Senior Iranian officials who spoke with The New York Times said Iran’s leadership lacks the tools to cope with the crises it is facing, including nationwide protests, a deepening economic emergency and the prospect of another round of confrontation with Israel and the US.
Venezuela's high court ordered vice president Delcy Rodríguez to serve as acting president in Maduro's absence, according to reports.
2025 was saturated with conflict. From Southeast Asia through the Himalayas and the Middle East to Ukraine, there is little reason to believe the trend will ease in the coming year. Europe is rearming at an unprecedented pace, Russia is growing bolder, China more aggressive, and the US is massing forces in the Caribbean. And the Middle East? As always.
Even in a secret hideout, María Corina Machado, Venezuela's opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, doesn't give up. "The transition to democracy has begun, truth defeated Maduro."
Following the dramatic operation in Venezuela, the US is presenting Iran with a new threat. Sanctions and mounting pressure could force the ayatollahs to reconsider their regional policy. Iran may find itself facing a shrinking sphere of influence in the Middle East.
