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U.S.-Iran Relations

The United Kingdom, France and Germany -- collectively known as the E3 --== launched the process to reimpose United Nations sanctions on Iran that were removed as part of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action deal using the snapback sanctions mechanism, Reuters reported Aug. 28. 

Iran: Germany, France, U.K. Launch Snapback Sanction Mechanism on Iran

Australia

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Politics

Australia expelled Iran's ambassador and three other senior diplomats and designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization after the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) determined that Tehran orchestrated at least two arson attacks targeting the Jewish community in Sydney and Melbourne in late 2024, The Australian Financial Review reported Aug. 26.

Australia, Iran: Canberra Expels Iranian Ambassador Over Alleged Links to Antisemitic Attacks

Energy

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will meet with officials from France, Germany and the United Kingdom, known collectively as the E3, during the week of Aug. 24-30 to discuss nuclear negotiations and sanctions, Reuters reported on Aug. 22. 

Iran: Tehran To Discuss Nuclear, Sanctions Issues With Germany, France, U.K.

South Africa

South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation publicly rebuked South African National Defense Force Chief Rudzani Maphwanya for making pro-Iranian comments at a meeting with senior Iranian military officials in Tehran, Daily Maverick reported on Aug. 13.

South Africa: Army Chief's Pro-Iran Comments Hint at Emerging Politicization of Security Apparatus  

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi conditioned the resumption of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks on a U.S. guarantee that Iran would not be attacked in the middle of negotiations if they resumed and called for financial compensation for the damage incurred during the June U.S. attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities, The Financial Times reported July 30.

Iran, U.S.: Iran Seeks Compensation and Security Assurances Before Rejoining Nuclear Talks

Diplomats from Iran, France, Germany and the United Kingdom met in Istanbul, Turkey, on July 25 and agreed to continue talks at a later, unspecified date, but they did not reach a breakthrough on the nuclear issue or sanctions, Bloomberg reported the same day.

Iran, EU: Meeting on Iran's Nuclear Program Yields No Breakthroughs, No Collapse

Cyber

An Iranian-linked ransomware group is offering large financial payouts to affiliates that target Israeli and U.S. organizations, according to a new report by Israeli-based cybersecurity company Morphisec published on July 8.

Cyberspace: Iranian-Linked Ransomware Group Offers High Payout To Target Israeli, U.S. Entities

Ethiopia

Nigeria

Uganda

Brazil

Cuba

United Arab Emirates

China

Indonesia

Malaysia

Thailand

Vietnam

Uzbekistan

Belarus

Kazakhstan

Russia

India

BRICS+ leaders gathered in Brazil for the bloc's 17th summit and issued a joint statement defending multilateralism, calling for U.N. reform and supporting Russia's and Iran's positions in ongoing conflicts, g1 reported on July 6.

BRICS+: Bloc Increasingly Leans Away From West, but Avoids Picking Fights With U.S.

Assessments

South Korea

Taiwan

The Maanshan nuclear power plant is seen next to a beach in Pingtung, in southern Taiwan, on April 29, 2025.

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

The Weekly Rundown: Iran Meets With European Powers, Taiwan Holds a Nuclear Referendum

Armenia

Azerbaijan

U.S. President Donald Trump (center), Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev (left) and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (right) hold up an agreement signed during a ceremony at the White House on Aug. 8, 2025.

The deal sidelines Russia and Iran while establishing a U.S. commercial presence in the South Caucasus, but it will remain fragile due to unresolved security guarantees and implementation challenges.

What To Make of the U.S.-Brokered Peace Deal Between Armenia and Azerbaijan

Iraq

Turkey

Iraq and Turkey's flags together on a textile cloth fabric 

Turkey is repositioning itself in Iraq by replacing its security-heavy posture with a push for economic and energy integration, signaling Ankara's long-term ambitions to become a regional power broker as U.S. and Iranian influence wanes.

Turkey Shifts Iraq Strategy Amid Waning U.S. and Iranian Influence

Media

Bahrain

Kuwait

Oman

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Podcasts

How have Gulf Arab states' positions on the Israel-Iran conflict evolved?

Essential Geopolitics: The Future of Gulf-Iranian Relations

Columns

On Geopolitics

Vehicles drive along a main thoroughfare past a billboard that reads in Farsi and Hebrew: "A severe blow... The vile and villainous Zionist regime (Israel) has made a grave mistake,” in central Tehran on June 24, 2025. 

The war has weakened Iran, but has also shifted regional perceptions of Israel as a destabilizing force, prompting Gulf states to reassess alliances, Turkey to emerge as a rival, and raising the risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East.

Assessing the Regional Impact of the Israel-Iran War, Part 2

Lebanon

A collapsed water tank painted with the Lebanese flag is seen in the ruins of a village in southern Lebanon, located near the border with Israel, on Jan. 7, 2025.

Ahead of Lebanon's 2026 election, Hezbollah will try to portray itself as a nationalist resistance movement rather than an Iranian proxy, but the risk of renewed conflict with Israel will persist unless the group disarms. 

To Ease Pressure to Disarm, Hezbollah Pursues a Rebrand 

Yemen

An Iranian flag is draped from a building damaged during a recent attack by Israel is seen in the Gisha neighborhood of Tehran, Iran, on June 25, 2025. 

The brief war with Israel has significantly weakened Iran's regional influence and military capabilities, forcing it and the members of its Axis of Resistance to recalibrate their strategies and focus on recovery.

The Impact of the 12-Day War on Iran and Its Allies, Part 1

The Weekly Rundown: Netanyahu's U.S. Visit, a Franco-British Summit

Japan

Europe

A photo taken in Tehran, Iran, on June 26, 2025, shows an Iranian political banner hanging near the remains of a residential building struck by an Israeli attack. 

Global Trade

The Weekly Rundown: Fragile Iran-Israel Ceasefire Holds, U.S. Tariff Deadline Approaches

An oil tanker is seen at Saudi Arabia’s port of Ras al-Khair. 

Despite the ceasefire, the risk of a renewed conflict remains, which could again drive oil prices higher if Iran and/or its proxies begin attacking regional oil infrastructure and shipping.

Assessing the Oil Market Volatility Caused by the Israel-Iran War

Snapshots

Iranian missiles aimed at targets in Israel pass through the sky over the West Bank on June 17, 2025. 

Even if the ceasefire holds in the coming weeks and months, outstanding U.S. and Israeli concerns with Iran's ballistic missile and nuclear programs could reignite hostilities.

The Iran-Israel Ceasefire Will Remain Fragile Amid Unresolved Disputes

What cyber limitations and capabilities do Iran and Israel have?

Essential Geopolitics: Increased Risk of Cyberattacks as Conflict With Iran Escalates

Iran sits at the crossroads of the Islamic world. Linking the Middle East, the Caucasus and Central and South Asia, Iran has struggled to balance the benefits and risks of its geographic position.    Iran's core is located in the western Zagros mountain range. From this secure geography, the beginnings of the Persian Empire spread throughout Iran's mountainous topography securing the Alborz, the southern Zagros and much of the Iranian plateau.    Iran's primary geographic challenge has been to secure itself from the many external threats on its borders. Arabs, Mongols and Turks all conquered ancient Persia at various times, prompting Persia to expand its territorial control whenever possible to establish a buffer to protect its core.    At its height, the Persian Empire stretched from the Eastern Mediterranean to the Hindu Kush mountains, bridging modern-day Europe and Asia. Echoes of this former empire can be seen even today, with Iran's support for Hezbollah in Lebanon, the al Assad regime in Damascus and the Shiite-led government in Iraq.    Iran has also struggled to unite and control the various language and ethnic groups located within its core territories, a process impeded by the country's difficult terrain. Modern-day Tehran is aided by its large hydrocarbon reserves; Iran boasts the fourth-largest oil reserves and largest natural gas reserves in the world. The 20th century saw British, Russian and American interests competing not only to control Iran's strategic geographic location, but its significant energy reserves as well.    This modern-day reliance on energy revenues has resulted in Iran's focus on securing the Strait of Hormuz and expanding control over the Persian Gulf to secure its core territories from the threat of outside invasion.

SITUATION REPORTS

Iran: Germany, France, U.K. Launch Snapback Sanction Mechanism on Iran

Australia, Iran: Canberra Expels Iranian Ambassador Over Alleged Links to Antisemitic Attacks

Iran: Tehran To Discuss Nuclear, Sanctions Issues With Germany, France, U.K.

South Africa: Army Chief's Pro-Iran Comments Hint at Emerging Politicization of Security Apparatus

Iran, U.S.: Iran Seeks Compensation and Security Assurances Before Rejoining Nuclear Talks

Iran, EU: Meeting on Iran's Nuclear Program Yields No Breakthroughs, No Collapse

Cyberspace: Iranian-Linked Ransomware Group Offers High Payout To Target Israeli, U.S. Entities

BRICS+: Bloc Increasingly Leans Away From West, but Avoids Picking Fights With U.S.

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