United States

Iran

Israel

Energy

Military & Security

Brig. Gen. Sardar Ebrahim Jabbari, a high-ranking official in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and an adviser to the IRGC's commander-in-chief, announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, semi-official Iranian outlet Tasnim News reported on March 2. 

Iran: IRGC Official Claims Iran Will Set Fire to Any Vessel Transiting Strait of Hormuz

Ukraine

Russia

Politics

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Russian and Ukrainian officials said the next round of U.S.-mediated peace talks, previously expected March 5-6 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, have not been canceled despite ongoing U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, Bloomberg reported on March 2.

Russia, Ukraine: Kremlin Says Peace Talks To Proceed Despite Iran Escalation

Afghanistan

Pakistan

Afghanistan-Pakistan cross-border clashes continued on March 1 as the Taliban in the capital, Kabul, reported firing at Pakistani jets that purportedly attempted to target Bagram Air Base, though consequent damage and casualties remain unclear, Reuters reported the same day.

Afghanistan, Pakistan: Afghanistan-Pakistan Clashes Persist as Conflict Erupts in Neighboring Iran

China

North Korea

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on March 1 that the United States' "blatant killing of a sovereign leader" in Iran and attempts at regime change were unacceptable, according to Xinhua, but Beijing has yet to threaten retaliation.

China, North Korea: Nations React Calmly to U.S. Strikes on Iran

Middle East and North Africa

Qatar

United Arab Emirates

Israel-Hamas Conflict

On March 1, following the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Guardian Council member Alireza Arafi was appointed to Iran's Leadership Council, alongside President Masoud Pezeshkian and Chief Justice Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, to exercise the Supreme Leader's powers until a permanent successor is chosen, Al Jazeera reported the same day. 

Iran: Transitional Council Appointed To Lead Country Following Khamenei Assassination

South Korea

Economics

South Korea's infrastructure ministry announced that it would allow Google to export government-provided precise map data to overseas premises "on condition that Google strictly comply with security guidelines," Yonhap News Agency reported on Feb. 27.

South Korea: Seoul Permits Google Navigation, Will Facilitate U.S. Trade Deal

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

The Democratic Republic of the Congo and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding according to which Washington will provide up to $900 million in assistance for Congo's health care sector over 2026-31, while Congo will increase its domestic health expenditure by $300 million over the same period, Reuters reported on Feb. 26.

Congo: Kinshasa Signs $1.2B Health Deal With Trump Administration, Despite Africa CDC Warnings

U.S.-Iran Relations

The U.S. State Department authorized the departure of nonemergency personnel and family members from the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem and its branch office in Tel Aviv, Axios reported on Feb. 27.

Iran, U.S.: U.S. Evacuates Israeli Embassy After Geneva Talks Conclude, Vienna Talks Scheduled

Assessments

Lebanon

Smoke plumes billow following Israel's bombardment of Beirut's southern suburbs on March 2, 2026. 

Israel is set to escalate its campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon, despite the Lebanese government's accelerated efforts to disarm the militant group.

Lebanon Joins the Region's Growing Conflict After Hezbollah Strikes Israel

Saudi Arabia

Cargo ships and tankers are seen in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Fujairah, the United Arab Emirates, on Feb. 25, 2026. 

Although most of the Middle East's crucial oil and gas assets have so far been spared, a prolonged conflict would raise the risk of material supply disruptions and price shocks, particularly for LNG markets.

How Will the Iran War Impact the World's Oil and Gas Supplies?

Bahrain

Kuwait

Oman

The Crown Plaza on March 1 showing damage from an Iranian military strike in Manama, Bahrain. Iran's attacks will push the Gulf Arab states more toward security alignment with the United States, and threaten their status as a secure investment destination.

Iran's attacks will push the Gulf Arab states more toward security alignment with the United States, and threaten their status as a secure investment destination.

The Implications of Iran's Attacks on the Gulf

Snapshots

People in Tehran look to the skies from a rooftop amid reports of widespread U.S. and Israeli attacks in Iran on Feb. 28, 2026.

The U.S. and Israel are pushing for regime change in Iran, though their attacks are most likely to yield an even more hostile government, as Iran has likely enacted mechanisms to ensure political continuity. 

What To Watch For Inside Iran Amid U.S. and Israeli Strikes

Canada

Australia

Japan

Germany

India

The Tehran skyline on Dec. 30, 2025. On March 2, U.S. and Iranian negotiators will meet in Vienna, Austria, to begin technical talks on a nuclear deal.

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: The Conflict in the Middle East, Merz meets Trump 

Iraq

Yemen

A plume of smoke rises following a reported explosion Feb. 28 in Tehran. The joint U.S.-Israel military operations on Feb. 28 against Iran have already escalated into a broader regional confrontation.

The military operations have already escalated into a broader regional confrontation and mark the onset of a sustained, multitheater conflict, but are unlikely on their own to trigger near-term regime collapse in Tehran.

A New U.S. and Israeli Attack on Iran Triggers a Regional Confrontation

Palestinian Territories

A view shows tents near the Port of Gaza in the Gaza Strip on Feb. 9, 2026.

With its focus on Iran, the U.S. is unlikely to greenlight a major new Israeli offensive in Gaza anytime soon, which will complicate Netanyahu's efforts to remove Hamas from the Strip before the October elections.

Netanyahu Will Struggle To Defeat Hamas Before Israeli Elections

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (left) shakes hands with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev during the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace at the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace on Feb. 19, 2026, in Washington, D.C.

Yerevan and Baku's efforts to finalize a peace treaty and realign toward the West will be tested by Russian influence operations ahead of Armenian elections and Iran's competing geopolitical interests.

To Escape Russia's Orbit, Armenia and Azerbaijan Turn to Each Other -- and the West

Tracking U.S. Naval Power

This map shows the approximate locations of U.S. Carrier Strike Groups and Amphibious Ready Groups.

U.S. Naval Update Map: Feb. 26, 2026

Europe

A digital illustration shows energy and power icons set with the EU flag. 

By embedding 'Made in Europe' requirements into public procurement, the upcoming Industrial Accelerator Act represents a fundamental shift in EU economic policy.

The EU's 'Made in Europe' Plan Will Fuel Internal Divisions, Transatlantic Tensions

Taiwan

A video interview of Taiwanese President William Lai plays onstage during The New York Times DealBook Summit 2025 at Jazz at Lincoln Center on Dec. 3, 2025, in New York City.

President Lai's political disputes with the legislature are unlikely to ease anytime soon, which could disrupt U.S. trade and arms deals and/or jeopardize future opportunities for diplomatic engagement with China.

Taiwan's Political Dysfunction Goes Global

Columns

On Geopolitics

Somalia

Sudan

Egypt

Libya

Syria

Turkey

A dark earth map of the Middle East with glowing details of cities and human population density areas.

Two blocs are emerging in the Middle East: one focused on preserving existing states and institutions, and the other on creating new ones.

Preservation vs. Fragmentation: Two Paths Toward a New Order in the Middle East

The United States encompasses territory spanning from the Arctic Circle and Central Pacific to the Gulf of Mexico and the North Atlantic.    The Greater Mississippi Basin is the United States' core and serves as the underpinning of its role as a global superpower.    The basin hosts an extensive network of navigable rivers that overlay the world's largest contiguous piece of arable land. This naturally interconnected river system facilitated integration among settlers and allowed for cheap transport of goods, providing the United States with the ability to feed itself efficiently and rapidly build up industry and capital to expand west. The Midwestern core gave early America strategic depth, while an expanding U.S. coastline, naturally indented with deep harbors, provided its opening to the world.    After reaching the Pacific coast in the mid-19th century, the United States found itself insulated by two oceans. On the continent itself, geography again has worked in the country's favor: lakes to the north and deserts to the south insulate the United States' population centers, with both Canada and Mexico facing too many natural constraints of their own to seriously rival it.    This unparalleled level of wealth and protection gives the United States options that few to no countries can claim. For one, the United States has used its wealth and security to build up the world's largest navy. Control of the world's major sea-lanes gives the United States the power to facilitate or deny trade to allies or rivals of the day. The onus therefore is on the United States to carefully manage its engagements abroad and build up strategic allies to protect its overseas interests and preserve its strength at home. 

SITUATION REPORTS

Iran: IRGC Official Claims Iran Will Set Fire to Any Vessel Transiting Strait of Hormuz

Russia, Ukraine: Kremlin Says Peace Talks To Proceed Despite Iran Escalation

Afghanistan, Pakistan: Afghanistan-Pakistan Clashes Persist as Conflict Erupts in Neighboring Iran

China, North Korea: Nations React Calmly to U.S. Strikes on Iran

Iran: Transitional Council Appointed To Lead Country Following Khamenei Assassination

South Korea: Seoul Permits Google Navigation, Will Facilitate U.S. Trade Deal

Congo: Kinshasa Signs $1.2B Health Deal With Trump Administration, Despite Africa CDC Warnings

Iran, U.S.: U.S. Evacuates Israeli Embassy After Geneva Talks Conclude, Vienna Talks Scheduled

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