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In the division of labour between the regular Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (IRIN) and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN), the principles of decentralisation

The division of responsibilities between Iran’s naval forces, outlined in a new report, will frustrate enemy attacks but not change the outcome of any future conflict with the United States

Omani ministers have been talking up the relationship with Iran, whose importance was underlined by the visit to Tehran this summer of Sultan Qaboos Bin Said Al-Saeed. As well as acting as a mediator between the embattled Islamic Republic and its critics, notably the United States and United Kingdom, Oman has a number of national interests in developing ties with Iran, including in the energy sector.

Dubai and other emirates may be talking up the apparently limited impact of the global economic crisis and triumph of federal unity, but many analysts believe the fallout from the credit crunch will further alter inter-emirate relations. A possible consequence of Abu Dhabi bailing out Dubai could be the loss of its independent foreign policy, according to Jim Krane, author of the new City of Gold: Dubai and the Dream of Capitalism – and this will also affect business relations.

Opponents of President Ahmadinejad’s re-election and the wider regime continue to protest and organise, but opposition group leaders are under increasing pressure as the supreme leader and his allies dig in

Humanitarian concerns have forced a ceasefire in Yemen’s murderous Al-Houthi conflict amid signs that the Arab-Iranian ‘cold war’ is hotting up. With Saudi Arabia and Egypt joining the US in seeing wider regional significance in what has long been understood as a localised conflict, Ali Abdullah Saleh is looking to exploit a difficult situation

The government has stressed the Iranian connection in recent communiqués on the northern conflict. Houthi leader Badreddin Al-Houthi exposed his movement to charges of Iranian backing by contacting Shia marjas (spiritual leaders) in Najaf and Qom, drawing stern criticism of government crackdowns from Shia notables such as Iraq's Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani. Iranian state media has strongly criticised the

As international financial sanctions tighten, Iran has slipped off the radar of most banks, but import letters of credit are still being issued by Iranian banks and may be confirmed by a handful of western counterparts

In a move to increase pressure on Tehran, the British government has followed US moves by banning all UK-based companies from entering into or continuing any transactions or business relationships with Bank Mellat,

Everyone from ‘Great Satan’ America to Al-Qaeda has been blamed for a suicide bombing that targeted senior IRGC commanders in Sistan va Baluchistan. The incident points to deepening confrontation in sensitive, often ethnically distinct border regions such as Khuzestan province, where Tehran has rejected all challenges to its authority

It is not just through trade and financial controls that the United States and its allies are gradually encircling Iran in an effort to throttle the Islamic Republic’s nuclear ambitions. And the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) states are playing a larger role in this process than seemed likely earlier this decade, when Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdelaziz led a move towards rapprochement with Tehran. Thus, according to GSN’s contacts in the

Despite an increasingly sophisticated military infrastructure, a fatal crash and a number of technical faults at a recent air show have undermined President Ahmadinejad’s threats of retaliation if the US or Israel were to strike

The latest bloodbath in Saada, causing tens of thousands of civilians to flee, has made international news. The roots of the crisis, and the continuing confrontation in the south, present a complex challenge to Ali Abdullah Saleh

The Iranian succession process can be rather complex, particularly in the absence of a reigning rahbar (supreme leader) with the personal authority to nominate a successor. Upon a rahbar's death or removal, the deliberations and decisions lie solely

With persistent rumours about the Supreme Leader’s health, key figures are jostling for power as they await the succession that many expect sooner rather than later. Meanwhile, with growing influence, the Rahbar’s son Mojtaba Khamenei waits in the wings