<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

Snapshots

United States

An Iranian woman walks past a mural depicting Iran and the United States at the negotiation table, painted on the outer walls of the former U.S. embassy in Tehran, on Feb. 6, 2026.

Economics

Energy

Military & Security

While the deal will reduce the immediate threat of renewed conflict, shipping through Hormuz will likely resume only gradually amid the risk that talks stall, flare-ups resume and vessels face renewed harassment.

U.S.-Iran Deal Pauses Conflict, but the Path to Peace Remains Fraught

U.S.-Iran Relations

Assessments

Europe

France

United Kingdom

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a meeting with leaders of the G7 Engagement Groups ahead of the upcoming G7 summit at the Elysee Palace in Paris on June 10, 2026. 

Politics

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

The Weekly Rundown: U.S.-Iran Talks Continue, France Hosts G7 Summit

U.S. President Donald Trump holds a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago club on Dec. 29, 2025, in Palm Beach, Florida. 

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Declining public approval and notable primary losses for traditional pro-Israel lawmakers suggest that a future U.S. Congress will increasingly push for military assistance to be conditioned.

U.S.-Israeli Ties Likely To Continue Cooling as Public Opinion Sours

The ousted chair of Turkey's opposition Republican People’s Party, Ozgur Ozel, addresses lawmakers during his party's group meeting in the Turkish parliament on June 2, 2026, in Ankara, Turkey. 

Turkey's main opposition party will struggle to gain traction amid legal battle and deepening internal divisions, freeing up the ruling party to consider returning to more unorthodox economic policies ahead of the 2028 election.

Turkey's Opposition Struggles To Stay United in the Face of Legal Strife

Members of Saraya al-Salam gather during a ceremony in the city of Samarra on June 4, 2026, marking their separation from the Sadrist movement and their integration into the Iraqi security forces.

Several militant factions have recently expressed a desire to integrate into Iraq's government structures, but more hard-line groups are unlikely to follow suit without Iran's approval.

Iraq's Push To Disarm Iranian-Backed Militias Will Have Only Partial Success

Columns

On Geopolitics

A 3D satellite-style visualization of the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf.

As the Iran war drags on, the Strait of Hormuz is increasingly likely to remain closed for an extended period.

Will the Strait of Hormuz Remain Closed Until 2027?

People pass by a building in Ramat Gan, Israel, that was destroyed by an Iranian ballistic missile on May 5, 2026. 

Recent direct strikes between Israel and Iran did not immediately collapse the regional truce, but recurrent tit-for-tat escalations would reduce the chance of an agreement between Washington and Tehran.

Iran-Israel Escalation Threatens Negotiations To End Iran War

Media

Podcasts

Will the United States continue to pay the "blood and treasure" tax to subsidize global energy security, or is the Hormuz war the catalyst for a fundamental retrenchment?

The Decision Advantage: What the Hormuz War Means for U.S. Grand Strategy

Peru

China

North Korea

Armenia

Russia

A banner depicting the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on June 3 in Tehran. There will be an elevated risk of sporadic U.S.-Iran clashes over the next week, as no signs of a diplomatic breakthrough in U.S.-Iran negotiations on a memorandum of understanding have emerged.

The Weekly Rundown: Armenian Elections, Xi Goes to North Korea

Smoke rises following Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon as seen from a position across the border in the Upper Galilee in northern Israel on May 31, 2026.

Should Israel-Lebanon talks stall, the U.S. would be more likely to greenlight a broader campaign against Hezbollah, though it could also pressure Israel into a more comprehensive truce if Trump deems it necessary for an Iran deal.

U.S. Mediation Unlikely To Lead to Lasting Israel-Hezbollah Ceasefire

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel would remain in southern Lebanon, Gaza and Syria, despite the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding, while far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said the MoU would not bind Israeli policies, The Times of Israel reported on June 15.

Israel: Israel Vows To Keep Fighting, Despite U.S.-Iran Ceasefire

Oil benchmarks Brent and WTI fell by about 5% in trading on June 15, with WTI briefly falling below $80 per barrel for the first time since March, after the announcement of the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding that extends their ceasefire by 60 days and removes restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. 

Global: U.S.-Iran Deal Provides Relief for Global Energy Markets, Even If Recovery Is Slow

Eritrea

Ethiopia

Director General of Ethiopia's National Intelligence and Security Service Redwan Hussein and former chief of Tigray's interim regional administration Getachew Reda accused the Tigray People's Liberation Front, or TPLF, of planning to launch an offensive against pro-government forces with the support of Eritrea "in the coming days" in a June 11 op-ed published by Al Jazeera.

Ethiopia: Intelligence Chief, Former Tigray Administrator Accuse TPLF of Planning Offensive in 'Coming Days'

U.S. President Donald Trump said in a June 11 Truth Social post that Iranian leaders had approved the discussion of a U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding and that the time and place for signing it would be announced soon, though he added that the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports would remain in place until the agreement was finalized.

U.S., Iran: Trump Claims MoU Deal Is Near Despite Iranian Denial

U.S. President Donald Trump said in a June 11 Truth Social post that the United States would hit Iran "VERY HARD TONIGHT" and claimed the United States would take Kharg Island and other energy infrastructure in the near future.

U.S., Iran: Trump Vows Additional Attacks on Iran After Latest U.S.-Iran Exchange

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman lifted a ban on Lebanese imports, with the Saudi press agency noting "positive steps" in Lebanon's institutional reorganization, The National reported on June 11.

Saudi Arabia, Lebanon: Riyadh Ends Trade Ban in Boon to Lebanese Agriculture

Egyptian Minister of ​Petroleum Karim Badawi announced that Egypt had cleared its outstanding international oil and gas arrears, aligning with previous government projections for finalizing the payment, Reuters reported on June 10.

Egypt: Cairo Fully Repays Outstanding Foreign Oil and Gas Arrears

U.S. President Donald Trump wrote in a June 10 Truth Social post that Iranian officials had "taken too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them, now they will have to pay the price!!!" and threatened to order attacks on Iranian power plants and bridges.

U.S., Iran: Trump Escalates Rhetoric After U.S.-Iran Clashes

Middle East and North Africa

SITUATION REPORTS

Israel: Israel Vows To Keep Fighting, Despite U.S.-Iran Ceasefire

Global: U.S.-Iran Deal Provides Relief for Global Energy Markets, Even If Recovery Is Slow

Ethiopia: Intelligence Chief, Former Tigray Administrator Accuse TPLF of Planning Offensive in 'Coming Days'

U.S., Iran: Trump Claims MoU Deal Is Near Despite Iranian Denial

U.S., Iran: Trump Vows Additional Attacks on Iran After Latest U.S.-Iran Exchange

Saudi Arabia, Lebanon: Riyadh Ends Trade Ban in Boon to Lebanese Agriculture

Egypt: Cairo Fully Repays Outstanding Foreign Oil and Gas Arrears

U.S., Iran: Trump Escalates Rhetoric After U.S.-Iran Clashes

Forecasts

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