United States

China

Economics

Politics

U.S.-China Relations

China added two fentanyl precursor chemicals to its Class Two list, enabling stricter supervision of their export starting July 20 in what Chinese officials deemed "a contribution to global drug control," Bloomberg reported on June 23.

China, U.S.: Beijing Bans Two Fentanyl Precursors as Rare Earth Exports Dropped 80% in May

Iran

Israel

Military & Security

U.S.-Iran Relations

The U.S. military struck Iranian nuclear facilities at Esfahan, Fordow and Natanz on June 22, Reuters reported.

Iran: U.S. Strikes Three Iranian Nuclear Sites, Including Heavily Fortified Fordow

India

Pakistan

According to a June 19 press release from the media wing of Pakistan's military, Field Marshal Gen. Asim Munir and U.S. President Donald Trump's June 18 meeting focused on regional security, counterterrorism cooperation and expanding bilateral ties in trade, technology and energy.

Pakistan, U.S: Pakistan's Field Marshal Meets With Trump

Europe

Germany

France

United Kingdom

The EU foreign policy chief and the foreign ministers of the United Kingdom, France and Germany -- the so-called E3 grouping of signatories to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal -- met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Geneva, Switzerland, to encourage Iran to negotiate with the United States for a new nuclear deal, Reuters reported on June 20. 

Europe, Iran: E3, Iranian Foreign Ministers Meet in Geneva

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Rwanda

Technical teams from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda initialed the text of a draft peace agreement that both countries' foreign affairs ministers are due to sign on June 27, Radio France Internationale reported on June 19. 

Congo, Rwanda: Ministers Scheduled To Sign Peace Agreement on June 27

A three-judge federal appeals court unanimously ruled on June 19 that U.S. President Donald Trump could continue to use National Guard units he unilaterally federalized to respond to unrest in Los Angeles, California, Reuters reported on June 20. 

U.S.: Appeals Court Rules Trump Can Keep Control of National Guard Units in Los Angeles for Now

U.S. military officials have expressed concern over the dwindling supply of Israeli Arrow interceptors used to counter Iranian long-range missiles, The Wall Street Journal reported on June 18.

U.S., Israel: U.S. Concerned About Dwindling Israeli Interceptors

Cyber

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

The U.S. Senate passed first-of-its-kind bipartisan cryptocurrency legislation aimed at creating guardrails for "stablecoins," which are digital assets fixed to a fiat currency, CNN reported on June 17. 

U.S.: Senate Passes Landmark Cryptocurrency Legislation

Snapshots

Qatar

A photo taken on June 23, 2025, shows the remnants of an Iranian missile intercepted over Qatar. 

Absent further retaliation, Iran's June 23 attack offers a path to de-escalation, but there is still a chance, albeit slim, that additional U.S. strikes trigger a wider conflict.

With a Telegraphed Attack on a U.S. Base in Qatar, Iran Offers an Off-Ramp To Ease Tensions

Assessments

Netherlands

Spain

The entrance of the building where the 2025 NATO summit will be held is seen in The Hague, the Netherlands, on June 22, 2025.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The June 24-25 summit will likely yield a political agreement on higher defense spending and highlight Europe's move toward greater defense autonomy, though structural and financial limitations will make it hard to maintain this shift over time. 

Previewing the 2025 NATO Summit

A Northrop B-2 Spirit on July 4, 2020, near the White House in Washington. 

Energy

Even if carefully calibrated, Iranian retaliation of any form will risk inviting more U.S. strikes and greater escalation that could result in Iran following through on more of its significant threats against the regional oil and gas sector and/or the United States.

Iran's Retaliation Against the U.S. Will Likely Be Limited, but Will Still Risk Escalation

Ukraine

Russia

Israeli air defense systems are activated to intercept Iranian missiles over the Israeli city of Tel Aviv early on June 18, 2025. 

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

The Weekly Rundown: Israel-Iran Conflict Rages On, NATO Holds Annual Summit

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: June 19, 2025

Canada

Australia

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles and British Defense Secretary John Healey sit together for the AUKUS Defense Ministers Meeting at Old Royal Naval College on Sept. 26, 2024, in London, England.

Despite growing U.S. skepticism, strong imperatives to counter China's maritime presence will likely lead Washington to see a revised version of the AUKUS defense pact through.

U.S. Review of AUKUS Pillar I Puts Pact on Shaky Ground

Brunei Darussalam

Cambodia

Indonesia

Laos

Malaysia

Philippines

Singapore

Thailand

Vietnam

The Geopolitics of Trade

Global Trade

The impending full implementation of sweeping U.S. tariffs threatens to significantly disrupt export-driven ASEAN economies, which is driving countries to seek alternative trade partners.

The Geopolitics of Trade: U.S. Tariffs Give Impetus to ASEAN Trade Diversification

Israeli air defense systems intercept Iranian missiles over Tel Aviv amid a fresh barrage of Iranian rockets on June 16, 2025. Israeli air defense systems intercept Iranian missiles over Tel Aviv amid a fresh barrage of Iranian rockets on June 16, 2025. 

The Israel-Iran conflict is set to evolve into a short war of attrition as Iran pits its degraded missile stocks against Israel's dwindling air defense systems.

Assessing the Trajectory of the Iran-Israel War

Sub-Saharan Africa

Japan

Italy

Rescue teams work at damaged buildings in Nobonyad Square following Israeli airstrikes on June 13, 2025, in Tehran, Iran. 

The Weekly Rundown: G7 Leaders' Summit, More Israeli Attacks on Iran

Smoke rises from a location allegedly targeted in Israel's wave of strikes June 13, 2025, in Tehran, Iran. Israel and Iran are increasingly likely to expand the scope of their attacks to include targets like each other's political leadership, energy infrastructure and other sensitive targets that would open the door to a wider regional war.

Israel and Iran are increasingly likely to expand the scope of their attacks to include targets like each other's political leadership, energy infrastructure and other sensitive targets that would open the door to a wider regional war.

Israel and Iran's Conflict Intensifies, Raising the Risk of a Regional War

An Israeli Air Force F-16 fighter aircraft on March 24, 2025, over the city of Yokneam Illit in northern Israel.

Israeli launched a "preemptive" strike on Iran in the early hours of June 13, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced as he declared a special state of emergency inside Israel.

Israel Launches Major Military Strikes on Iran

U.S. President Donald Trump discusses his plans for a "Golden Dome" U.S. missile defense shield in the Oval Office of the White House on May 20, 2025.

The plan for a U.S. missile defense system will likely fall short of its expansive aims, but it threatens to accelerate an arms race with Russia and China, as well as hasten the commercialization of space.

The Feasibility and Risks of Trump's 'Golden Dome' Missile Shield

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

China, U.S.: Beijing Bans Two Fentanyl Precursors as Rare Earth Exports Dropped 80% in May

Iran: U.S. Strikes Three Iranian Nuclear Sites, Including Heavily Fortified Fordow

Pakistan, U.S: Pakistan's Field Marshal Meets With Trump

Europe, Iran: E3, Iranian Foreign Ministers Meet in Geneva

Congo, Rwanda: Ministers Scheduled To Sign Peace Agreement on June 27

U.S.: Appeals Court Rules Trump Can Keep Control of National Guard Units in Los Angeles for Now

U.S., Israel: U.S. Concerned About Dwindling Israeli Interceptors

U.S.: Senate Passes Landmark Cryptocurrency Legislation

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