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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 vessels sit anchored in Muscat, Oman. The country, which shares control of the Strait of Hormuz with Iran, has no plans to impose fees on ships passing through the strait. Photo: Reuters

US, Israel war on Iran

Yuan tokens and oil-linked fees? China experts propose ‘innovative’ Hormuz tolls

Analysts warn Trump’s ‘joint venture’ plan with Iran could formalise grey zone, while Beijing balances roles as mediator, energy importer.

3 hours agovideocam

War and conflict

Opinion | For Asia, US-Iran ceasefire offers little relief – and much uncertainty

4 hours agovideocam

US-China relations

How can Beijing prepare for Trump’s ‘drunken boxing’ style before he meets Xi?

4 hours agovideocam

Middle East

Video | The Iran war could leave Asian airlines grounded

Jet fuel is often the first petroleum product to see shortages in a fuel crisis.

5 hours ago

05:36

China-EU relations

China sidelined: EU shelves rare debate as Middle East crisis takes priority

Delay risks entrenching a policy vacuum as member states diverge and Brussels struggles to evolve its approach.

6 hours agovideocam

Yuan

Conflict catalyst: China’s yuan settlements hit record amid Middle East tensions

Single-day transactions via China’s Cross-border Interbank Payment System surge past 1 trillion yuan as Beijing’s moves to expand the yuan-payment network show signs of paying off.

6 hours ago

War and conflict

Opinion | China’s role in the Iran-US ceasefire reflects its strategic distance

In taking a back seat in de-escalation efforts with Pakistan, China is decoupling its influence from responsibility.

6 hours agovideocam

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning answers questions from journalists regarding US attacks on Iran, on March 2, in Beijing. Photo: dpa

US, Israel war on Iran

Why US-Iran truce may not end high airfares and flight disruptions

According to airline bosses, it will still take months for jet fuel supplies and prices to normalise.

5 hours agovideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

No let-up in Israeli attacks on Lebanon as US-Iran ceasefire teeters

Israel’s relentless Lebanon strikes threaten to shatter the fragile truce as peace talks loom.

5 hours agovideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

The Strait of Hormuz is closed again. Could the Iran-US truce fail at any moment?

Much of what happens next may depend on ‘wild card’ Israel, observers say.

6 hours agovideocam

Smoke rises over Beirut, Lebanon, on Wednesday after several Israeli air strikes. Photo: AP

Asean

US to remain key ally of Asean despite Iran war fallout: diplomat

Ambassador Daniel Kritenbrink says the US still has ‘extraordinary’ influence in the region, given its trade and security ties with Asean.

9 Apr 2026 - 6:20PM

Southeast Asian ministers pose for a group photo during the Asean Economic Ministers’ Retreat in Manila, the Philippines, on March 13. Photo: EPA

China exports

As Iran war jolts global oil, can China’s energy storage tech blunt the impact?

Strong overseas demand, fuelled by the rise of AI-powered systems, could continue amid Iran war pressures, analysts say.

4 hours agovideocam

China economy

Macroscope | Why investors should beware China safe haven narrative amid Iran crisis

While there is reason for optimism, the ceasefire in Iran remains tenuous and the return of inflation is not the kind China wants to see.

9 Apr 2026 - 4:30PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Trump warns ‘shooting’ could start again as fragile Iran truce is tested

Truce reached Tuesday showed signs of unravelling, with Israel bombarding Lebanon and Washington contradicting some of Iran’s demands.

9 Apr 2026 - 1:12PM

Smoke rises following several Israeli air strikes in Beirut, Lebanon, on Wednesday. Photo: AP

Malaysia

Singapore’s refusal to negotiate over Hormuz creates waves in Malaysia

Singapore said it would not be appealing to Iran for access to the strait as transit through crucial trade waterways was a right.

9 Apr 2026 - 7:11PMvideocam

Oil tankers anchor off Muscat, Oman, on March 7. Photo: Reuters

Hong Kong economy

Diesel subsidies, cheaper tolls to help transport sector as fuel costs soar

Short-term relief measures include diesel subsidies of HK$3 per litre, half-price tunnel tolls for non-private vehicles.

4 hours agovideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Global renewable-energy pivot amps up as Hormuz uncertainty shatters security

IEA warns that current oil and gas shocks surpass past levels, forcing import-dependent nations to prioritise solar and wind for domestic energy sovereignty.

9 Apr 2026 - 10:05AM

Middle East

Israel hammers Lebanon with strikes, killing scores on deadliest day of war

Israel carries out its most violent strikes on the capital Beirut after saying the US-Iran truce doesn’t apply to Lebanon.

9 Apr 2026 - 9:59AM

Firefighters and first responders amid smouldering debris in Beirut on Wednesday. Photo: AP

Singapore

Heat is on: Singapore turns up air-con thermostat in public spaces to save power

Singapore had earlier warned of costlier power bills in the coming months as fuel prices are expected to remain high in the short term.

9 Apr 2026 - 9:12AMvideocam

Hong Kong economy

US-Iran ceasefire unlikely to cause big fuel price drop: Hong Kong economists

‘It will take several months for prices to gradually decline after the war ends completely,’ expert says.

9 Apr 2026 - 8:30AMvideocam

China energy security

China powers up major Southeast Asian solar project amid Iran war shock

The installation boasts more than two million solar panels and comes online as global fossil fuels face unprecedented disruption.

9 Apr 2026 - 8:00AM

China General Nuclear Power Group’s solar project in Laos. Photo: CCTV

War and conflict

Editorial | World cannot afford a breakdown in US-Iran ceasefire talks

Eleventh-hour pause in hostilities and global instabilities leave no room for any miscalculation that heightens distrust.

9 Apr 2026 - 7:15AM

People celebrate after the announcement of a two-week ceasefire in the Iran war, in Tehran, on April 8. Photo: West Asia News Agency via Reuters

United States

The US could be moving away from precision strikes in the Iran war. Here’s why

As the conflict has intensified, more energy and civilian sites have been targeted in what is seen as a broader approach.

9 Apr 2026 - 9:26AMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Trump has a ceasefire with Iran. But a confrontation with Congress looms

Two-week truce with Tehran leaves Trump mere days to finalise a deal before a legal cut-off triggers a high-stakes clash with US Congress.

9 Apr 2026 - 7:03AMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Strait of Hormuz: is a Trump‑Iran joint venture really possible?

With regime change increasingly out of reach, the US president may pivot towards a business deal with Tehran’s fractured leadership.

6 hours agovideocam

Oil tankers and cargo ships line up in the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates last month. Photo: AP

US, Israel war on Iran

Why the US-Iran ceasefire is seen as a failure for Donald Trump

As the two sides prepare to meet in person in Pakistan, analysts identify American leader’s miscalculations leading to weaker footing.

9 Apr 2026 - 12:59AMvideocam

Iranians wave national flags beneath a large billboard in Tehran’s Revolution Square on Wednesday, following the announcement that the United States and Iran have agreed to a two-week ceasefire. Photo: AFP

US, Israel war on Iran

Who is Asim Munir and how did he bring Iran and the US to the talks table?

After stepping into the domestic spotlight last year, the Pakistani military chief is now emerging as a player in world affairs.

8 Apr 2026 - 9:53PMvideocam

US-China relations

US-China ties are critical in dangerous new ‘might-is-right world order’: Dalio

Billionaire investor urges Chinese and US elites to ‘rise above ourselves’ and safeguard global well-being amid a changing world order.

8 Apr 2026 - 9:00PMvideocam

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Iran

Yuan tokens and oil-linked fees? China experts propose ‘innovative’ Hormuz tolls

Analysts warn Trump’s ‘joint venture’ plan with Iran could formalise grey zone, while Beijing balances roles as mediator, energy importer.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | For Asia, US-Iran ceasefire offers little relief – and much uncertainty

How can Beijing prepare for Trump’s ‘drunken boxing’ style before he meets Xi?

.css-1t72pn8{color:#C79A00;}Video | The Iran war could leave Asian airlines grounded

Jet fuel is often the first petroleum product to see shortages in a fuel crisis.

China sidelined: EU shelves rare debate as Middle East crisis takes priority

Delay risks entrenching a policy vacuum as member states diverge and Brussels struggles to evolve its approach.

Conflict catalyst: China’s yuan settlements hit record amid Middle East tensions

Single-day transactions via China’s Cross-border Interbank Payment System surge past 1 trillion yuan as Beijing’s moves to expand the yuan-payment network show signs of paying off.

Opinion | China’s role in the Iran-US ceasefire reflects its strategic distance

In taking a back seat in de-escalation efforts with Pakistan, China is decoupling its influence from responsibility.

Why US-Iran truce may not end high airfares and flight disruptions

According to airline bosses, it will still take months for jet fuel supplies and prices to normalise.

No let-up in Israeli attacks on Lebanon as US-Iran ceasefire teeters

Israel’s relentless Lebanon strikes threaten to shatter the fragile truce as peace talks loom.

The Strait of Hormuz is closed again. Could the Iran-US truce fail at any moment?

Much of what happens next may depend on ‘wild card’ Israel, observers say.

US to remain key ally of Asean despite Iran war fallout: diplomat

Ambassador Daniel Kritenbrink says the US still has ‘extraordinary’ influence in the region, given its trade and security ties with Asean.

As Iran war jolts global oil, can China’s energy storage tech blunt the impact?

Strong overseas demand, fuelled by the rise of AI-powered systems, could continue amid Iran war pressures, analysts say.

Macroscope | Why investors should beware China safe haven narrative amid Iran crisis

While there is reason for optimism, the ceasefire in Iran remains tenuous and the return of inflation is not the kind China wants to see.

Trump warns ‘shooting’ could start again as fragile Iran truce is tested

Truce reached Tuesday showed signs of unravelling, with Israel bombarding Lebanon and Washington contradicting some of Iran’s demands.

Singapore’s refusal to negotiate over Hormuz creates waves in Malaysia

Singapore said it would not be appealing to Iran for access to the strait as transit through crucial trade waterways was a right.

Diesel subsidies, cheaper tolls to help transport sector as fuel costs soar

Short-term relief measures include diesel subsidies of HK$3 per litre, half-price tunnel tolls for non-private vehicles.

Global renewable-energy pivot amps up as Hormuz uncertainty shatters security

IEA warns that current oil and gas shocks surpass past levels, forcing import-dependent nations to prioritise solar and wind for domestic energy sovereignty.

Israel hammers Lebanon with strikes, killing scores on deadliest day of war

Israel carries out its most violent strikes on the capital Beirut after saying the US-Iran truce doesn’t apply to Lebanon.

Heat is on: Singapore turns up air-con thermostat in public spaces to save power

Singapore had earlier warned of costlier power bills in the coming months as fuel prices are expected to remain high in the short term.

US-Iran ceasefire unlikely to cause big fuel price drop: Hong Kong economists

‘It will take several months for prices to gradually decline after the war ends completely,’ expert says.

China powers up major Southeast Asian solar project amid Iran war shock

The installation boasts more than two million solar panels and comes online as global fossil fuels face unprecedented disruption.

Editorial | World cannot afford a breakdown in US-Iran ceasefire talks

Eleventh-hour pause in hostilities and global instabilities leave no room for any miscalculation that heightens distrust.

The US could be moving away from precision strikes in the Iran war. Here’s why

As the conflict has intensified, more energy and civilian sites have been targeted in what is seen as a broader approach.

Trump has a ceasefire with Iran. But a confrontation with Congress looms

Two-week truce with Tehran leaves Trump mere days to finalise a deal before a legal cut-off triggers a high-stakes clash with US Congress.

Strait of Hormuz: is a Trump‑Iran joint venture really possible?

With regime change increasingly out of reach, the US president may pivot towards a business deal with Tehran’s fractured leadership.

Why the US-Iran ceasefire is seen as a failure for Donald Trump

As the two sides prepare to meet in person in Pakistan, analysts identify American leader’s miscalculations leading to weaker footing.

Who is Asim Munir and how did he bring Iran and the US to the talks table?

After stepping into the domestic spotlight last year, the Pakistani military chief is now emerging as a player in world affairs.

US-China ties are critical in dangerous new ‘might-is-right world order’: Dalio

Billionaire investor urges Chinese and US elites to ‘rise above ourselves’ and safeguard global well-being amid a changing world order.

Opinion | For Asia, US-Iran ceasefire offers little relief – and much uncertainty

Video | The Iran war could leave Asian airlines grounded