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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

Cargo ships in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz, last month. Iran has effectively closed the waterway through which about 20 per cent of the world’s oil supply is transported. Photo: Reuters

US, Israel war on Iran

‘Damage control’? Behind France, Germany’s bid to contain Iran war oil fallout

The European powers are leading calls for de-escalation but analyst notes ‘the age of soft power as a substitute for hard capacity is over’.

3 hours agovideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

‘Keep bombing’: Trump claims Iranians want more US strikes for ‘freedom’

2 hours agovideocam

Taiwan

How lessons from Iran war could shape mainland China’s Taiwan calculus

7 Apr 2026 - 2:20AMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Pakistan plan a ‘critical opportunity’ for US-Iran talks as Trump deadline looms

Islamabad has put forward proposals for a ceasefire as the US president threatens ‘hell’ for Iran if the Strait of Hormuz does not reopen.

6 Apr 2026 - 11:00PMvideocam

Air strikes on Iran continue on Monday ahead of US President Donald Trump’s deadline for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Photo: Reuters

Nato

Opinion | In closing airspace to US, Europe opens an existential debate over Nato

Growing European defiance to US demands raises a critical question: is Nato a club of equals or a mechanism for enforcing one nation’s agenda?

6 Apr 2026 - 8:30PMvideocam

Thailand

Oil smugglers in Thailand worsen supply crisis as Anutin warns of tough times

Police are investigating alleged oil hoarding in southern Thailand and reselling to nearby countries, citing ‘abnormal’ vessel movements.

6 Apr 2026 - 8:04PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

As Trump hails airman rescue in Iran, Chinese experts count US wins and losses

Former PLA personnel say Iran’s success in shooting down US fighter jet boosts morale and shows it retains ‘some air-defence capabilities’.

6 Apr 2026 - 9:31PMvideocam

Handout photo provided by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ official website purportedly shows the wreckage of targeted and crashed US aircraft. Photo: AFP

South Korea

South Korea aims to send ships to Saudi port for oil to bypass Hormuz

Special envoys will also sail to Oman and Algeria to try to secure oil via other routes, said lawmaker Ahn Do-geol.

6 Apr 2026 - 6:01PMvideocam

Hong Kong society

Anxious days, sleepless nights for young Iranians in Hong Kong as war rages on

Peace of mind is elusive for young Iranians, who wait helplessly for news of loved ones and fight disinformation amid flood of contradictory reports.

6 Apr 2026 - 5:30PM

Malaysia

Can palm biodiesel be Malaysia’s quick fix for soaring fuel prices?

Infrastructure costs, supply chains and industry readiness could pose problems for wider adoption of biodiesel blends, analysts say.

6 Apr 2026 - 6:49PMvideocam

A man holds a nozzle at the petrol station in Negri Sembilan. Diesel in Peninsular Malaysia rose to 6.02 ringgit a litre for the week of April 2 to 8. Photo: EPA

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran rejects ceasefire, wants permanent end to the war

Mediators had proposed ⁠a ceasefire plan and peace settlement. Iran will only accept ‘end of the war’ with guarantee of no further attacks.

6 Apr 2026 - 11:57PMvideocam

This video grab taken on Friday from images shared on social media on April 1, 2026, shows thick plumes of smoke following airstrikes in Iran’s central Isfahan province. Photo: via AFP

Malaysia

AirAsia X hikes fares by 40%, cuts capacity by 10% as Iran war impacts fuel

Founder Tony Fernandes said the higher prices were ‘unavoidable’ after the average cost of jet fuel more than doubled to US$200 per barrel.

6 Apr 2026 - 4:47PM

Science

China’s electric truck revolution: powerful painkiller for the Iran war?

Sales of electric heavy-duty cargo trucks surged by 182 per cent in 2025, with more growth forecast as oil and gas prices soar.

6 Apr 2026 - 3:00PMvideocam

North Korea

North Korean silence on Iran signals openness to US talks: Seoul’s spy agency

Pyongyang has not sent weapons and supplies to its long-time ally , nor has it issued messages to mark Iranian leadership changes.

6 Apr 2026 - 2:32PMvideocam

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and daughter Ju Ae oversee the test-launch of 600 mm-calibre multiple rocket launchers on March 14. Photo: KCNA/Reuters

US, Israel war on Iran

Video | Trump issues fiery, foul-mouthed message to Iran

US president extends deadline, saying Iran has until late April 7 US time to ‘make a deal’ or he would be ‘blowing everything up’.

6 Apr 2026 - 4:00PM

01:04

US, Israel war on Iran

Israel estimates 1,000 Iranian missiles threaten it as war grinds into second month

Iran is firing missiles from dozens of tunnel silos in remote mountain regions that are proving hard to destroy pre-emptively.

6 Apr 2026 - 1:43PM

Japan

Japan’s Takaichi seeks urgent summit with Iran as Trump’s Hormuz deadline looms

Japan has been bearing the brunt of the Iran war as the resource-poor nation relies on the Middle East for most of its crude oil imports.

6 Apr 2026 - 1:32PM

SCMP Highlights

Chinese-made drone shot in Iran, Australia’s diplomacy pivot: 5 weekend reads

From a Chinese-made drone shot down in Iran to where Hongkongers went over the holidays, here are five stories you may have missed over the weekend.

6 Apr 2026 - 12:30PM

Iran says a Wing Long II drone has been shot down over its territory. Photo: Dickson Lee

Commodities

Gold may reverse course once Iran war ends, Fed adopts policy easing

Gold has been on a wild ride this year, surging as much as 25 per cent before the war in Iran wiped out almost all the gains.

6 Apr 2026 - 11:00AM

China travel

South Korea opens door wider to Chinese travellers – but will they come?

Higher airfares and fierce regional competition may blunt impact of new policy, analysts say.

6 Apr 2026 - 9:00AMvideocam

China GDP

Open Questions | Andrew Tilton on China’s economic trajectory in wake of Iran war

Goldman Sachs’ chief Asia-Pacific economist says worst is over in terms of property slump’s impact on China’s economic growth.

6 Apr 2026 - 10:01AMvideocam

Ukraine war

Ukraine and Syria pledge security cooperation as Zelensky expands Middle East tour

Zelensky and Sharaa discuss drone defence and food security as Kyiv seeks to export its military expertise.

6 Apr 2026 - 9:50AM

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus. Photo: Reuters

US, Israel war on Iran

Trump draws criticism with fiery, foul-mouthed message threatening Iran

US president appears to extend deadline to Tuesday for Iran to ‘make a deal’ or he’s ‘blowing everything up’.

6 Apr 2026 - 4:58PMvideocam

China consumption

China’s luxury spending seen boosting global sales in 2026 despite headwinds

Affluent Chinese consumers are expected to splurge, though a volatile property market and oil price shocks pose challenges, analysts say.

5 Apr 2026 - 6:00PM

Middle East

UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait lose water, energy infrastructure to Iran strikes

Gulf countries have faced repeated drone and missile salvoes over Iran’s accusation that its neighbours allow US forces to carry out attacks from their territory.

6 Apr 2026 - 9:03AM

Smoke plumes billowing from the Jebel Ali port and desalination plant in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, after an Iranian strike on March 2. Photo: AFP

Ukraine war

Zelensky fears Ukraine may get less US support to fight Russia due to Iran war

Zelensky has offered to share Ukraine’s battlefield expertise with the US and allies to develop countermeasures against Iranian attacks.

5 Apr 2026 - 3:48PMvideocam

Ukrainian experts work at the site of a Russian drone strike on a residential area in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Friday. Photo: EPA

US, Israel war on Iran

Fuel, food and fury: how the Iran war could topple South Asian governments

Analysts warn the crisis is threatening to spill over into wider economic and political instability.

5 Apr 2026 - 1:30PM

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong tourists choose safety, affordability with trips to mainland China

Travel industry leader says rise in airlines’ fuel surcharges and Mideast conflict have dampened Hongkongers’ desire to travel long distances.

5 Apr 2026 - 7:52PM

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Iran

‘Damage control’? Behind France, Germany’s bid to contain Iran war oil fallout

The European powers are leading calls for de-escalation but analyst notes ‘the age of soft power as a substitute for hard capacity is over’.

‘Keep bombing’: Trump claims Iranians want more US strikes for ‘freedom’

How lessons from Iran war could shape mainland China’s Taiwan calculus

Pakistan plan a ‘critical opportunity’ for US-Iran talks as Trump deadline looms

Islamabad has put forward proposals for a ceasefire as the US president threatens ‘hell’ for Iran if the Strait of Hormuz does not reopen.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | In closing airspace to US, Europe opens an existential debate over Nato

Growing European defiance to US demands raises a critical question: is Nato a club of equals or a mechanism for enforcing one nation’s agenda?

Oil smugglers in Thailand worsen supply crisis as Anutin warns of tough times

Police are investigating alleged oil hoarding in southern Thailand and reselling to nearby countries, citing ‘abnormal’ vessel movements.

As Trump hails airman rescue in Iran, Chinese experts count US wins and losses

Former PLA personnel say Iran’s success in shooting down US fighter jet boosts morale and shows it retains ‘some air-defence capabilities’.

South Korea aims to send ships to Saudi port for oil to bypass Hormuz

Special envoys will also sail to Oman and Algeria to try to secure oil via other routes, said lawmaker Ahn Do-geol.

Anxious days, sleepless nights for young Iranians in Hong Kong as war rages on

Peace of mind is elusive for young Iranians, who wait helplessly for news of loved ones and fight disinformation amid flood of contradictory reports.

Can palm biodiesel be Malaysia’s quick fix for soaring fuel prices?

Infrastructure costs, supply chains and industry readiness could pose problems for wider adoption of biodiesel blends, analysts say.

Iran rejects ceasefire, wants permanent end to the war

Mediators had proposed ⁠a ceasefire plan and peace settlement. Iran will only accept ‘end of the war’ with guarantee of no further attacks.

AirAsia X hikes fares by 40%, cuts capacity by 10% as Iran war impacts fuel

Founder Tony Fernandes said the higher prices were ‘unavoidable’ after the average cost of jet fuel more than doubled to US$200 per barrel.

China’s electric truck revolution: powerful painkiller for the Iran war?

Sales of electric heavy-duty cargo trucks surged by 182 per cent in 2025, with more growth forecast as oil and gas prices soar.

North Korean silence on Iran signals openness to US talks: Seoul’s spy agency

Pyongyang has not sent weapons and supplies to its long-time ally , nor has it issued messages to mark Iranian leadership changes.

.css-1t72pn8{color:#C79A00;}Video | Trump issues fiery, foul-mouthed message to Iran

US president extends deadline, saying Iran has until late April 7 US time to ‘make a deal’ or he would be ‘blowing everything up’.

Israel estimates 1,000 Iranian missiles threaten it as war grinds into second month

Iran is firing missiles from dozens of tunnel silos in remote mountain regions that are proving hard to destroy pre-emptively.

Japan’s Takaichi seeks urgent summit with Iran as Trump’s Hormuz deadline looms

Japan has been bearing the brunt of the Iran war as the resource-poor nation relies on the Middle East for most of its crude oil imports.

Chinese-made drone shot in Iran, Australia’s diplomacy pivot: 5 weekend reads

From a Chinese-made drone shot down in Iran to where Hongkongers went over the holidays, here are five stories you may have missed over the weekend.

Gold may reverse course once Iran war ends, Fed adopts policy easing

Gold has been on a wild ride this year, surging as much as 25 per cent before the war in Iran wiped out almost all the gains.

South Korea opens door wider to Chinese travellers – but will they come?

Higher airfares and fierce regional competition may blunt impact of new policy, analysts say.

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Open Questions | Andrew Tilton on China’s economic trajectory in wake of Iran war

Goldman Sachs’ chief Asia-Pacific economist says worst is over in terms of property slump’s impact on China’s economic growth.

Ukraine and Syria pledge security cooperation as Zelensky expands Middle East tour

Zelensky and Sharaa discuss drone defence and food security as Kyiv seeks to export its military expertise.

Trump draws criticism with fiery, foul-mouthed message threatening Iran

US president appears to extend deadline to Tuesday for Iran to ‘make a deal’ or he’s ‘blowing everything up’.

China’s luxury spending seen boosting global sales in 2026 despite headwinds

Affluent Chinese consumers are expected to splurge, though a volatile property market and oil price shocks pose challenges, analysts say.

UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait lose water, energy infrastructure to Iran strikes

Gulf countries have faced repeated drone and missile salvoes over Iran’s accusation that its neighbours allow US forces to carry out attacks from their territory.

Zelensky fears Ukraine may get less US support to fight Russia due to Iran war

Zelensky has offered to share Ukraine’s battlefield expertise with the US and allies to develop countermeasures against Iranian attacks.

Fuel, food and fury: how the Iran war could topple South Asian governments

Analysts warn the crisis is threatening to spill over into wider economic and political instability.

Hong Kong tourists choose safety, affordability with trips to mainland China

Travel industry leader says rise in airlines’ fuel surcharges and Mideast conflict have dampened Hongkongers’ desire to travel long distances.

Opinion | In closing airspace to US, Europe opens an existential debate over Nato

Video | Trump issues fiery, foul-mouthed message to Iran

Open Questions | Andrew Tilton on China’s economic trajectory in wake of Iran war