April, 2026

• 17 April

  Three Scenarios for the Gulf States After the Iran War

  

  Amid a tenuous U.S.-Iran ceasefire, Arab Gulf monarchies are aiming to project strength. “We prevailed through an epic national defense . . . in the face of treacherous aggression,” Emirati diplomatic adviser Anwar Gargash wrote on X. Saudi-owned newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat emphasized the kingdom’s “intensive political consultations” with regional countries …

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• 17 April

  Iran Update Special Report, April 16, 2026

  

  Key Takeaways The main sticking point in current US-Iran negotiations is reportedly Iran’s enrichment of uranium and its highly enriched uranium stockpile. The IRGC appears to be playing an outsized role in Iranian decision-making in these negotiations, traditionally meant for civilian leadership. Iran appears to have not compromised on its …

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• 17 April

  How Likely Is It That Russia Attacks The Foreign Companies Supplying Ukraine With Drones?

  

  Typically cautious Putin isn’t going to risk World War III over foreign drone companies when he wouldn’t risk it after Ukraine attacked his country’s nuclear triad with Western support last summer. Former Russian President and incumbent Deputy Chair of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev warned on X that “Russian Defense …

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• 17 April

  Magyar’s Pragmatic Conservatism — Hungary’s Return to Europe, on Its Own Terms

  

  A post‑Orbán reset is coming, but Péter Magyar’s nationalism tempers his pro‑EU signals; expect cooperation on Ukraine and security, and resistance on cultural and sovereignty issues. The Hungarian vote mattered far beyond Budapest: it would reshape EU unity on sanctions, funding, and enlargement; decide whether a NATO member remained a …

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• 17 April

  Ce que les bombes ne peuvent pas tuer – Partie III : Le monde en flammes et les questions qui demeurent

  

  La guerre du mondeNous sommes au printemps 2026. Depuis le 28 février, l’Iran fait face à ce que Washington appelle l’opération Fureur épique et Tel-Aviv l’opération Lion rugissant. Une coalition militaire américano-israélienne d’une ampleur sans précédent depuis la Seconde Guerre mondiale : des frappes sur les installations nucléaires de Natanz, …

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• 17 April

  Iran war and the new world order

  

  Trump’s war on Iran hasn’t just redrawn battle lines; it has fractured the very architecture of the post-Second World War global order: a transatlantic alliance pushed beyond limits and internally too fractured to be repaired, a rapidly remade Middle East, shifting rules of global oil transit, and a stark exposure …

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• 17 April

  Intelligence reveals key figures in Hezbollah finance network

  

  As war rages in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, Western intelligence agencies are fighting to cut off the Iran-backed militia, whose military wing is designated a terrorist organisation by the EU while several member states have banned the organisation entirely. A recent Western intelligence report seen by Euractiv details Hezbollah’s …

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• 17 April

  US hosts rare Israel-Lebanon talks, progress unclear

  

  The U.S. State Department released a statement after the meeting saying the two sides had “productive discussions on steps toward launching direct negotiations.” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted the first direct talks between Israel and Lebanon in decades on ​Tuesday and both sides said they held positive discussions …

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• 17 April

  IEA FM discusses recent Kabul–Islamabad talks in China with Saudi ambassador

  

  Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, and Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Kabul, Faisal bin Talq Al-Baqmi, discussed regional developments and recent talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan held in the Chinese city of Urumqi during a meeting on Wednesday. According to a statement …

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• 17 April

  How much will US Hormuz blockade hurt Iran, and does Tehran have an escape?

  

  Iran earned nearly $5bn in oil exports in the past month while it shut the strait for most other ships. That revenue is at risk. The United States naval blockade of Iran has come into effect as President Donald Trump’s administration tries to pressure Tehran into accepting its terms for …

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