Middle East
Regional politics, escalation risk, energy pressure, and security decisions across the Middle East.
19 Reports
How Christian Zionists Came to Shape American Foreign Policy on Israel
Inside the evangelical movement that, more than AIPAC, drives US policy on Israel, Jerusalem, and the West Bank, and the cracks now forming in it.
Who Profits From the Iran War: Inside the Trades That Cashed In Early
Anonymous traders made millions betting on the Iran war's twists. How the bets worked, why they look like insider trading, and what regulators can do.
Lebanon Finally Broke With Hezbollah. An Israeli Invasion Could Undo It
Lebanon turned on Hezbollah after years of war, collapse, and corruption. An Israeli invasion could hand the group the one thing it has lacked: a reason to exist.
The Iranian Regime is Badly Wounded. Will It Be Enough?
Tehran has lost proxies, deterrent credibility, and strategic patience. Loss of capacity is not the same as loss of control.
The Middle East's Looming Water Crisis: Desalination, Drought, and War
Climate change and a widening war over Iran are pushing the Middle East's fragile water supply toward a breaking point. Here is why it matters.
Could the Shah Return? Reza Pahlavi and the Fight to Replace Iran's Islamic Republic
With Khamenei dead and protests sweeping Iran, exiled prince Reza Pahlavi is suddenly a serious option. But can a transition survive the Revolutionary Guards?
Qatar's LNG Halt: How the Iran War Triggered a Global Energy Crisis
Qatar's force majeure on liquefied natural gas pulled a fifth of global supply offline, sending gas prices soaring and exposing how fragile the LNG market really is.
The Ayatollah Is Dead: Who Will Replace Iran's Supreme Leader?
With Ayatollah Khamenei killed in a US-Israeli strike, Iran faces a perilous succession. Here are the contenders to lead a regime fighting for survival.
Was Epstein a Russian Asset? What the Files Reveal About His Spy-World Ties
The Epstein files name Russia, Israel, the UAE and the CIA. The likeliest answer isn't one handler — it's a man too valuable for any agency to ignore.
Could Negotiations Save the Iranian Regime?
A deal would buy Tehran time and a pause in the bleeding. The harder question is what it would cost on the inside.
Who Could Replace Iran's Ayatollah? The Contenders to Lead Tehran
With Iran's Supreme Leader dead and the country at war, an interim council rules Tehran while clerics, sons, and the Larijani brothers vie to succeed him.
Chaos Is Iran's New Normal: Inside a Regime Ruling by Fear
After the deadliest crackdown in its 47-year history, Iran's government has restored quiet but not stability. Why the Islamic Republic is in deep trouble.