Gulf and Red Sea Regions

The United States came with yet another action with regards to the Yemeni war. The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken called the international community to bring Houthi under questioning over their campaign in Marib. The announcement came via a statement on Twitter after Blinken met with the US Envoy to Yemen Timothy Lenderking.

Several dozens have been killed with dozens more injured in a fire at a hospital in Baghdad, Iraq, where COVID-19 patients are being treated, according to the Iraqi Interior Ministry.

Yara Saleh, a former engineer, has made a monumental career shift by introducing Dancehall into Egypt, providing choreography classes. The 29-year old professional dancer believes that the genre of music has the ability to unite people. 

Iran has explicitly admitted its role in supporting the Yemeni Houthi movement as they engage in battles on multiple fronts with the Yemeni government and its Arab coalition supporters. General Rostam Qasemi, one of the commander's in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, said on Wednesday (21 April) that weapons that the Houthis possess were provided by Tehran.

Officials said on Monday (19 April) that Tehran and JCPOA partners have made some progress to revive the 2015 nuclear deal and that an interim agreement could be possible to buy time for a permanent framework. 

The Council of the European Union on Monday (19 April) approved conclusions affirming the EU's determination to renew and strengthen its strategic partnership with its Southern Neighbourhood in the Mediterranean and the Sahel.

The recent signing of a strategic partnership with Iran shows that China is now a significant player in the geopolitics of the wider Middle East. This has implications for the South Caucasus and particularly Armenia, writes Benyamin Poghosyan in this op-ed

Iran has announced that it will raise its nuclear enrichment level up to 60 percent. The move, according to President Hassan Rouhani is a response to "nuclear terrorism". On Sunday (11 April) the Iranian Fuel Enrichment Plant in Natanz was attacked with Iran pointing fingers at Tel Aviv. Rouhani described the attack as a plot to weaken his country's position during the ongoing nuclear negotiations in Vienna.

Fighting between pro-government forces and Houthi fighters intensified over the weekend across multiple fronts in the governorate of Marib in Yemen. Reports indicate that around 70 have been killed in the past few days. Officials losses and the changes in the frontlines are difficult to determine as figures and news are often concealed.