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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

Mexico

Economics

Shootings, arson attacks and blockades by the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion, or CJNG, in response to the Feb. 22 operation that resulted in the death of the group's leader, Nemesio Oseguera "El Mencho," have declined substantially as of Feb. 27, BorderReport reported the same day.

Mexico: Violence Declines Following Surge After Death of Cartel Leader 

Ukraine

Russia

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

A local ceasefire took effect near the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to enable repairs to a damaged external power line, Reuters reported on Feb. 27, citing Russian officials.

Russia, Ukraine: Temporary Truce at Zaporizhzhia Plant Masks Persistent Nuclear Risk

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

U.S.-Iran Relations

Ukraine and the United States concluded bilateral talks in Geneva, Switzerland, that focused on Ukraine's security, reconstruction and preparations for the next trilateral round with Russia, Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov announced on X on Feb. 26.

Ukraine, U.S.: Bilateral Talks in Geneva Conclude Amid Kremlin's Hardening Stance

Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi said in a Feb. 26 post on X that indirect talks between the United States and Iran, which Oman is mediating, saw "significant progress" after two sessions were held the same day, adding that technical discussions would take place "next week" in Vienna, Austria. 

Iran, U.S.: Nuclear Talks Appear To Make Some Progress, Technical Talks Scheduled for Next Week

North Korea

South Korea

North Korea's weeklong ruling Workers' Party congress concluded on Feb. 25, with leader Kim Jong Un calling for new strategic weapons development, warning Pyongyang could destroy Seoul if threatened by South Korea or the United States, and formally defining inter-Korean ties as those between "two hostile states," rather than one state with rival governments, Yonhap News Agency reported the same day.

North Korea: Party Congress Ends With Bluster, but Door Left Open for Dialogue With Washington

China

The Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress removed nine serving officers from their positions as delegates to the National People's Congress, including Ground Force Commander Li Qiaoming and Information Support Force Political Commissar Li Wei, Bloomberg reported on Feb. 26. 

China: Military Purge Expands, Deepening Command Uncertainty

The world is connected, but even the broadest topics deserve an individual look. Below are our latest and most relevant military analyses. 

Below are our latest and most relevant military analyses. 

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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

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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

Lebanon

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

Afghanistan

Pakistan

A Taliban security personnel operating an anti-aircraft gun keeps watch for Pakistani airstrikes near the Torkham border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan on Feb. 27 in in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan. The ongoing escalation marks a shift into overt interstate conflict, though the most likely near-term trajectory is a sustained cycle of cross-border strikes and retaliation.

The ongoing escalation marks a shift into overt interstate conflict, though the most likely near-term trajectory is a sustained cycle of cross-border strikes and retaliation.

Afghan-Pakistan Tensions Erupt Into Conflict

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

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

Iceland

Icelandic flags are seen on a street in Reykjavik.

The prospect of a summer referendum on EU accession reflects a strategic pivot driven by heightened anxieties over transatlantic security.


In Iceland, Security Concerns, Domestic Politics Catalyze Renewed Debate Over EU Membership

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

A burned car is seen on a highway near Acatlan de Juarez, Jalisco state, Mexico, on Feb. 22, 2026. The car was allegedly set on fire by organized crime groups in response to the killing of Nemesio Oseguera "El Mencho," the top leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

The killing of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel's notorious leader will initially improve U.S.-Mexico ties, but the likely surge in cartel violence will pose long-term risks to businesses and eventually renew pressure for U.S. military action in Mexico.

What a Cartel Leader's Killing Means for Mexico's Security and U.S. Relations

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) inspect the honor guard during an official welcoming ceremony at the presidential complex in Ankara, Turkey, on June 22, 2022.

After years of discord, Saudi Arabia and Turkey are finding common ground as they increasingly position themselves against Emirati- and Israeli-backed regional initiatives. 

Saudi Arabia and Turkey's New Regional Alignment

Military & Security

SITUATION REPORTS

Iran: Transitional Council Appointed To Lead Country Following Khamenei Assassination

Mexico: Violence Declines Following Surge After Death of Cartel Leader

Russia, Ukraine: Temporary Truce at Zaporizhzhia Plant Masks Persistent Nuclear Risk

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

Ukraine, U.S.: Bilateral Talks in Geneva Conclude Amid Kremlin's Hardening Stance

Iran, U.S.: Nuclear Talks Appear To Make Some Progress, Technical Talks Scheduled for Next Week

North Korea: Party Congress Ends With Bluster, but Door Left Open for Dialogue With Washington

China: Military Purge Expands, Deepening Command Uncertainty

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