<p>The Middle East and North Africa is the world&#39;s crossroads. It encompasses the Arabian Peninsula, the mountains of Iran, the plains of Turkey, the deserts of the Levant, the lands north of the Sahara and all coasts in between. The story of the region, as is so often the case of places stuck between foreign players, is the story of trade, exchange and conflict. The traditional powers of the region are Turkey and Iran &mdash; Saudi Arabia and Egypt are the current Arab powers &mdash; and their competition for influence over the region&#39;s weaker states makes the Middle East and North Africa an arena of violence and instability.</p>

The Middle East and North Africa encompasses the Arabian Peninsula, the mountains of Iran, the plains of Turkey, the deserts of the Levant, the lands north of the Sahara and all coasts in between.

Middle East and North Africa

Algeria

Bahrain

Egypt

Iran

Iraq

Israel

Jordan

Kuwait

Lebanon

Libya

Morocco

Oman

Palestinian Territories

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Syria

Tunisia

Turkey

United Arab Emirates

Western Sahara

Yemen

The Syrian Civil War

The Yemen Civil War

The Libyan Civil War

The Fight Against the Islamic State

The Saudi Survival Strategy

The Kurdish Struggle

Iran's Arc of Influence

Israel's Survival Strategy

The Difficulties of North African Reform

Egypt's Uphill Battle

The Battle for Mosul

Assessments

United States

Iraqi women light candles in memory of the victims of the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran and Lebanon during a rally in Baghdad's Tahrir Square on April 2, 2026.

Economics

Energy

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Politics

Violent spillover from the Iran war will further complicate Iraq's government formation process, while disrupted oil exports will heavily strain Baghdad's finances and raise the risk of unrest.

Iraq Is Caught in the Crossfire of Another Destabilizing War

Snapshots

Nepal

Rastriya Swatantra Party leader Balendra Shah is sworn in as Nepal's new prime minister in Kathmandu on March 27, 2026.

Global Trade

Prolonged global supply chain disruptions and threats to foreign remittances linked to the war will constrain the new administration's ability to deliver on its economic promises.


New Nepalese Government's Agenda Threatened by Iran War Fallout

U.S.-Iran Relations

Columns

On Geopolitics

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The Geopolitics of Natural Resources

Environment, Science & Technology

As competition for natural resources and critical raw materials intensifies, companies -- not just countries -- must be more mindful of risks in their physical supply chains.

The Geopolitics of Natural Resources: An Introduction

Houthi loyalists chant slogans on March 27, 2026, in Sanaa, Yemen, as they participate in a protest staged to show support for Iran in its ongoing war against the United States and Israel.

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis will likely progressively expand their target set beyond Israel if the war intensifies, raising the risk of more economically disruptive attacks on regional shipping and energy infrastructure.

The Implications of the Houthis Joining the Iran War

Cyber

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Social Issues

The second quarter will test global resilience as lingering conflicts and energy shocks converge to heighten economic uncertainty and geopolitical volatility.

2026 Second-Quarter Forecast: An Excerpt

Cuba

China

Russia

People on March 15 in Tehran, Iran, clean up rubble from a missile attack. The Iran war will almost certainly continue through the next week amid Israeli threats to escalate and expand strikes due to Iranian attacks targeting Israeli civilians and the U.S. deployment of additional military assets to the region.

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: The Iran War Continues, a European Parliament Delegation Visits China

Media

Podcasts

How will the trajectory of China-U.S. trade conversations change in light of conflict in the Middle East?

The Decision Advantage: The Impact of the Iran War on the Asia-Pacific Region

Cars drive past a gas station in Ponte Leccia on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica on March 26, 2026. 

To address Iran-related energy disruptions, the European Union will likely opt for a patchwork of national relief measures, rather than a more comprehensive market intervention.

How the EU Is Responding to Its Latest Energy Crisis

The Burj Khalifa skyscraper (L) and the Burj al-Arab hotel (R) on March 11 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. With further Iranian provocation, several Gulf Cooperation Council states would be willing to join the war against Iran, but doing so would likely deepen Iran's targeting of their critical infrastructure, exacerbate the globally disruptive impacts of the war and potentially pull the GCC into a permanently hostile relationship with Iran.

Joining in could deepen Iran's targeting of GCC critical infrastructure, exacerbate the globally disruptive impacts of the war and pull the bloc into a permanently hostile relationship with Iran.

Will the Gulf States Join the Iran War, and What Would Happen if They Did?

India

A medicine distributor stores Mounjaro (tirzepatide) self-injecting GLP-1 prefilled pens and vials in a fridge at his office in Thane, India, on March 20, 2026. 

India's pharmaceutical and medical technology sectors are set to grow significantly over the next several years amid manufacturing incentives, regulatory reforms and trade deals.

The Growth Outlook for India's Pharmaceutical Sector Remains Strong, Despite Global Uncertainties

Iran's deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, said Iran was drafting a protocol to oversee the Strait of Hormuz along with Oman, even during peacetime, though there are few available details of what this protocol would entail, The New York Times reported on April 2.

Iran: Tehran Preparing Protocol for Overseeing Strait of Hormuz 

Israel resumed operations at the Leviathan gas field -- Israel's largest -- for the first time since Israel's energy minister ordered the field to suspend operations due to security risks caused by the Feb. 28 start of the Iran conflict, Bloomberg reported on April 3. 

Israel, Egypt: Israel Resumes Operations at Leviathan Gas Field, Restarting Exports to Egypt 

The Palestinian militant group Hamas continues to insist on a guarantee that Israeli troops will withdraw from Gaza before disarmament talks proceed, reinforcing the group's long-standing demand that Israel eventually abandon Gaza in order to end the nearly three-year-old war, Reuters reported on April 2.

Israel, Gaza: Hamas Wants Israeli Troops To Withdraw Before Disarmament

The U.S. military attacked Iran's B1 bridge, which connects Tehran with a suburb and was allegedly used to transport missiles, resulting in its partial collapse and reportedly killing eight people, Axios reported on April 2.

U.S., Iran: U.S. Attacks Iranian Bridge, Iran Hits Oracle Data Center in Dubai

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom hosted virtual talks with representatives from more than 40 countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Canada and the United Arab Emirates, to begin forming a coalition aimed at restoring navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, the BBC reported on April 2.

Europe, Iran: U.K. Hosts Broad Coalition Talks To Explore Reopening Strait of Hormuz

Global oil prices surged after U.S. President Donald Trump's April 1 prime-time national address, during which he said the United States would hit Iran hard over the next two to three weeks, Bloomberg reported on April 2.

U.S.: Oil Prices Surge Following Trump's Prime-Time Address

Japan

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi had decided to dispatch Japan's navy to the Strait of Hormuz to join a U.S.-led escort mission, until close advisor Imai Takaya dissuaded her from doing so prior to her March 18-20 trip to Washington, according to Japanese tabloid Sentaku's April issue.

Japan: Takaichi Nearly Dispatched Navy to Strait of Hormuz, Sentaku Claims

U.S. President Donald Trump said in an April 1 interview with The Telegraph that he is strongly considering withdrawing the United States from NATO after allies declined to support U.S. military action against Iran.

NATO: Trump Threatens U.S. Withdrawal From NATO Amid European Resistance to Assist Iran Operations

Middle East and North Africa

SITUATION REPORTS

Iran: Tehran Preparing Protocol for Overseeing Strait of Hormuz

Israel, Egypt: Israel Resumes Operations at Leviathan Gas Field, Restarting Exports to Egypt

Israel, Gaza: Hamas Wants Israeli Troops To Withdraw Before Disarmament

U.S., Iran: U.S. Attacks Iranian Bridge, Iran Hits Oracle Data Center in Dubai

Europe, Iran: U.K. Hosts Broad Coalition Talks To Explore Reopening Strait of Hormuz

U.S.: Oil Prices Surge Following Trump's Prime-Time Address

Japan: Takaichi Nearly Dispatched Navy to Strait of Hormuz, Sentaku Claims

NATO: Trump Threatens U.S. Withdrawal From NATO Amid European Resistance to Assist Iran Operations

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