Neil Quilliam

The hot and dusty city streets were bathed in decorative green light to celebrate National Day, as hundreds of electronic billboards projected the sword and script of the Saudi flag, shown fluttering as if caught in a breeze

Saudi Arabia has largely been on its own in confronting the Iranian-backed rebels, who rapidly captured more territory in Yemen over the past week and strengthened their ability to choke off Saudi oil exports out of the Red Sea

But while Houthi forces have successfully pushed into coastal territories, seizing the Greater and Lesser Hanish islands and Mayyun Island, retaining these gains presents a deeply complex challenge

He sees the Trump administration’s new sanctions strategy toward Iran as an attempt to seek economic leverage where military force has so far failed to produce any results

Scott Bessent: an economic D-Day is coming for Iran

A small boat sails past cargo ships and other commercial vessels anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran

Trump declared the embattled waterway as new US territory as he insisted it was ‘open and operating’ earlier this week

US fears emerging deal could legitimise Iran’s control over shipping through Hormuz

Regional defence pacts and Houthi attacks deepen Gulf security and market jitters

The news injected fresh uncertainty into negotiations that President Donald Trump previously described positively

More than 30 islands dot Iran’s southern coast, stretching into the Persian Gulf and forming a defensive arc around the Strait of Hormuz

Shipping dwindles, India bars seafarers and Pakistan pushes for renewed diplomacy

Overnight on July 13th Iranian missiles hit two tankers from the United Arab Emirates as they transited Hormuz, killing one sailor

The future of the global economy once again rests on an 100-mile strip of water sandwiched between the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman

The model is based on voluntary contributions to fund navigational services rather than compulsory transit tolls

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, on Saturday met to discuss arrangements for naval passage through the Strait of Hormuz under the US-Iran memorandum, IRNA reported

Following US President Donald Trump's remarks on Friday regarding his openness to continuing talks with Iran despite the recent surge in hostilities between the two countries, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson warned of “reciprocal action” against any breach of commitments by Washington DC

The Philippines on Saturday called on the United States and Iran to exercise restraint and resume diplomatic talks after renewed hostilities shattered a ceasefire, raising fears of wider instability in the Gulf and threatening one of the world's most critical shipping lanes

Iran denies direct talks, accepts Qatari mediation for discussions

The model is based on voluntary contributions to fund navigational services rather than compulsory transit tolls

Uncertainty continues to surround the proposed US-Iran peace deal as analysts and officials question whether it will hold beyond the expected signing on 19 June

As recently as last week prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu outlined four elements Israel wanted to be included in the deal: removal of enriched uranium; dismantling of enrichment infrastructure; limits on missile production; and an end to Iranian support for regional proxies

As the landscape of Middle East diplomacy shifts following a newly announced US-led agreement with Tehran, Israel is signalling a defiant and assertive security posture

The Middle East is witnessing parallel developments of diplomatic efforts and renewed military confrontation as tensions between the United States and Iran escalate once again

Trump muses if he should ‌endorse Vance or Rubio for 2028

President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly threatened military action against Iran during what is now a 42-day ceasefire, met with his national security team Monday night after calling off another planned strike, Axios reported Tuesday

Smaller supply share tests OPEC’s ability to steer prices beyond 2026

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has officially declared its decision to withdraw from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and the broader OPEC+ alliance, with the exit taking effect on May 1, 2026

Iran Warns To Disrupt Gulf Trade: Tensions escalated sharply in the Gulf on Wednesday after Iran warned it could disrupt regional trade routes if the United States does not ease its naval blockade of Iranian ports

US president Donald Trump has declared the Strait of Hormuz 'permanently open' despite his ongoing naval blockade amid growing concerns from China

US president Donald Trump has declared the Strait of Hormuz 'permanently open' despite his ongoing naval blockade amid growing concerns from China

Trump Hormuz Blockade Risks Showdown With China Before Xi Summit

U.S. President Donald Trump announced the blockade on Sunday after weekend peace talks in Islamabad between the U.S. and Iran failed to reach a deal

The statement came hours after the U.S. military's Central Command announced the blockade of all vessels entering or exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas would take effect at 10 a.m. EDT

As Tehran places its naval forces on maximum alert and Washington hardens its stance following failed talks in Islamabad, the risk of direct confrontation is rising

That’s why President Donald Trump has given Iran until Tuesday to allow all vessels through the key waterway — or face strikes on critical infrastructure, as fuel costs climb worldwide

As Washington finds itself entangled in another Middle Eastern quagmire, reports suggest that US President Donald Trump’s administration is increasingly in need of a political off-ramp

Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 rose nearly 1.1% to 53,692.42 in morning trading

The Iranian hardliners running Tehran since Donald Trump killed the ayatollah are now ramping up calls to build a nuclear bomb as the regime claims it has one million fighters on stand-by for a US ground invasion

U.S. President Donald Trump is seen speaking during a Cabinet meeting and is flanked by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth

An Iranian missile hit Franky’s town of Arad, hours after another struck Dimona — home to a nuclear facility — wounding dozens and leaving entire residential blocks with heavy damage

Trump threatened to hit Iranian power plants if the strait wasn't opened within 48 hours

Tehran under fire as Israel responds to missile threats

The White House has convinced Israel not to attack South Pars gas field again—so long as Tehran does not target Qatar

The International Energy Agency (IEA) responded on Wednesday by announcing the largest coordinated release of strategic petroleum reserves in its history

International oil markets turned highly volatile this week as escalating Middle East tensions rattled global supply expectations

With Tokyo and Beijing still at loggerheads over Taiwan, analysts warn Japan’s decision exposes its economic vulnerability

Relentless attacks on tankers in the Persian Gulf have caused oil prices to skyrocket above $100 a barrel as Tehran attempts to block passage through the critical waterway

Two days after Operation Epic Fury was launched on February 28, Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed

Iranian explosive-laden boats appear to have attacked two fuel tankers in Iraqi waters

Iran‘s unrelenting attacks on shipping traffic and energy infrastructure in the Persian Gulf pushed oil back above US$100 a barrel on Thursday, as American and Israeli strikes pounded the Islamic Republic with no sign of an end to the war in sight

It comes as Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei vowed to keep blocking the Strait of Hormuz in his first public statement on Thursday

It comes as Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei vowed to keep blocking the Strait of Hormuz in his first public statement on Thursday

It comes as Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei vowed to keep blocking the Strait of Hormuz in his first public statement on Thursday

Iranian explosive-laden boats appear to have attacked two fuel tankers in Iraqi waters

Iran export hub handles most crude shipments, making markets highly sensitive to risk