While the western media remains largely fixated on the existential Iran nuclear threat and the gory slow-motion Syrian civil war, other momentous events are occurring in the world’s most volatile region, with potentially enormous consequences for the west’s addiction to Middle Eastern oil. One of the most brutal Middle East insurgencies, largely overlooked by the Western media, involved Turkey and the Marxist Kurdish separatist Partiya Karkeren Kurdistan (Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK).

• March 5, 2013

The US media has warned that the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline might lead to sanctions against Islamabad, although the State Department says sanctions will only become effective if Pakistan finalises the deal.

• March 4, 2013

Russia may agree to make a concession to Ukraine regarding clearance of movements of the Black Sea Fleet units outside their bases, although no final agreement has yet been achieved on this matter, the Dzerkalo Tyzhnia Ukraine weekly has reported citing sources familiar with the process of negotiations.

• March 2, 2013

After two intense days of nuclear talks in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Tehran issued a statement that described negotiations as a positive step forward due to a "more realistic" position adopted by the "Iran six" nations that compromise the UN Security Council's permanent five members plus Germany.

• March 1, 2013

Vozrozhdeniye CJSC (Russia) has signed a new contract for its operations in Turkmenistan, the official Turkmen source said.

• February 28, 2013

Bulgarian parliament on Wednesday confirmed suspension of the country's second nuclear power plant (NPP) construction

• February 28, 2013

Iran says it has found major new uranium deposits and is planning to expand its nuclear power programme.

• February 23, 2013

Ukraine has signed a contract for the supply of natural gas with an annual volume of up to five billion cubic meters (bcm) with Germany's RWE, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has said.

• February 22, 2013