crisis.

China sidelined: EU shelves rare debate as Middle East crisis takes priority

Delay risks entrenching a policy vacuum as member states diverge and Brussels struggles to evolve its approach.

Letters | US-Iran ceasefire is more of a recalibration than an off-ramp

Opinion | A stark clash of world views will overshadow Trump’s visit to China

Video | The Iran war could leave Asian airlines grounded