Lyse Doucet

Five years after the Taliban seized Kabul, its control over Afghanistan has strengthened while women and girls face severe restrictions, including bans on secondary and university education and limits on employment and public activity. Western isolation and sanctions have failed to produce significant concessions, while other countries are expanding practical ties and economic agreements with the Taliban. The United Nations and aid organizations argue that sustained, coordinated dialogue is necessary to preserve humanitarian access and seek incremental improvements, but activists warn that engagement without firm conditions risks normalizing Taliban rule. The article concludes that meaningful change is ultimately likely to depend more on internal pressures within Afghanistan than on diplomatic tactics imposed from abroad.

Escalating tensions between Iran and the United States have reopened the strategic vulnerability of the Strait of Hormuz as both sides interpret their recent memorandum of understanding in conflicting ways, especially regarding control of maritime passage. Iran views the agreement as permitting it a dominant role in managing the corridor, while the US sees an obligation to keep it open for global trade. Iranian attacks on shipping, internal divisions within its leadership, and a newly proposed law asserting control over the strait have heightened regional concern, straining relations with mediators such as Oman and Qatar. Rising economic pressures in Iran and political constraints in the US may yet push both sides back to negotiations, though deep mistrust and differing perceptions of leverage continue to block progress.

Escalating tensions between Iran and the United States threaten to collapse the fragile truce agreed last month, with the strategic Strait of Hormuz emerging as the central flashpoint. Ambiguities in the memorandum of understanding have allowed both sides to interpret control of the waterway to their advantage, intensifying disputes over vessel routes and maritime authority. Iran’s internal divisions, regional friction with neighbours such as Oman and Qatar, and worsening economic pressure have fuelled its determination to assert control despite opposition. The US, facing its own political constraints, has shut the window that briefly eased sanctions, while both sides believe they hold the upper hand. Mediators see limited room for compromise, and the unresolved nuclear issue remains sidelined as the risk of renewed conflict grows.

Massive funeral processions for Ali Khamenei became a choreographed display of resistance, grief and calls for revenge, amplified by supporters blaming the United States and Israel for the airstrikes that killed the supreme leader and his family members. While government loyalists filled Tehran’s streets, others stayed away, citing economic hardship and the recent protest crackdown. Iran’s leadership faces pressure to pursue negotiations with the US to address the country’s severe financial strain even as hardliners demand retaliation. The transition to Mojtaba Khamanei as the new supreme leader remains clouded by his absence and security concerns. Symbols of defiance, including a new statue in Revolution Square, underscore Iran’s attempt to project strength as it enters a new political era.

Massive state-organised funeral processions in Tehran for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei mixed public grief with forceful political messaging focused on resistance and calls for revenge against the US and Israel, which Iran blames for the air strikes that killed the supreme leader and four relatives. Crowds, symbols and slogans were designed to project strength as Iran enters a new era under Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared in public since the attack. While loyalists expressed anger and vowed retaliation, others stayed away amid economic hardship and memories of recent protests. With Iran’s leadership facing economic crisis and ongoing tensions with the US, the ceremonies highlighted competing narratives within the country and uncertainty over its political future.