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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

A new report says China’s “wasted” wind and solar energy stems from inflexible grid management that continues to position coal as a stabilising source of power and stymies a clean energy expansion. Photo: Xinhua

Science

Why wind and solar power is going to ‘waste’ in China in the global energy crisis

Use of renewables held back by ‘inflexible management of coal power plants and power grids, not a lack of grid infrastructure’: CREA.

2 hours agovideocam

Middle East

Israel, Lebanon agree to ceasefire as Trump and Netanyahu play down heated call

5 hours ago

US, Israel war on Iran

US House votes to stop Iran war in rebuke to Trump

4 Jun 2026 - 2:18PM

US-China relations

How an ‘increasingly asymmetrical’ path is reshaping China-US-Russia ties

China has no need ‘to balance between the US and Russia in a causal sense, but treats the two relationships as parallel tracks’: analyst.

4 Jun 2026 - 9:02AMvideocam

United Nations

Portugal and Austria defeat Germany for seats on UN Security Council

Kyrgyzstan beat the Philippines by a vote of 143-49 to join the council for the first time.

6 hours ago

Ukraine war

Ukraine drone strikes causing ‘panic’ for Kremlin, EU’s Kallas says

Russia is increasing attacks on civilians because it doesn’t know how to respond to attacks deep in its territory, the top EU diplomat says.

4 Jun 2026 - 2:15AM

United States

Trump says Vance-Rubio team-up for 2028 run would be unbeatable

Trump ‌has continued to fuel the succession talk even as both Vance and Rubio downplay ‌their ‌2028 ambitions.

4 Jun 2026 - 12:58AM

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (right) and US Vice-President J.D. Vance at the White House in March. Photo: dpa

US, Israel war on Iran

Opinion | How cooperating with the US on economic security could backfire

The conflict in the Middle East and the ensuing turmoil are testing the conventional concept of economic security.

4 Jun 2026 - 2:19AMvideocam

Banking & finance

China among top buyers as gold overtakes US Treasuries in global reserves: ECB

Higher prices and global shocks have fuelled demand for gold, as central banks hedge against uncertainty.

3 Jun 2026 - 5:00PM

China energy security

Global oil stockpiles could fall to ‘critical levels’ by summer, IEA warns

Even China’s inventories are now starting to decline, with Gulf oil supplies likely to take months to recover even if a peace deal is agreed.

3 Jun 2026 - 3:14PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Kuwait International Airport hit as US and Iran exchange attacks

Strikes damage terminal and halt commercial flights, sparking a fierce blame game between Washington and Tehran.

4 Jun 2026 - 8:15AM

Kuwaiti officials inspect damage inside a terminal at Kuwait International Airport following a drone and missile attack. Photo: Kuwait News Agency via Reuters

US, Israel war on Iran

‘You’re crazy!’: Trump-Netanyahu relationship under growing strain over Iran

A reported profane phone tirade exposes deep fissures between two allies facing immense domestic strain.

3 Jun 2026 - 2:04PM

China-EU relations

Putin in Beijing, ‘China shock’ in EU: 7 global relations reads

From ‘miscalculation’ by the Dutch navy to China on Iran mediation, here are highlights from the SCMP’s overseas correspondents in May 2026.

2 Jun 2026 - 10:00PM

US, Israel war on Iran

Letters | Asia can’t wait for the US to lift its naval blockade on Iran

Readers discuss how to make the blockade costly for Washington, the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline, and the success of a grass-roots film.

2 Jun 2026 - 11:30AM

Life goes on around a shopping arcade in Tehran on May 31. Washington’s strategy rests on a Western fantasy: that a heavily sanctioned authoritarian state will simply collapse quietly. History says otherwise. Photo: AFP

Malaysia

Why oil-hungry Asia ignores risks linked to Russia’s ‘dark fleet’

Asia prioritises fuel needs over security risks from Russian oil to survive the energy crisis, despite sanctions and diplomatic dilemmas.

2 Jun 2026 - 10:03AMvideocam

Russia’s “shadow fleet” vessels wait in the unofficial anchorage area in the Gulf of Finland near Vaindloo, Estonia, on April 10. Photo: Reuters

China-Latin America relations

China urges Brazil to jointly repel ‘external challenges’ as ties deepen

Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira meets Wang Yi and Han Zheng as Brazil seeks key stable fertiliser supply amid US-Iran conflict.

2 Jun 2026 - 6:11AM

US, Israel war on Iran

US-Iran diplomacy mired in uncertainty as Trump claims Lebanon de-escalation

Israeli leader vows to continue operations in southern Lebanon despite the US president claiming ‘no Troops going to Beirut’.

2 Jun 2026 - 4:44PM

2026 Xi-Trump summit

Exclusive | Trump ‘personally called for China’s help’ to end Ukraine war in summit with Xi

Washington is also not happy about Beijing’s rare earth controls, according to people familiar with the talks.

2 Jun 2026 - 2:41PMvideocam

President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump in Beijing on May 15. Photo: AFP

Energy

Oil prices rally on Hormuz talks but will Asia’s energy woes ease?

Analysts say recovery ‘will take a far longer time’, with ship backlogs and damaged facilities weighing on Asia’s energy importers.

1 Jun 2026 - 7:46PM

Middle East

Netanyahu orders strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, clouding Iran mediation

Order came a day after Israeli ground forces seized a historic castle, reaching their deepest point in Lebanon in 26 years.

1 Jun 2026 - 6:05PM

US, Israel war on Iran

How ‘strategic ambiguity’ made Turkey a winner in the Iran war

However, experts caution that the country’s economic instability and enduring regional rivalries have capped its gains.

1 Jun 2026 - 6:08PMvideocam

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reiterated his country’s support for peace talks. Turkey can be a “natural release valve” for companies trying to deal with the instability caused by the Iran war, an expert has said. Photo: AFP

China trade

‘Unsustainable’: firms face huge spike in shipping costs amid Hormuz crisis

Shipping lines say they have no choice but to pass on steep cost rises, as the Iran war sparks a fuel crisis that could last well into next year.

1 Jun 2026 - 4:30PMvideocam

A container ship is moved into position at a port in China’s eastern Shandong province. Photo: AFP

US, Israel war on Iran

US says struck Iran sites, Tehran responds by targeting base

Kuwait intercepts incoming drone and missile fire as negotiations to end the Iran war drag on.

1 Jun 2026 - 3:44PM

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran says US not to be trusted as Trump toughens deal terms

Ceasefire remains elusive as both sides still remain apart on conditions for peace.

1 Jun 2026 - 10:55AM

Middle East

Israeli forces capture historic castle in deepest push into Lebanon in decades

Troops take over the medieval fortress of Beaufort, returning to the strategic peak occupied by Israel from 1982 to 2000.

1 Jun 2026 - 3:30PM

An Israeli flag and a flag of the Golani Brigade raised on Beaufort Castle. Photo: Reuters

US-China relations

Opinion | US quietly plays the long game on energy dominance against China

Behind the Trump administration’s detente with Beijing lies a strategy to redirect global energy flows and disrupt Chinese competitiveness.

31 May 2026 - 8:30PMvideocam

China-UK relations

In sign of easing UK-China ties, British Foreign Secretary set for 3-day visit

Announcement comes days after delegations from both countries sat down at Shangri-La Dialogue to discuss concrete military engagement.

31 May 2026 - 7:40PMvideocam

US-China relations

China dials down rhetoric but regional risks persist at Shangri-La Dialogue

In the wake of the Xi-Trump summit, the US and Chinese delegations dispense with the tough talk of previous years.

30 May 2026 - 10:35PMvideocam

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Iran

Why wind and solar power is going to ‘waste’ in China in the global energy crisis

Use of renewables held back by ‘inflexible management of coal power plants and power grids, not a lack of grid infrastructure’: CREA.

Israel, Lebanon agree to ceasefire as Trump and Netanyahu play down heated call

US House votes to stop Iran war in rebuke to Trump

How an ‘increasingly asymmetrical’ path is reshaping China-US-Russia ties

China has no need ‘to balance between the US and Russia in a causal sense, but treats the two relationships as parallel tracks’: analyst.

Portugal and Austria defeat Germany for seats on UN Security Council

Kyrgyzstan beat the Philippines by a vote of 143-49 to join the council for the first time.

Ukraine drone strikes causing ‘panic’ for Kremlin, EU’s Kallas says

Russia is increasing attacks on civilians because it doesn’t know how to respond to attacks deep in its territory, the top EU diplomat says.

Trump says Vance-Rubio team-up for 2028 run would be unbeatable

Trump ‌has continued to fuel the succession talk even as both Vance and Rubio downplay ‌their ‌2028 ambitions.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | How cooperating with the US on economic security could backfire

The conflict in the Middle East and the ensuing turmoil are testing the conventional concept of economic security.

China among top buyers as gold overtakes US Treasuries in global reserves: ECB

Higher prices and global shocks have fuelled demand for gold, as central banks hedge against uncertainty.

Global oil stockpiles could fall to ‘critical levels’ by summer, IEA warns

Even China’s inventories are now starting to decline, with Gulf oil supplies likely to take months to recover even if a peace deal is agreed.

Kuwait International Airport hit as US and Iran exchange attacks

Strikes damage terminal and halt commercial flights, sparking a fierce blame game between Washington and Tehran.

‘You’re crazy!’: Trump-Netanyahu relationship under growing strain over Iran

A reported profane phone tirade exposes deep fissures between two allies facing immense domestic strain.

Putin in Beijing, ‘China shock’ in EU: 7 global relations reads

From ‘miscalculation’ by the Dutch navy to China on Iran mediation, here are highlights from the SCMP’s overseas correspondents in May 2026.

Letters | Asia can’t wait for the US to lift its naval blockade on Iran

Readers discuss how to make the blockade costly for Washington, the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline, and the success of a grass-roots film.

Why oil-hungry Asia ignores risks linked to Russia’s ‘dark fleet’

Asia prioritises fuel needs over security risks from Russian oil to survive the energy crisis, despite sanctions and diplomatic dilemmas.

China urges Brazil to jointly repel ‘external challenges’ as ties deepen

Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira meets Wang Yi and Han Zheng as Brazil seeks key stable fertiliser supply amid US-Iran conflict.

US-Iran diplomacy mired in uncertainty as Trump claims Lebanon de-escalation

Israeli leader vows to continue operations in southern Lebanon despite the US president claiming ‘no Troops going to Beirut’.

.css-1f6sr3w{color:#727272;}Exclusive | Trump ‘personally called for China’s help’ to end Ukraine war in summit with Xi

Washington is also not happy about Beijing’s rare earth controls, according to people familiar with the talks.

Oil prices rally on Hormuz talks but will Asia’s energy woes ease?

Analysts say recovery ‘will take a far longer time’, with ship backlogs and damaged facilities weighing on Asia’s energy importers.

Netanyahu orders strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, clouding Iran mediation

Order came a day after Israeli ground forces seized a historic castle, reaching their deepest point in Lebanon in 26 years.

How ‘strategic ambiguity’ made Turkey a winner in the Iran war

However, experts caution that the country’s economic instability and enduring regional rivalries have capped its gains.

‘Unsustainable’: firms face huge spike in shipping costs amid Hormuz crisis

Shipping lines say they have no choice but to pass on steep cost rises, as the Iran war sparks a fuel crisis that could last well into next year.

US says struck Iran sites, Tehran responds by targeting base

Kuwait intercepts incoming drone and missile fire as negotiations to end the Iran war drag on.

Iran says US not to be trusted as Trump toughens deal terms

Ceasefire remains elusive as both sides still remain apart on conditions for peace.

Israeli forces capture historic castle in deepest push into Lebanon in decades

Troops take over the medieval fortress of Beaufort, returning to the strategic peak occupied by Israel from 1982 to 2000.

Opinion | US quietly plays the long game on energy dominance against China

Behind the Trump administration’s detente with Beijing lies a strategy to redirect global energy flows and disrupt Chinese competitiveness.

In sign of easing UK-China ties, British Foreign Secretary set for 3-day visit

Announcement comes days after delegations from both countries sat down at Shangri-La Dialogue to discuss concrete military engagement.

China dials down rhetoric but regional risks persist at Shangri-La Dialogue

In the wake of the Xi-Trump summit, the US and Chinese delegations dispense with the tough talk of previous years.

Opinion | How cooperating with the US on economic security could backfire

Exclusive | Trump ‘personally called for China’s help’ to end Ukraine war in summit with Xi