The Media Line

The Iran war is creating a new global energy risk beyond the Strait of Hormuz - analysis

Oil loadings at the Red Sea port of Yanbu were suspended, sources told Reuters, while Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline remained offline after attacks on the kingdom’s energy infrastructure.

Damage in the aftermath of Houthi strikes on the Red Sea port city of Mocha, Yemen, August 10, 2026 in this screengrab taken from a handout video.
 Anti-Israel Queer protestor, Malieveld, The Hague, Netherlands (October 28, 2023)

The battle over narratives: How Israel can fight misinformation - opinion

Anthropic logo is seen in this illustration taken June 11, 2026.

Why some people are stepping back from AI as concerns come from inside industry - explainer

An aerial view shows a damaged boat, as Iran-aligned Houthis seized control of Yemen's port city of Mocha on Thursday, in Mocha, Yemen, in its screengrab taken from a handout video released on September 12, 2026.

How a Yemeni fishing city has become a second front in the US-Iran conflict - analysis


Why did the US intervene to support Japan's struggling yen? - analysis

The intervention helped the currency gain around 5%, lifting it from nearly 164 yen per dollar to about 155.

This photo illustration taken on December 5, 2024 shows new Japanese 10,000 yen notes (currently worth approximately 66 USD), which were released in July 2024, on display in Tokyo; illustrative

Middle East natural resources reveal a hidden map of abundance and scarcity

The smaller resource base has pushed both countries to lean harder into non-oil sectors such as finance, logistics, and tourism.

A general view shows the Awad oil field in the eastern Qamishli countryside in northeastern Syria, on February 15, 2026; illustrative

Saudi Arabia-Turkey-Pakistan defense agreement exposes limits of US military reliance- interview

Cyril Widdershoven, senior advisor at Blue Water Strategy, said that “Gulf leadership increasingly doubts that US power is able actually to prevent missile attacks and drone warfare."

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pose after signing a joint defence agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, August 7, 2026.

Islamic Republic has no option but to wage war to survive, Iranian student says - interview

Minoo, a left-wing student at a university in Tehran, told The Media Line that the January uprising "demonstrated how millions of people...could overthrow the regime."

 Labor protests and strikes have intensified in recent weeks. The photo shows workers at the Iran Berk factory in Rasht gathering and striking over 19 months of unpaid wages.

Pakistan says defense pact with Turkey, Saudi Arabia is 'purely defensive,' open to other nations

He said the Mecca Agreement is the result of several years of discussions and mutual consultations, aimed at strengthening strategic cooperation to address various security challenges, promote peace.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan shakes hands with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif looks on after they signed a joint defense agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, August 7, 2026.

Gulf states pay the price as shipping crisis exposes costly dependence on the Strait of Hormuz

"A lot of the necessities, and I'm talking food, that these Gulf nations require - Kuwait, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia - comes in by boat," and flying in goods is causing prices to rise.

The sun sets behind the Doha skyline on August 4, 2026.

Voices from the Arab press: A new pathway for Lebanon

A weekly selection of opinions and analyses from the Arab media around the world.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan (L) welcomes Lebanese President Aoun at the presidential palace in Ankara, July 30.

Why has Pakistan introduced new guidelines for state oversight of foreign media? - analysis

Pakistani journalists working for foreign media organizations are also covered by the new guidelines.

Pakistani flags flutter near the Parliament House, as delegations from the United States and Iran are expected to hold peace talks, in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 11, 2026.

Iran executions return to near-daily pace as war distracts world from domestic repression

Only 67 of at least 444 executions documented in Iran this year were announced by authorities, as rights advocates warn of a broader crackdown.

A noose with mock flowers displayed during a demonstration by Franco-Iranian associations, including the Committee to Support Human Rights in Iran (CSDHI) against the capital punishment in Iran, a day after the World Day Against the Death Penalty, in central Paris on October 11, 2025.

Wars collide in the Caspian Sea: Ukraine strike exposes the Iran-Russia connection

The incident may appear to mark a new convergence between two geographically separate wars. In reality, Iran’s involvement in Russia’s military campaign began years before the Caspian strike.

A man looks at a destroyed Kiwi K.A.R.E ambulance beside an Iranian-designed Shahed-136 drone at an exhibition of destroyed Russian military equipment in Kyiv, December 9, 2025. (Illustrative)