The commander of the foreign operations branch of Iran's Revolutionary Guards issued a rare message on Monday hailing Iranian proxy groups for helping create a "new regional order". Esmail Qaani became head of the Guards' Quds Force after the killing of Qassem Soleimani in a US strike in Iraq in 20»»»

Oil prices sank and most stocks rose Tuesday, following a report that indicated Donald Trump was willing to end the Iran war even if the key Strait of Hormuz remained closed. But investors remain wary as the Wall Street Journal story came on the same day the US president threatened to destroy Iran'»»»

Oliver Farry is pleased to welcome Dr. Roya Boroumand, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran. According to Dr. Boroumand, Iran's transnational repression began in the aftermath of the 1979 revolution. Over time, this strategy has adapted, bec»»»

More American forces are reaching the Middle East. Before their arrival, the U.S. military had already built up the largest American force in the region in more than 20 years. While State Secretary Marco Rubio said US objectives could be met without ground operations, President Donald Trump later s»»»

The humanitarian crisis in Southern Lebanon is reaching a breaking point. As Prime Minister Netanyahu confirms plans to expand a military 'buffer zone' along the border, sweeping evacuation orders south of the Litani River have already forced over a million people to flee. Yet, thousands remain tra»»»

The United States and Israel kept up their attacks on March 30 on the Islamic Republic, even as there were signs of progress in nascent ceasefire talks. But according to FRANCE 24's Reza Sayah, based in Tehran, Iranian authorities do not take statements from Trump seriously. He also tells us about »»»

President Donald Trump said he wanted to take Iran’s oil and suggested US troops could seize the country’s Kharg Island export hub, even as he added in comments published on March 30 that a deal with Tehran to end the war “could be made fairly quickly.” The buildup has since been confirmed by the N»»»

US and Israeli strikes on Iran continue over a month after the joint campaign began. Washington is mulling a ground offensive to seize Iran's nuclear stockpile, which would be one of the riskiest in US history. Thousands of American army personnel arriving in the region over the weekend, as Trump a»»»

US President Donald Trump says Iran has agreed to let 20 ships through the Strait of Hormuz - a sign, according to him, that talks with Tehran are moving forward. But he has also signalled to the US possibly taking over Kharg island, and a regional US military build-up has triggered concern of grou»»»

Genie Godula is pleased to welcome Michael Knights, Adjunct Fellow at The Washington Institute and Head of Research at Horizon Engage. He examines the evolving military dynamics between the US and Iran, focusing on the operational possibilities available to US forces and the structural resilience o»»»

Israel renewed its bombardment of Beirut's southern suburbs on March 30 while continuing air strikes on Lebanon's south, one of which targeted an army checkpoint and killed a soldier. In south Lebanon, where state media reported a series of Israeli air strikes, the Lebanese army said one of its sol»»»

US President Donald Trump threatened on March 30 to destroy Iran's crude export hub of Kharg Island, along with its oil wells and power plants, unless Tehran quickly accepted a peace deal. He also claimed that the United States was in 'serious discussions' with 'a more reasonable regime' in Tehran.»»»

As Iran’s Houthi allies enter the conflict, Iran has threatened to disrupt shipping in the Bab al-Mandab Strait – a strategic waterway linking the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal – with the help of its Houthi allies in Yemen. While disruptions in the Strait o»»»

Nadia Massih is pleased to welcome Dr Samuel Ramani, Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute. According to Dr. Ramani, President Zelensky’s outreach to Gulf states reflects a calculated effort to reposition Ukraine within a shifting global order, where military innovation, energy po»»»

What could possibly go wrong? As Donald Trump repeats threats of a Venezuela-style seizing of Tehran’s oil exports, as US assault troops get in position, the price of oil blowing past 110 dollars a barrel, and as markets take it at face value that the Pentagon's planning to make a grab for Kharg Is»»»

The UN said on Monday that two members of its peacekeeping force were killed in an explosion in south Lebanon, with a third being killed in a separate blast the previous day. Here's what to know about how the Blue Helmets are involved in the current conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. United Nat»»»

Israel's parliament on Monday passed a law approving the death penalty for Palestinians convicted on terror charges of carrying out deadly attacks on Israelis. The law, which also allows the courts to impose the death penalty on Israeli citizens, has been harshly criticised by Israeli and Palestini»»»

For Spotlight, François Picard is pleased to welcome Sir Peter Westmacott, distinguished ambassadorial fellow with the Atlantic Council's Europe Center and former British Ambassador to Turkey, France and the US. As a senior British diplomat, he approaches the current crisis with both concern and an»»»

For Spotlight, François Picard is pleased to welcome Sir Peter Westmacott, distinguished ambassadorial fellow with the Atlantic Council's Europe Center and former British Ambassador to Turkey, France and the United States. As a senior British diplomat with decades of experience across key tran»»»

Reportedly frustrated that his war in Iran is dragging on longer than intended, US President Donald Trump has been conveying the message that it will be over soon. But with the Americans' ceasefire proposal leading nowhere, Washington's options now range from bad to worse. FRANCE 24's Peter O'Brien»»»

American military reinforcements continue to arrive in the Middle East, as uncertainty persists over the possibility of US boots on the ground in Iran. President Donald Trump has warned that Washington could “obliterate” Kharg Island, a critical hub through which Iran processes around 90% of its oi»»»

US President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to destroy Iran’s key oil export hub at Kharg Island and other critical infrastructure unless Tehran swiftly agrees to a deal to end the US-Israeli war, sharply escalating tensions in an already volatile region. The warning has rattled global energy ma»»»

Speaking with FRANCE 24's Mark Owen, Dr Elisabeth Kendall, President of Girton College at the University of Cambridge, says that with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea has become a vital export route and that "if the Houthis choke off the vital exit point of Bab el-Mandeb, it will ha»»»

A Russian oil tanker was set to deliver the first crude shipment to Cuba since January on Tuesday after Washington gave the crisis-hit island a reprieve from an effective fuel blockade. The Anatoly Kolodkin, a tanker under US sanctions, was on its way to the port of Matanzas, east of Havana, with 7»»»

The Israeli military said on Tuesday four soldiers had been killed in combat in southern Lebanon where its forces are clashing with Iran-backed Hezbollah. A military statement named three soldiers from the same battalion who "fell during combat" and a separate statement said another soldier, who ha»»»

Israel’s parliament on Monday passed a law approving the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of murdering Israelis, a measure that has been harshly condemned by the international community and rights groups as discriminatory and inhumane. The passage of the bill marked the culmination of a yea»»»

Doha, Qatar: Minister of Municipality and Chairman of Committee for Follow-up on the Implementation of Food Security Policies H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al Attiyah, has affirmed that Qatar’s food security remains “highly stable and excellent,” underscoring the country’s preparedness»»»

In tonight's edition: Egypt orders shops, restaurants and shopping malls to shut their doors from 9:00pm on Saturday as it hopes to cushion the blow of energy prices that have more than doubled because of the Iran war. Also, rising jihadist violence in the Sahel is hitting tourism in Benin. Plus So»»»

A Paris court on Monday began hearings in a major trial involving 22 suspects accused of murder and other serious crimes on behalf of a mafia network inside the Athanor Masonic Lodge in the Paris suburb of Puteaux. The accused include police officers, former French intelligence agents and businessm»»»

A British woman who acquired French nationality after living in France for years became the first British-born mayor of a French town in France's recent mayoral elections. Maureen Searle, the mayor of Mont-Saint-Éloi, speaks to Gavin Lee about her life and experience in FRANCE 24's Spotlight progra»»»

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw a test of a high-thrust, solid-fuel engine for weapons and hailed it as a development to boost the country’s strategic military capability, state media reported Sunday. Analysts said the test signalled efforts to place multiple warheads on a single missile ca»»»

Cherry blossom trees across Japan reached full bloom this week, marking the start of the sakura season, when spring sees a burst of the tiny white and pink flowers. In the ancient capital of Kyoto, officials on Monday declared full bloom after examining a sample tree within the grounds of Nijo»»»

Almost surreal images showing bright red and orange skies are coming out of Australia. This meteorological phenomenon is caused by the passage of a powerful cyclone sweeping along the west coast. It is a rare sight, but known to happen during major sandstorms or dust storms. This red Australian sky»»»

More than 80% of the crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) that passes through Strait of Hormuz heads to Asia. With the war in the Middle East giving no sign of slowing, many parts of Southeast Asia have suffered fuel supply difficulties. Now, policymakers in the Asia-Pacific region are facing »»»

The President of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Kyrgyzstan Umbetaly Kydyraliev resigned. He announced this at a meeting of the NOC Executive Committee held yesterday, sources reported. According to these sources, the election of a new head of the organization will take place during the Gen»»»

The war in the Middle East has caused serious disruption to the economies of frontline countries, and is dimming the outlook for many economies that had just started to recover from previous crises, the International Monetary Fund warned on Monday. In a blog published by the global lender's top eco»»»

Iran fired missiles across the Middle East on Tuesday as its capital was hit by fresh explosions, after US President Donald Trump threatened the country's key oil export hub, power stations and desalination plants. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump's partner in attacking Iran, said m»»»

Progressive Bulgaria leader Rumen Radev wrote in a Facebook post on Monday that with the 10-year security agreement with Ukraine the caretaker Government is continuing the tradition of “assemblages” (a term used with a negative connotation to refer to the formation of governments by politically inc»»»

Doha, Qatar: Weather inshore, until 6pm on Tuesday, will be partly cloudy to cloudy with scattered rain, thundery at times, the Department of Meteorology said in its daily weather report, warning of thundery rain associated with strong wind. Offshore, it will be partly cloudy to cloudy with scatter»»»

The criminal cases panel of the Issyk-Kul Regional Court has upheld the verdict of the court of first instance against Erkin Mambetaliev. Photo Detention of Erkin Mambetaliev In the summer of last year, he was found guilty of large-scale legalization (laundering) of criminal proceeds, participation»»»

The Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan has approved requirements for insurance based on Islamic principles. The resolution «On Approval of Requirements for Insurance Based on Islamic Principles (Takaful), Mandatory Insurance, and Annuity Insurance» was signed by Adylbek Kasymaliev, the Financial Ma»»»

Since 2013, house purchase and rental prices have soared across Europe. With rents skyrocketing, rental supply shrinking and properties being diverted towards short-term holiday lets, the European Union has just adopted an affordable housing plan and appointed a housing commissioner to address the »»»

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was in Jordan on Sunday as part of a regional tour focused on security cooperation, after Kyiv deployed anti-drone experts and struck defence agreements with several Gulf states amid rising tensions linked to Iran. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensk»»»

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday said he signed "historic" agreements with countries in the Middle East last week, including sharing Ukrainian expertise on downing drones as Iranian strikes continue to target Gulf countries. Ukraine has previously proposed an exchange of its drone i»»»

The Ukrainian president has hailed "historic" defence agreements with several Middle Eastern countries after his visit to the region last week. Volodymyr Zelensky has been seeking to capitalise on his military's drone-fighting prowess as countries like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia cont»»»

A French court on Monday sentenced in absentia the captain of a suspected Russian shadow fleet tanker to one year in jail for failing to comply with orders to stop his ship. The vessel, which the French navy boarded in September before releasing the vessel, was thought to be transporting Russian oi»»»

French police on Monday arrested two more people over an apparent bid to set off a homemade explosive device outside a Bank of America branch in Paris, bringing the total in custody to five, prosecutors said. The arrests follow an incident early Saturday morning when police arrested a first suspect»»»

Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday that he and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa agreed the vast majority of Syrian immigrants living in Germany should return to their homeland over the next three years. Al-Sharaa met Merz in Berlin – making his first presidential visit to Germa»»»

Golden Pass LNG, a joint venture between QatarEnergy and Exxon Mobil, has produced its first liquefied natural gas at its new facility in Texas, the company said on Monday, a major step toward bringing one of the largest US export projects online. The plant is expected to export its first cargo in »»»