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Iran

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Iran. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Tehran

Head of State

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei

Head of Government

President Masoud Pezeshkian

Shipping data shows a Hong Kong-flagged ship passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday. Photo: AFP/Getty Images/TNS

China-Middle East relations

Exclusive | Hong Kong-flagged tanker passes through Strait of Hormuz in test of US blockade

AVA 6 passage marks at least the second transit of a China-linked tanker through the strait since the US military operation began.

7 minutes agovideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Europe tests ‘third way’ on Hormuz without the US, Israel and Iran. Will it work?

4 hours agovideocam

Hong Kong economy

Letters | Amid elevated oil prices, Hong Kong’s stable energy system is a boon

5 hours ago

China food security

‘Sharp swings’: why China is warning of food security risks despite bumper crops

The country has ample grain supplies but could still face challenges if extreme weather or global conflict spark global shortages, Beijing says.

17 Apr 2026 - 10:00AMvideocam

A worker sorts imported soybeans at a processing company in Binzhou, China, on March 6, 2025. Photo: Getty Images

North Korea

Nuclear defiance: North Korea’s Kim signals he won’t be the next Iran

Kim Jong-un’s increased appearances at military drills show his confidence in Pyongyang’s nuclear deterrence, analysts say.

17 Apr 2026 - 8:00AMvideocam

Business of climate change

Asia-Pacific firms face credit pressure from Iran war energy shock, S&P says

Higher energy prices ratchet up pressure on manufacturing businesses to maintain their profit margins amid rising raw material costs.

17 Apr 2026 - 7:00AM

US, Israel war on Iran

Israel and Lebanon begin 10-day ceasefire as US pushes broader deal

A pause in fighting may help ease tensions with Iran, as Trump eyes a White House meeting between the leaders of Israel and Lebanon.

50 minutes ago

US President Donald Trump said he had spoken to both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun ahead of the truce, adding the pair had agreed to the truce “in order to achieve PEACE”. Photo: AFP

US, Israel war on Iran

Will China arm Iran during the ceasefire?

Pentagon says Beijing offered assurances as US tightens blockade and warns Tehran talks could quickly give way to renewed strikes.

17 Apr 2026 - 6:17AMvideocam

US-China relations

Trump-Xi summit worries, new fertiliser woes: 7 US-China relations reads

From soybeans and tariffs to Chinese-American plays, here are highlights from our US correspondents in early April 2026.

16 Apr 2026 - 10:00PM

China-Asean relations

Can Japan’s US$10b energy shield oust China’s influence in Southeast Asia?

Pledge is a bid to ‘embed Japan at the centre of Southeast Asia’s energy security architecture’, observer notes, but questions its impact.

16 Apr 2026 - 9:02PMvideocam

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi leads the Asia Zero-Emission Community Plus online summit on energy resilience, in Tokyo on April 15. Photo: EPA

Africa

In Cameroon, Pope Leo assails ‘tyrants ravaging’ world amid Trump row

‘The masters of war pretend not to know that it takes only a moment to destroy, yet often a lifetime is not enough to rebuild,’ Leo says.

16 Apr 2026 - 8:50PMvideocam

Pope Leo releases a white dove at Saint Joseph’s Cathedral in Bamenda, Cameroon, on Thursday. Photo: Reuters

India

Opinion | Why India feels exposed by Pakistan’s diplomacy in Iran war

Pakistan, with its contested reputation, leapt into diplomatic action while India, despite its heft and concerns, was absent from the frame.

16 Apr 2026 - 11:11PMvideocam

European Union

Europe running low on jet fuel, stoking fears of flight cancellations

IEA executive director Birol said the Hormuz blockade-induced energy crisis will hit nations including Japan, China and India harder.

16 Apr 2026 - 7:44PMvideocam

Malaysia

‘New normal’: Malaysia and Australia strike energy supply pledge amid Iran war

The deal creates a mutual spillover valve, allowing the partners to swap surplus energy once domestic demand is satisfied.

16 Apr 2026 - 7:32PMvideocam

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim meet at a press conference in Putrajaya on Thursday. Photo: AAP/dpa

United States

Lula blasts Trump’s fear-based rule, calls for ‘great maturity’

‘Trump has no right to wake up in the morning and threaten a country,’ Brazil’s president says.

16 Apr 2026 - 6:38PMvideocam

A woman walks next to an anti-US mural on a street in Tehran, Iran, on Sunday. Photo: WANA via Reuters

Skincare

Video | The Iran war is going to hurt your skincare routine

The region has seen plastic use surge by 900% since 1990, making Asia responsible for nearly a third of global plastic consumption.

16 Apr 2026 - 6:32PM

China-EU relations

Open Questions | Europe lacks China strategy, needs new US approach, Biscop says

Sven Biscop, director at the Royal Institute for International Relations in Brussels, on what the Iran war and the transatlantic collision reveal about Europe’s place in a fast-changing world.

16 Apr 2026 - 5:23PMvideocam

China GDP

China’s economic boom masks Iran war slowdown

Growth in China accelerated in the first quarter of the year as a January-February surge offset a slower March following the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz.

16 Apr 2026 - 5:00PM

China retail sales missed expectations in March. Photo: EPA

US, Israel war on Iran

Fact-Check | This video of ‘Iran capturing US pilot’ was filmed in Pakistan

The conflict in the Middle East has led to videos being shared out of context by social media users.

16 Apr 2026 - 3:20PM

US, Israel war on Iran

China’s Wang Yi calls on Iran to ensure freedom and safe passage through strait

In phone call with Iran’s top envoy, China’s foreign minister says situation is at ‘critical stage of transition between conflict and peace’.

16 Apr 2026 - 2:52PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Lebanon’s president refuses talks with Israel amid Trump’s peace push

The Lebanese leader said Beirut’s position is that a ceasefire should ⁠precede negotiations.

16 Apr 2026 - 11:17PM

Israeli army vehicles and bulldozers operate in southern Lebanon, as seen from northern Israel, on Wednesday. Photo: AP

Middle East

Letters | Iran war is not just a short-term energy disruption

Readers discuss a possible motivation behind the war, Pakistan’s role as a mediator, and Republican silence in the face of the US president’s actions.

16 Apr 2026 - 11:30AM

Smoke and flames rise at the site of airstrikes on an oil depot in Tehran on March 7, 2026. Photo: AFP/Getty Images/TNS

Nobel Prize

Jailed Iranian Nobel winner ‘critical’ after heart attack

Supporters say the life of 2023 peace laureate Narges Mohammadi is at ‘immediate and irreparable risk’ in an Iranian prison.

16 Apr 2026 - 10:46AM

China GDP

China beats expectations with 5% growth in first GDP release since Iran war

‘Stronger than expected’ growth figure indicates minimal impact from the conflict and a low likelihood for near-term stimulus, analysts said.

16 Apr 2026 - 12:21PM

The Philippines

Desperate times, drastic measures? Filipinos call for fuel caps as crisis bites

The Philippines is one of the worst hit by the oil crisis, but its deregulation law prevents the government from capping fuel prices.

16 Apr 2026 - 5:51PMvideocam

A pump attendant uses adhesive tape to change figures of fuel prices in Quezon City on April 7. Photo: EPA

China trade

Record-setting Canton Fair under Middle East cloud as costs hit China’s exports

Manufacturers and buyers offer on-the-ground perspectives at China’s largest trade exhibition, swapping stories and predictions amid massive turnout.

16 Apr 2026 - 9:54AM

Buyers browse household electrical appliances at the 139th session of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, in Guangdong province on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

US-China relations

US warns of China’s ‘invasion rehearsals’ as Trump seeks record military budget

Washington puts spotlight on Beijing’s Taiwan, space operations during hearing on US military’s combat readiness for next year.

16 Apr 2026 - 8:07AMvideocam

China-India relations

Exclusive | Quad summit plan turns uneasy as India pushes ahead without top leaders: sources

Trump foresees a ‘big, fat hug’ from China’s Xi Jinping as New Delhi mulls a face-saver Quad meet-up without the US president.

16 Apr 2026 - 2:29PMvideocam

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Iran

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Exclusive | Hong Kong-flagged tanker passes through Strait of Hormuz in test of US blockade

AVA 6 passage marks at least the second transit of a China-linked tanker through the strait since the US military operation began.

Europe tests ‘third way’ on Hormuz without the US, Israel and Iran. Will it work?

Letters | Amid elevated oil prices, Hong Kong’s stable energy system is a boon

‘Sharp swings’: why China is warning of food security risks despite bumper crops

The country has ample grain supplies but could still face challenges if extreme weather or global conflict spark global shortages, Beijing says.

Nuclear defiance: North Korea’s Kim signals he won’t be the next Iran

Kim Jong-un’s increased appearances at military drills show his confidence in Pyongyang’s nuclear deterrence, analysts say.

Asia-Pacific firms face credit pressure from Iran war energy shock, S&P says

Higher energy prices ratchet up pressure on manufacturing businesses to maintain their profit margins amid rising raw material costs.

Israel and Lebanon begin 10-day ceasefire as US pushes broader deal

A pause in fighting may help ease tensions with Iran, as Trump eyes a White House meeting between the leaders of Israel and Lebanon.

Will China arm Iran during the ceasefire?

Pentagon says Beijing offered assurances as US tightens blockade and warns Tehran talks could quickly give way to renewed strikes.

Trump-Xi summit worries, new fertiliser woes: 7 US-China relations reads

From soybeans and tariffs to Chinese-American plays, here are highlights from our US correspondents in early April 2026.

Can Japan’s US$10b energy shield oust China’s influence in Southeast Asia?

Pledge is a bid to ‘embed Japan at the centre of Southeast Asia’s energy security architecture’, observer notes, but questions its impact.

In Cameroon, Pope Leo assails ‘tyrants ravaging’ world amid Trump row

‘The masters of war pretend not to know that it takes only a moment to destroy, yet often a lifetime is not enough to rebuild,’ Leo says.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | Why India feels exposed by Pakistan’s diplomacy in Iran war

Pakistan, with its contested reputation, leapt into diplomatic action while India, despite its heft and concerns, was absent from the frame.

Europe running low on jet fuel, stoking fears of flight cancellations

IEA executive director Birol said the Hormuz blockade-induced energy crisis will hit nations including Japan, China and India harder.

‘New normal’: Malaysia and Australia strike energy supply pledge amid Iran war

The deal creates a mutual spillover valve, allowing the partners to swap surplus energy once domestic demand is satisfied.

Lula blasts Trump’s fear-based rule, calls for ‘great maturity’

‘Trump has no right to wake up in the morning and threaten a country,’ Brazil’s president says.

.css-1t72pn8{color:#C79A00;}Video | The Iran war is going to hurt your skincare routine

The region has seen plastic use surge by 900% since 1990, making Asia responsible for nearly a third of global plastic consumption.

Open Questions | Europe lacks China strategy, needs new US approach, Biscop says

Sven Biscop, director at the Royal Institute for International Relations in Brussels, on what the Iran war and the transatlantic collision reveal about Europe’s place in a fast-changing world.

China’s economic boom masks Iran war slowdown

Growth in China accelerated in the first quarter of the year as a January-February surge offset a slower March following the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz.

Fact-Check | This video of ‘Iran capturing US pilot’ was filmed in Pakistan

The conflict in the Middle East has led to videos being shared out of context by social media users.

China’s Wang Yi calls on Iran to ensure freedom and safe passage through strait

In phone call with Iran’s top envoy, China’s foreign minister says situation is at ‘critical stage of transition between conflict and peace’.

Lebanon’s president refuses talks with Israel amid Trump’s peace push

The Lebanese leader said Beirut’s position is that a ceasefire should ⁠precede negotiations.

Letters | Iran war is not just a short-term energy disruption

Readers discuss a possible motivation behind the war, Pakistan’s role as a mediator, and Republican silence in the face of the US president’s actions.

Jailed Iranian Nobel winner ‘critical’ after heart attack

Supporters say the life of 2023 peace laureate Narges Mohammadi is at ‘immediate and irreparable risk’ in an Iranian prison.

China beats expectations with 5% growth in first GDP release since Iran war

‘Stronger than expected’ growth figure indicates minimal impact from the conflict and a low likelihood for near-term stimulus, analysts said.

Desperate times, drastic measures? Filipinos call for fuel caps as crisis bites

The Philippines is one of the worst hit by the oil crisis, but its deregulation law prevents the government from capping fuel prices.

Record-setting Canton Fair under Middle East cloud as costs hit China’s exports

Manufacturers and buyers offer on-the-ground perspectives at China’s largest trade exhibition, swapping stories and predictions amid massive turnout.

US warns of China’s ‘invasion rehearsals’ as Trump seeks record military budget

Washington puts spotlight on Beijing’s Taiwan, space operations during hearing on US military’s combat readiness for next year.

Exclusive | Quad summit plan turns uneasy as India pushes ahead without top leaders: sources

Trump foresees a ‘big, fat hug’ from China’s Xi Jinping as New Delhi mulls a face-saver Quad meet-up without the US president.

Exclusive | Hong Kong-flagged tanker passes through Strait of Hormuz in test of US blockade

Opinion | Why India feels exposed by Pakistan’s diplomacy in Iran war

Video | The Iran war is going to hurt your skincare routine