Foreign Affairs

Tehran confirms that an Israeli attack killed Iran's intelligence minister, Esmaeil Khatib, in the latest high profile attack on the regime's leadership. Read how the day unfolded.

There are fears of heavy casualties as Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of hitting a treatment centre for drug addicts in the capital, Kabul, and killing civilians.

Italy, France and seven other nations say a Russian liquefied natural gas tanker adrift in the Mediterranean represents an ecological threat, urging swift action. 

For much of the past century, the world has learned to interpret war through categories shaped by American power.

Donald Trump tells US allies to "get involved quickly" in unblocking the Strait of Hormuz shipping channel, while warning members of NATO the alliance faces a "very bad" future if they do not do their bit. 

The killing of a Nepali security guard in Abu Dhabi highlights the growing risks faced by millions of migrant workers across the Gulf as the conflict between Iran, Israel and the United States escalates.

If there ever was a strategy behind Donald Trump's decision to blow up the Middle East, it is lying in tatters as the second week of the Iran war draws to a close.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel says that his government has held recent talks with the US, marking the first time the Caribbean country confirms such speculation.

A ship that was found to be carrying nearly 5 tonnes of cocaine near French Polynesia earlier this year has been escorted into Sydney Harbour after issuing a distress call.

The Women's Asian Cup has been embroiled in another diplomatic controversy, with Taiwanese officials lodging a complaint after a former national coach was ejected from a stadium for leading a chant which included the word "Taiwan."

Estonia's foreign minister declares that Europe was like an "old, fat, lazy cat" in the aftermath of the Cold War and has vowed that NATO forces will strike "into the heart of Russia" if Moscow invades Baltic countries.

Iran's new supreme leader says the Strait of Hormuz should remain closed as a tool of pressure, vowing to "obtain compensation from the enemy".  

Tiered pricing for visas is being used to support Pacific nations but some fear it could be misused to target certain communities.

It's a reasonable question for Australians to ask given the government is sending a sophisticated reconnaissance plane — crewed by dozens of military personnel — to the Middle East. And legal experts say the answer is yes.

From closing schools to daily limits, the surging cost of oil prompts countries across Asia to take action to ensure fuel supply and keep prices in check. 

The Albanese government will need to be explicit about what it is doing in the Middle East or risk a growing concern that it is being drawn into another war. 

Middle powers may have a larger role to play in the emerging world order, but the same old dilemma persists: how far are they willing to defend the rules when the countries bending them are their closest allies?

The head of Papua New Guinea's military says the country does not have the capacity to safely store 3,500 rifles Australia plans to ship to the country, raising fears they could end up in the hands of tribal warlords.

It seems that Australia finds itself yoked to America's actions whether the government likes it or not.

While the cabaret of outlandish and contradictory statements and claims continues in Washington, there is considerable pragmatic pessimism in the Gulf about the mess Donald Trump will leave behind.