TOPIC

/ location

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

The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln transits through the Arabian Sea in April 2012. Photo: US Navy via AFP

Middle East

US shoots down Iranian drone ‘aggressively’ approaching aircraft carrier

The Iranian Shahed-139 was flying towards the Abraham Lincoln ‍warship ‘with unclear intent’, a US official says.

1 hour ago

US-China relations

USS Abraham Lincoln is in the Arabian Sea. So is a Chinese vessel

3 Feb 2026 - 7:28PM

ICBMs

China grows nuclear arsenal as last US-Russia limits expire

3 Feb 2026 - 5:01PM

SCMP Highlights

Hong Kong-Singapore contrasts, Philippines’ EV race lag: 7 Asia highlights

From a Malaysian minister linking stress and gay people to US-Iran tensions, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

3 Feb 2026 - 2:59PM

People gather around the Merlion statue at Marina Bay in Singapore. Photo: AFP

Donald Trump

Iran plans nuclear talks with US as Trump warns of ‘bad things’

Facing threats of potential US military action, Tehran agrees to a Friday meeting in Istanbul on its nuclear programme.

3 Feb 2026 - 6:56PM

China-Russia relations

Could Greenland and Iran have been factors in latest China-Russia talks?

Sunday’s meeting between senior officials saw Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warning against the ‘law of the jungle’.

2 Feb 2026 - 10:16PMvideocam

US-Iran tensions

Trump hopeful of deal after Iran’s top leader warns of regional war

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issues ‘regional war’ warning as the United States ramps up its naval presence in the Middle East.

2 Feb 2026 - 8:46AM

An F/A-18E Super Hornet launching from the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea on January 28. Photo: US Navy via AFP

Middle East

Screenwriter of Oscar-nominated Iranian film arrested in Tehran

Mehdi Mahmoudian and others detained after signing a statement calling Iran’s crackdown an ‘organised state crime against humanity’.

2 Feb 2026 - 10:20AM

Middle East

Iraq’s parliament delays presidential vote again amid US pressure

In Iraq, by convention, a Shiite Muslim is prime minister, the parliament speaker is a Sunni and the largely ceremonial presidency goes to a Kurd.

1 Feb 2026 - 9:04PM

Israel-Iran conflict

Gas leak behind deadly Iran blast that stoked fears of US or Israeli attack

The explosion highlighted the jittery mood ‍prevailing in the country, as Trump threatens strikes and says a US ‘armada’ is on its way.

1 Feb 2026 - 1:26AM

The flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran. File photo: dpa

Middle East

US approves US$16 billion arms sale to Israel, Saudi Arabia

The State Department says that none of the new sales will affect the military balance in the Middle East.

31 Jan 2026 - 10:25AMvideocam

A Palestinian man carries his shopping past Israeli security forces during in Kafr Aqab in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

Middle East

‘They are trying to inject fear’: Iran rounding up thousands after crackdown

Security forces reportedly use unofficial warehouses and secret lock-ups as activists say arrests stand at more than 42,000.

30 Jan 2026 - 1:46PM

European Union

EU designates Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as terrorist group amid bloody crackdown

EU’s Kaja Kallas equates the group to Islamic State and al-Qaeda as death toll tops 6,300. Trump moves ‘armada’ to Mideast as Iran warns of naval strikes.

30 Jan 2026 - 12:36AM

Middle East

Trump warns Iran of ‘far worse’ attack as US warships approach

US president issues ultimatum for a nuclear deal as Iran vows to resist any American attack.

29 Jan 2026 - 7:23PM

A Boeing EA-18G Growler on the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Indian Ocean on January 21. Photo: US Navy via AP

US-Venezuela conflict

US’ Rubio says China profited from Venezuela’s collapse through cut-price oil

US secretary tells senators Beijing received discounted crude via opaque debt deals, saying Maduro’s removal was key to curbing influence.

29 Jan 2026 - 10:31AMvideocam

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio appears before the US Senate Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday. Photo: EPA

Donald Trump

As US carrier fleet sails near Iran, Trump faces ‘no easy levers’ against Tehran

Analysts evaluate the difficult options of a US air strike, killing of Iran’s top leaders, covert operations and counter-intelligence.

28 Jan 2026 - 7:42PM

Middle East

Trump warns Iraq against returning former prime minister to power

US president says the US will ‘no longer help’ if Nouri al-Maliki is prime minister again.

28 Jan 2026 - 3:02PM

US-Iran tensions

US aircraft carrier arrives in the Middle East amid Iran tensions

US President Donald Trump has not ruled out a military intervention as the US ‘armada’ reaches the region.

27 Jan 2026 - 12:24PM

An F/A-18E Super Hornet lands on the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Indian Ocean on January 22. Photo: US Navy via AP

Middle East

Iran unveils bloody anti-US billboard as carrier force nears

Graphic mural in Tehran shows a destroyed aircraft carrier in a warning to the Trump administration against military intervention.

26 Jan 2026 - 1:11PM

Middle East

Iraq elects president, to choose PM amid US pressure to cut Iran ties

Iraqi diplomats said the US demanded the eventual government exclude Iran-backed armed groups despite holding seats in parliament.

25 Jan 2026 - 9:30PM

Saudi Arabia

‘Anything can happen’: Saudi-UAE rift risks tearing Middle East apart

The Gulf neighbours have turned from friends to foes, fighting proxy wars across the region and forcing global powers to pick a side.

25 Jan 2026 - 4:00PM

Yemeni separatists wave South Yemen and UAE flags during a protest against Saudi Arabia in Aden on December 30. Photo: EPA

United States

Iran will treat ‘any attack as all-out war’, says senior official

As a US strike group sails to the Middle East, Trump has again warned Iran against killing protesters or restarting its nuclear programme.

24 Jan 2026 - 8:26PMvideocam

US President Donald Trump stands next to a fighter jet before speaking to members of the military on an aircraft carrier in October. Photo: AP

Middle East

US ‘armada’ heading towards Iran as tensions remain high

USS Abraham Lincoln and other warships move from the Asia-Pacific even as Iran protests seem to dwindle.

23 Jan 2026 - 6:00PM

US-China relations

Opinion | China has Trump 2.0 to thank for emerging stronger in tech and trade

As intense US-China competition becomes the new normal, pressure has strengthened China’s capacity to adapt rather than deter it from its long-term ambitions.

22 Jan 2026 - 8:30PMvideocam

China-Middle East relations

Why China is playing the long game in Iran despite Trump’s fresh threats

Beijing is balancing vital energy interests with long-standing diplomatic principles and a cautious Middle East recalibration, analysts say.

22 Jan 2026 - 7:00PMvideocam

A giant banner hangs over Enghelab Square in central Tehran as Iran faces threats of US intervention following a brutal crackdown on nationwide economic protests. Photo: Xinhua

India

Unrest in Iran complicates India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy

India views the current Iranian government as a ‘predictable counterweight’ against Pakistan’s influence, an analyst says.

22 Jan 2026 - 4:20PM

A man passes by buses destroyed in Tehran during recent unrest in Iran. Photo: Xinhua

Middle East

Iran says 3,117 died in protests in first official toll. Activists fear it’s much higher

Activists report toll is at least 4,902, with many more feared dead in the demonstrations that began December 28.

22 Jan 2026 - 11:12AM

US-China relations

Opinion | Why China’s response to Trump’s chaos will be to wait and watch

Although the US president’s destabilising actions might seem like an opportunity for Beijing, it is likely to opt for strategic patience.

21 Jan 2026 - 9:19PMvideocam

Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.

SUPPORT NOW

Iran

US shoots down Iranian drone ‘aggressively’ approaching aircraft carrier

The Iranian Shahed-139 was flying towards the Abraham Lincoln ‍warship ‘with unclear intent’, a US official says.

USS Abraham Lincoln is in the Arabian Sea. So is a Chinese vessel

China grows nuclear arsenal as last US-Russia limits expire

Hong Kong-Singapore contrasts, Philippines’ EV race lag: 7 Asia highlights

From a Malaysian minister linking stress and gay people to US-Iran tensions, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

Iran plans nuclear talks with US as Trump warns of ‘bad things’

Facing threats of potential US military action, Tehran agrees to a Friday meeting in Istanbul on its nuclear programme.

Could Greenland and Iran have been factors in latest China-Russia talks?

Sunday’s meeting between senior officials saw Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warning against the ‘law of the jungle’.

Trump hopeful of deal after Iran’s top leader warns of regional war

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issues ‘regional war’ warning as the United States ramps up its naval presence in the Middle East.

Screenwriter of Oscar-nominated Iranian film arrested in Tehran

Mehdi Mahmoudian and others detained after signing a statement calling Iran’s crackdown an ‘organised state crime against humanity’.

Iraq’s parliament delays presidential vote again amid US pressure

In Iraq, by convention, a Shiite Muslim is prime minister, the parliament speaker is a Sunni and the largely ceremonial presidency goes to a Kurd.

Gas leak behind deadly Iran blast that stoked fears of US or Israeli attack

The explosion highlighted the jittery mood ‍prevailing in the country, as Trump threatens strikes and says a US ‘armada’ is on its way.

US approves US$16 billion arms sale to Israel, Saudi Arabia

The State Department says that none of the new sales will affect the military balance in the Middle East.

‘They are trying to inject fear’: Iran rounding up thousands after crackdown

Security forces reportedly use unofficial warehouses and secret lock-ups as activists say arrests stand at more than 42,000.

EU designates Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as terrorist group amid bloody crackdown

EU’s Kaja Kallas equates the group to Islamic State and al-Qaeda as death toll tops 6,300. Trump moves ‘armada’ to Mideast as Iran warns of naval strikes.

Trump warns Iran of ‘far worse’ attack as US warships approach

US president issues ultimatum for a nuclear deal as Iran vows to resist any American attack.

US’ Rubio says China profited from Venezuela’s collapse through cut-price oil

US secretary tells senators Beijing received discounted crude via opaque debt deals, saying Maduro’s removal was key to curbing influence.

As US carrier fleet sails near Iran, Trump faces ‘no easy levers’ against Tehran

Analysts evaluate the difficult options of a US air strike, killing of Iran’s top leaders, covert operations and counter-intelligence.

Trump warns Iraq against returning former prime minister to power

US president says the US will ‘no longer help’ if Nouri al-Maliki is prime minister again.

US aircraft carrier arrives in the Middle East amid Iran tensions

US President Donald Trump has not ruled out a military intervention as the US ‘armada’ reaches the region.

Iran unveils bloody anti-US billboard as carrier force nears

Graphic mural in Tehran shows a destroyed aircraft carrier in a warning to the Trump administration against military intervention.

Iraq elects president, to choose PM amid US pressure to cut Iran ties

Iraqi diplomats said the US demanded the eventual government exclude Iran-backed armed groups despite holding seats in parliament.

‘Anything can happen’: Saudi-UAE rift risks tearing Middle East apart

The Gulf neighbours have turned from friends to foes, fighting proxy wars across the region and forcing global powers to pick a side.

Iran will treat ‘any attack as all-out war’, says senior official

As a US strike group sails to the Middle East, Trump has again warned Iran against killing protesters or restarting its nuclear programme.

US ‘armada’ heading towards Iran as tensions remain high

USS Abraham Lincoln and other warships move from the Asia-Pacific even as Iran protests seem to dwindle.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Opinion | China has Trump 2.0 to thank for emerging stronger in tech and trade

As intense US-China competition becomes the new normal, pressure has strengthened China’s capacity to adapt rather than deter it from its long-term ambitions.

Why China is playing the long game in Iran despite Trump’s fresh threats

Beijing is balancing vital energy interests with long-standing diplomatic principles and a cautious Middle East recalibration, analysts say.

Unrest in Iran complicates India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy

India views the current Iranian government as a ‘predictable counterweight’ against Pakistan’s influence, an analyst says.

Iran says 3,117 died in protests in first official toll. Activists fear it’s much higher

Activists report toll is at least 4,902, with many more feared dead in the demonstrations that began December 28.

Opinion | Why China’s response to Trump’s chaos will be to wait and watch

Although the US president’s destabilising actions might seem like an opportunity for Beijing, it is likely to opt for strategic patience.

Opinion | China has Trump 2.0 to thank for emerging stronger in tech and trade