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US-Iran tensions

US-Iran tensions
The latest news, analysis and opinion on US-Iran tensions. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
A Hengli Group petrochemical industrial park is seen in China’s Dalian in June 2024. Photo: Xinhua
US, Israel war on Iran

US sanctions China-based oil refinery and 40 shippers over Iran oil

Hengli Petrochemical’s facility in Dalian can process 400,000 barrels per day, making it one of the biggest independent refineries in China.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Trump kill order highlights threat of Iran’s ‘mosquito fleet’

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US, Israel war on Iran

Why US tanker blockades are raising risks for Southeast Asian strait controllers

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US-China relations

Exclusive | Trump ally to visit China as US turns up pressure before May summit

Republican senator to lead bipartisan delegation to China next week; visit will begin on May 1, with stops planned in Shanghai and Beijing.

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Chinese Premier Li Qiang greets US Senator Steve Daines ahead of their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 23, 2025. Photo: Pool via Reuters
US, Israel war on Iran

Opinion | Iran war ship seizures show how dual-use claims are being weaponised

In an increasingly fractured world, elastic dual-use claims could become not just a security tool but a new sticking point in global trade.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Trump orders US forces to ‘shoot and kill’ boats laying mines in Strait of Hormuz

US president authorises lethal force as the arrival of a third aircraft carrier bolsters a massive naval presence.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Is the US in decline? Why Iran war might be the surest sign

In going from international rule-maker to ‘predatory hegemon’, the US is risking it all, Chinese state media and observers warn.

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Chinese analysts say Washington’s reckless behaviour under President Donald Trump has alienated allies, weakened its credibility and eroded its global influence. Photo: Reuters
Belt and Road Initiative

As US-Iran war chokes Hormuz, can ‘Middle Corridor’ rise to the rescue?

Logistics route via Central Asia, South Caucasus, Caspian Sea and Turkey said to be ‘experiencing massive operational momentum’.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Iran’s exiled crown prince splashed with red substance in Berlin

Reza Pahlavi targeted while leaving a press conference where he said diplomacy with Iran ‘has been given enough chance’.

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US, Israel war on Iran

How Iran responded to Trump’s claimed role in saving 8 women from execution

Trump claimed Iran ‘respected my request’ to save the protesters. Iran’s judiciary said he’s ‘fabricating achievements’.

A woman walks past a mural depicting a US drone painted on the outer walls of the former US embassy in Tehran. Photo: AFP
US, Israel war on Iran

Iran latest: Trump has ‘no time frame’ to end war as world waits for peace talks

Iranian president says blockade, threats ‘main obstacles’ to negotiations; and Iran reopens its airspace with some China flights to resume.

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President Donald Trump said the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz “scares them even more than the bombing”. Photo: AFP
Diplomacy

Editorial | Saudi leader’s phone call to Xi Jinping shows shifting global power balance

For long-time US ally Riyadh to seek out China suggests a growing lack of conviction among countries that the US alone can shape the global order.

US, Israel war on Iran

Trump envoy seeks to replace Iran with Italy in World Cup, report says

The plan is an attempt to mend ties with Italian PM Meloni, after she and Trump fell out over his attacks against Pope Leo.

2026 Trump-Xi summit

As Iran talks go nowhere, will Donald Trump still go to Beijing?

With peace negotiations postponed, it is unclear if the US president will be ready to look at stabilising ties between the two top economies.

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Observers say pressure on Trump will rise as the war continues, and Beijing’s leverage in any talks with the US will also grow. Photo: EPA
China exports

‘Bigger winners’: why China’s battery firms stand to gain from the Iran war

Manufacturers are expected to see stronger overseas orders even as price wars hurt profits at home.

A worker at Henan Pude New Energy Technology assembling lithium-ion batteries in Sanmenxia city, Henan province, China, on March 12. Photo: Getty Images
US, Israel war on Iran

Iran fires on 3 ships in Strait of Hormuz after Trump extends ceasefire

Iranian media said the MSC Francesca and the Epaminondas were being escorted to Iran.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Trump extends Iran war ceasefire as Strait shutdown drags on

The US president stepped back from resuming attacks on Iran, while both sides maintained blockades of the vital Strait of Hormuz.

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Donald Trump

Video | Trump reads Bible days after Jesus image controversy

The US president has faced rare criticism from his evangelical supporters for sharing a meme in which he appears as a Jesus-like healer.

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Middle East

Israel and Hezbollah exchange fire, testing Lebanon truce as talks loom

The incidents are among several that have occurred since a 10-day Lebanon ceasefire came into effect last Thursday.

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran war latest: Trump’s new threat, IRGC attacks ship, fuel prices hit flights

US president’s ceasefire extension followed by threats to ‘blow up’ rest of Iran, as Tehran refuses to join peace talks while Hormuz blockade continues.

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China shipbuilding

The Iran war’s unlikely winner: China’s shipyards

China already dominates global shipbuilding orders – and the Strait of Hormuz crisis appears to be boosting demand.

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Ships under construction at China Merchants Industrial Nanjing Jinling Shipyard in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, China, on April 16. Photo: Getty Images
US-China relations

Trump extends Iran ceasefire, claims interception of ‘gift from China’

Strait blockade stays as US seizes vessel said to be carrying ammunition for Iran; Beijing denies role and talks face fresh doubt.

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Cargo ships near the Strait of Hormuz. Photo: Reuters
China energy security

China confronts Middle East supply shock, as State Council mulls energy strategy

Premier Li Qiang urges ‘bottom-line mentality’ to secure power as Beijing sees coal and Russian gas among options to offset reliance on imported crude.

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IPO

Victory Giant skyrockets after biggest Hong Kong IPO this year

The Nvidia supplier jumped on its trading debut, underscoring demand for AI hardware stocks and the resilience of Hong Kong IPO demand amid Middle East upheavals.

US, Israel war on Iran

Trump, Iran and the Strait of Hormuz: here’s what happened overnight

A two-week ceasefire is about to expire, and it’s not clear if Tehran will show up for a second round of talks.

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US President Donald Trump says he won’t lift the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz until there is a deal with Iran. Photo: TNS
US, Israel war on Iran

US and Iran warn they are ready for war as clock ticks on ceasefire end

As talks remain in limbo, a key Iranian figure says the Islamic Republic is ready to ‘show new cards on the battlefield’.

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A national flag of Iran hangs from a building in Tehran that was damaged by US-Israeli attacks. Photo: Xinhua
US, Israel war on Iran

Beyond Panama and Hormuz: 8 critical waterways under the global microscope

Amid US actions in the two major shipping channels, attention has shifted to the strategic importance and potential risks elsewhere.

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Iran

Video | US forces seize Iranian ship

Iran announced it had no plans yet to take part in a second round of negotiations, citing excessive US demands.

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