July 13, 2026
The region enters a fragile pause — with diplomacy, deterrence and nuclear risk back at the center
After months of crisis in the Middle East, France is looking to build its influence in the region by strengthening relations with Oman – a small country long seen as a quiet, neutral regional player. On his first state visit to France, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq and French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday announced a string of major contracts for French companies.
US President Donald Trump said Monday it should be "mandatory" for countries including Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt and Jordan to join the Abraham Accords normalising ties with Israel as part of any agreement to end the war with Iran, in a move that could further complicate negotiations with Tehran.
The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia in April secretly carried out a series of air strikes against Iran during the US-Israeli war against Tehran, the Wall Street Journal and Reuters reported this week. Analysts say these raids – which neither country has confirmed – would have been clandestine counterattacks following Tehran’s drone and missile strikes against Gulf state infrastructure.
Wanting to avoid being drawn into the US's blockade of the key shipping route, Macron and Starmer aim to establish a multilateral and 'strictly defensive' plan to secure the Strait of Hormuz.
Gulf energy exporters worry Iran could escalate and close the Bab al-Mandeb, the main exit route for bottlenecked Persian Gulf oil.
Mediators are racing to solidify a fragile agreement with a lot of moving parts
New York (AFP) – Global stock markets mostly retreated Tuesday as investors braced for US President Donald Trump's looming deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face devastating attacks.
Pakistan's proposal comes after Trump says Iran's 'whole civilization will die tonight' unless strait reopened
An F-15E fighter and an A-10 attack plane were downed in two separate incidents on Friday, media reports say
US President Donald Trump is reportedly considering a military mission to seize Iranian uranium that has been enriched to 60 percent. But while some might view such a plan as offering a quick win, others warn that it could be "one of the most risky and difficult operations the US military has undertaken since the Second World War".
The authorities have made a wave of arrests to stop people posting footage of strikes, citing security risks. Experts also see a fear of damage to the countries’ image as safe havens.
