May 25, 2026 5:18 PM

Explainer: What’s included in talks to end the Iran war and reopen Hormuz?

With the standoff over the frozen Iran war threatening a global economic meltdown, Washington and Tehran have scaled back their efforts to agree a comprehensive peace deal and now seek a limited pact putting off the harder issues. This is what we know about the proposals under discussion and where they leave the big unresolved disputes behind the war: AT WHAT STAGE ARE THE DISCUSSIONS? Sources in both camps have said the latest ​peace efforts are aimed at a temporary memorandum of understan...

May 19, 2026 9:22 AM

Global stocks mostly ease with tech shares while oil prices climb to two-week high

Major stock indexes mostly eased as technology shares fell on Monday, while Brent oil prices climbed to a two-week high as investors assessed whether there will likely be progress soon to end the Iran war. Longer-dated U.S. Treasury yields were nearly flat after climbing to their highest level in over a year in overnight trading. Sovereign bond yields have risen sharply recently as investors worry the war in Iran that began in late February may bring a lasting inflationary shock. Energy costs,...

May 18, 2026 2:55 PM

Trump may have to wait for rate cuts until the Iran war is over, he tells Fortune

U.S. President Donald Trump conceded in an interview with Fortune magazine published on Monday that he may have to wait until the war with Iran was over for more interest rate cuts. “You can’t really look at the figures until the war is over,” he said. Trump said Iran was "dying to sign" a ceasefire deal with the U.S. "But they make a deal, and then they send you a paper that has no relationship to the deal you made." he told Fortune. (Reuters)...

May 14, 2026 11:44 AM

How has the Iran war affected Middle East states?

The war that began on February 28 with a massive Israeli-U.S. bombing campaign against Iran has rocked the entire Middle East, wreaking damage to infrastructure and economies and overturning settled assumptions about regional security. On a second major front, Israel launched a ground invasion and bombing campaign of Lebanon in March in pursuit of Hezbollah fighters after the armed group fired across the border in solidarity with Iran. This is how some countries have been impacted: IRAN The ...

May 13, 2026 2:59 PM

Trump says he doesn’t need Xi’s help on Iran

U.S. President Donald Trump headed to China on Wednesday for a high-stakes summit with President Xi Jinping, saying he does not expect to need Beijing's help to end the war with Iran and ease Tehran's grip on the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking before departing Washington, Trump played down the role China could have in resolving the conflict, which has continued to block maritime traffic through a waterway that normally carries one-fifth of the world's oil supply. "I don't think we need any help wi...

May 11, 2026 7:11 PM

Iran war raises stakes for US and China ahead of Trump–Xi talks

The Iran war has strained U.S.–Chinese ties further and looks set to dominate the May 14 to 15 summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart and host  in Beijing. Below are the key issues at stake for Washington and Beijing as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran reshapes calculations in their broader relationship: IRAN CEASEFIRE TALKS U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said that the two presidents will discuss the Iran war, and urged China to "join us in this int...

May 8, 2026 2:28 PM

Southeast Asian leaders seek strategy to ease impacts of Iran war

Southeast Asian leaders at a summit on Friday stressed an urgent need to coordinate their response to the impacts of the Middle East crisis, as they aim to ease pressure from an energy shock that has rattled their oil import-reliant economies. Meeting on the Philippine island of Cebu, leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations called for a harmonised strategy to ensure energy and food security and head off future crises in a region particularly exposed to a nearly 70-day blockade of ...

May 2, 2026 10:39 AM

Trump says he’s dissatisfied with Iranian proposal as rift with allies deepens

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he was not satisfied with the latest Iranian proposal for talks on the Iran war, while Iran's foreign minister said Tehran was ready for diplomacy if the United States changes its approach. Trump's comments indicated the deadlock over the two-month-old war is likely to persist, even as he looks to end a conflict that remains deeply unpopular among Americans. Meanwhile, U.S. relations with its traditional allies were further strained over Iran on Frida...

April 30, 2026 11:47 AM

Putin puts forward ideas on Iran in call with Trump, Kremlin says

Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump held a phone call on Wednesday in which the Russian leader put forward ideas on resolving the conflict over Iran's nuclear programme, a Kremlin aide said. Putin also proposed a repeat of a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine to mark the anniversary of the end of World War Two next month, the aide said. Putin announced a similar truce last year which lasted three days but was not agreed with Kyiv. The phone call was the first publicly announced conversation between th...

April 29, 2026 3:27 PM

UAE Exits OPEC: What It Means for the World & India

The United Arab Emirates has announced it will exit the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and the broader OPEC+ alliance, with the decision taking effect from May 1, 2026. The move follows a comprehensive review of national production policy, capacity, and long-term economic priorities. Authorities say the decision reflects the country’s evolving energy profile and its aim to enhance flexibility in responding to global market dynamics. To understand why the UAE has walked away...