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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

On Sunday, Donald Trump posted a call to “substantially” reduce US-South Korea military drills, a day before South Korea and the US began their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise. Photo: Handout

US-China relations

Wang Yi heads to Seoul as Trump cuts South Korea drills, opening door for China

Experts say US decision causes disquiet among regional partners and hands China a strategic opening to dilute US regional partnerships.

2 hours agovideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran conflict boosts appeal of Arctic short cut for Asia-Europe ships

4 hours ago

US, Israel war on Iran

‘We’ll die of hunger’: Iran’s fishermen risk all in Hormuz’s shadow of conflict

6 hours agovideocam

Banking & finance

China trims US Treasury holdings amid Iran war, Fed uncertainty

Beijing cuts exposure to US debt to US$633.4 billion, official data shows, amid broader diversification push.

18 Aug 2026 - 2:21PM

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at a cabinet meeting at Camp David, Maryland, on July 31. Photo: AFP via Getty Images/TNS

South Korea

Trump’s decision to scale back South Korea drills ‘makes no sense’

The decision threatens to undermine the South Koreans and Japanese, unnerve Nato and embolden the Chinese and North Koreans, one expert says.

18 Aug 2026 - 2:06PM

United States

US diesel crack surpasses US$100 a barrel for first time on supply disruptions

Supplies are under strain from wars in Iran and Ukraine, and US ⁠threats against Chinese imports of Iranian oil could make matters worse.

18 Aug 2026 - 7:09AMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Trump lets 60-day deadline for Iran peace deal expire, threatens to ‘bomb’ Oman

US president also announces US to reduce military drills with South Korea; cites ‘good relationship’ with North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un.

18 Aug 2026 - 6:57AMvideocam

Motorists drive past a large billboard vowing revenge against US President Donald Trump in central Tehran, Iran. Photo: AFP/Getty Images/TNS

2026 Xi-Trump summits

Exclusive | Claims Hegseth close to exit raise questions over future US-China defence ties

Donald Trump is losing patience with the Pentagon chief because of the stalled Iran war, according to several sources.

18 Aug 2026 - 6:02AMvideocam

Donald Trump

Trump approval rating falls to 33%, lowest of his presidency, poll finds

The poll by Reuters/Ipsos also found that 80 per cent of Americans expect US involvement in Iran to continue for an extended period.

18 Aug 2026 - 4:13AM

US-China relations

Pentagon orders 30 US universities to scrutinise Chinese research ties

Institutions have two weeks to audit foreign collaborations and could be required to terminate partnerships to preserve federal funding.

18 Aug 2026 - 1:10AMvideocam

The Pentagon said universities receiving taxpayer funding must meet strict research-security standards or risk losing future support. Photo: US Department of Defence

United States

Trump threatens to bomb Oman if it gets in way of Iran deal

Trump made the threat while speaking to a Fox News reporter, referring to Iran-Oman talks on control of the Strait of Hormuz.

18 Aug 2026 - 3:12AMvideocam

Vessels are seen anchored off the coast of Muscat, Oman, in June. File photo: Getty Images/TNS

United States

Video | Trump orders Pentagon to scale back military drills with South Korea

US president called the drills costly and said they send a ‘hostile’ message to North Korea.

17 Aug 2026 - 6:46PM

US, Israel war on Iran

USS Lincoln leaders making mental health ‘a priority’: US commander

Family members have said the situation has deteriorated so badly that some sailors have tried to throw themselves overboard.

17 Aug 2026 - 9:00AM

Middle East

Editorial | Saudi Arabia-Turkey-Pakistan pact a sign of a realigning global order

China may view the agreement as an opportunity to expand its own diplomatic and economic influence in the Middle East and South Asia.

17 Aug 2026 - 7:15AM

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (left), Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (centre) and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif meet in Mecca on August 7. Photo: Handout/ Turkish Presidency Press Office/ AFP

Donald Trump

US-South Korea joint military exercises start after Trump orders a scale-back

After South Korea declined to help denuclearise Iran, Trump said the exercises are costly and send a ‘hostile’ signal to North Korea.

17 Aug 2026 - 3:10PM

US President Donald Trump at Morristown Municipal Airport in New Jersey on Sunday. Photo: Getty Images via AFP

War and conflict

Opinion | Chokepoints and the cost of cutting off access

The most dangerous chokepoint may not be the narrowest strait or rarest tech but where the final decision rests with the fewest people.

17 Aug 2026 - 5:30AMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran offers US$30,000 bounty for killing or capturing US soldiers

‘Courageous Iranian women who carry out such an action will receive double the reward,’ said Iran’s army chief Amir Hatami.

17 Aug 2026 - 1:12AMvideocam

Afghanistan

Pakistan border sees 724 humanitarian trucks enter Afghanistan

Nearly 14 million Afghans are facing acute hunger after deadly earthquakes last year, several climate-related disasters this year and the return of millions of refugees.

16 Aug 2026 - 8:03PM

Afghan refugees receive food rations donated by Saudi Arabia, in Kabul on July 30. Photo: EPA-EFE

United States

How US could squeeze Iran with economic isolation – and the risks involved

The Treasury Department is exploring targeting Chinese banks, shadow fleets and exchange houses, but secondary sanctions risk economic blowback.

16 Aug 2026 - 2:52PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran urges Qatar to release pilots shot down in Middle East war

The trio were allegedly captured after their Su-24 fighter jets went down during a sortie to the Gulf state in March.

16 Aug 2026 - 3:07AM

Saudi Arabia

Russia’s role in Middle East politics endures, shifts to being ‘secondary power’

Two Russian military bases will remain in Syria as the region continues to recalibrate its relations with major powers amid the Iran war.

15 Aug 2026 - 1:00PM

A Syrian rebel fighter stands at an inspection checkpoint for incoming vehicles before a Russian flag and Russian soldiers behind manning the entrance of the Russian-leased Syrian military base of Hmeimim in Latakia province in Syria in 2024. Photo: TNS

China-Latin America relations

Rodriguez’s Castro tribute tests Venezuela’s balancing act between US and China

Beijing retains commercial interests in Venezuela even as analysts see Washington curbing its political and strategic influence.

17 Aug 2026 - 10:33PMvideocam

Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodriguez’s tribute to late Cuban leader Fidel Castro drew an angry response from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Photo: AP

US, Israel war on Iran

51st strait? Trump says he’ll soon declare Hormuz to be US territory

The US president said he would do so after Iran was defeated, urging Americans to accept higher fuel prices for now.

15 Aug 2026 - 5:38AM

Malaysia

Malaysian F1 fans vent fury over sales process, organisers cite ‘high traffic’

The Sepang International Circuit is hosting the race for the first time since 2017 as the Bahrain leg was cancelled due to the Iran war.

14 Aug 2026 - 1:54PM

US, Israel war on Iran

US shifts Iran war goal, says cheaper oil for Americans is top priority

In a bid to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Treasury Secretary Bessent threatened to subject Tehran to unprecedented economic sanctions.

14 Aug 2026 - 12:15PMvideocam

A customer refuels his van at a petrol station in Boothwyn, Pennsylvania, last month. Photo: AFP

United States

Cramped, stressed, food shortages: life aboard Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier

The Lincoln faces multiple problems, including suicide attempts aboard the ship, due to a lengthy time at sea.

14 Aug 2026 - 10:46AM

The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln sails in support of the “Operation Epic Fury” attack on Iran from an undisclosed location on March 3. Photo: US Navy/Reuters

Middle East

Opinion | How Mecca defence pact changes China’s calculations in the Middle East

Defence pact between Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan presents a complex strategic calculus for Beijing, demanding a masterclass in balance.

14 Aug 2026 - 7:43AM

US, Israel war on Iran

New aircraft carrier heads to Mideast amid concerns over USS Abraham Lincoln

Reports have emerged about mental health and supply issues on the current ship after a long deployment in support of the Iran war.

14 Aug 2026 - 4:57AM

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Iran

Wang Yi heads to Seoul as Trump cuts South Korea drills, opening door for China

Experts say US decision causes disquiet among regional partners and hands China a strategic opening to dilute US regional partnerships.

Iran conflict boosts appeal of Arctic short cut for Asia-Europe ships

‘We’ll die of hunger’: Iran’s fishermen risk all in Hormuz’s shadow of conflict

China trims US Treasury holdings amid Iran war, Fed uncertainty

Beijing cuts exposure to US debt to US$633.4 billion, official data shows, amid broader diversification push.

Trump’s decision to scale back South Korea drills ‘makes no sense’

The decision threatens to undermine the South Koreans and Japanese, unnerve Nato and embolden the Chinese and North Koreans, one expert says.

US diesel crack surpasses US$100 a barrel for first time on supply disruptions

Supplies are under strain from wars in Iran and Ukraine, and US ⁠threats against Chinese imports of Iranian oil could make matters worse.

Trump lets 60-day deadline for Iran peace deal expire, threatens to ‘bomb’ Oman

US president also announces US to reduce military drills with South Korea; cites ‘good relationship’ with North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un.

.css-1f6sr3w{color:#727272;}Exclusive | Claims Hegseth close to exit raise questions over future US-China defence ties

Donald Trump is losing patience with the Pentagon chief because of the stalled Iran war, according to several sources.

Trump approval rating falls to 33%, lowest of his presidency, poll finds

The poll by Reuters/Ipsos also found that 80 per cent of Americans expect US involvement in Iran to continue for an extended period.

Pentagon orders 30 US universities to scrutinise Chinese research ties

Institutions have two weeks to audit foreign collaborations and could be required to terminate partnerships to preserve federal funding.

Trump threatens to bomb Oman if it gets in way of Iran deal

Trump made the threat while speaking to a Fox News reporter, referring to Iran-Oman talks on control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Video | Trump orders Pentagon to scale back military drills with South Korea

US president called the drills costly and said they send a ‘hostile’ message to North Korea.

USS Lincoln leaders making mental health ‘a priority’: US commander

Family members have said the situation has deteriorated so badly that some sailors have tried to throw themselves overboard.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Editorial | Saudi Arabia-Turkey-Pakistan pact a sign of a realigning global order

China may view the agreement as an opportunity to expand its own diplomatic and economic influence in the Middle East and South Asia.

US-South Korea joint military exercises start after Trump orders a scale-back

After South Korea declined to help denuclearise Iran, Trump said the exercises are costly and send a ‘hostile’ signal to North Korea.

Opinion | Chokepoints and the cost of cutting off access

The most dangerous chokepoint may not be the narrowest strait or rarest tech but where the final decision rests with the fewest people.

Iran offers US$30,000 bounty for killing or capturing US soldiers

‘Courageous Iranian women who carry out such an action will receive double the reward,’ said Iran’s army chief Amir Hatami.

Pakistan border sees 724 humanitarian trucks enter Afghanistan

Nearly 14 million Afghans are facing acute hunger after deadly earthquakes last year, several climate-related disasters this year and the return of millions of refugees.

How US could squeeze Iran with economic isolation – and the risks involved

The Treasury Department is exploring targeting Chinese banks, shadow fleets and exchange houses, but secondary sanctions risk economic blowback.

Iran urges Qatar to release pilots shot down in Middle East war

The trio were allegedly captured after their Su-24 fighter jets went down during a sortie to the Gulf state in March.

Russia’s role in Middle East politics endures, shifts to being ‘secondary power’

Two Russian military bases will remain in Syria as the region continues to recalibrate its relations with major powers amid the Iran war.

Rodriguez’s Castro tribute tests Venezuela’s balancing act between US and China

Beijing retains commercial interests in Venezuela even as analysts see Washington curbing its political and strategic influence.

51st strait? Trump says he’ll soon declare Hormuz to be US territory

The US president said he would do so after Iran was defeated, urging Americans to accept higher fuel prices for now.

Malaysian F1 fans vent fury over sales process, organisers cite ‘high traffic’

The Sepang International Circuit is hosting the race for the first time since 2017 as the Bahrain leg was cancelled due to the Iran war.

US shifts Iran war goal, says cheaper oil for Americans is top priority

In a bid to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Treasury Secretary Bessent threatened to subject Tehran to unprecedented economic sanctions.

Cramped, stressed, food shortages: life aboard Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier

The Lincoln faces multiple problems, including suicide attempts aboard the ship, due to a lengthy time at sea.

Opinion | How Mecca defence pact changes China’s calculations in the Middle East

Defence pact between Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan presents a complex strategic calculus for Beijing, demanding a masterclass in balance.

New aircraft carrier heads to Mideast amid concerns over USS Abraham Lincoln

Reports have emerged about mental health and supply issues on the current ship after a long deployment in support of the Iran war.

Exclusive | Claims Hegseth close to exit raise questions over future US-China defence ties

Editorial | Saudi Arabia-Turkey-Pakistan pact a sign of a realigning global order