Analysis As Iran looks East, Pezeshkian courts Pakistan to ease economic woes During his visit to neighboring Pakistan, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian sought to deepen political and economic ties as part of a broader foreign policy strategy to ease sanctions and offset the fallout from the recent war with Israel. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
'He must be saved!': Brother of emaciated Israeli hostage pleads for his release Agence France-Presse
Senate defense spending bill would restrict US troop drawdown from Syria Washington plans to zero out stipends for Iraqi Kurdistan’s peshmerga forces but will continue funding Iraq’s Counter-Terrorism Service and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces via its counter-ISIS authorities at least through 2026. By Jared Szuba In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military
Who Is Ali Larijani? Khamenei confidant returns to Iran’s top security post The appointment comes amid a wider security reshuffling following Iran’s war with Israel in June. Iran
Chinese company to build Oman's first green hydrogen plant: What to know The plant in Duqm plans to produce 1 million metric tons of green hydrogen per year by 2030. China
Fears mount over fate of missing Turkmen dissidents in Turkey The pair vanished after being released from a Turkish deportation center, prompting concerns they were abducted or secretly returned to Turkmenistan. Turkey
Lebanon tasks army with plan to control weapons as Hezbollah rejects disarmament Speaking to reporters at the conclusion of the session, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said the army must draft its plan and present it before the government for review before Aug. 31. Lebanon
Iran to close public offices as temperatures pass 105 F: What to know Iranian officials are seeking to reduce public energy consumption as water levels decrease throughout the country and power cuts persist. Iran
Turkey names new army chief in unexpected reshuffle While official releases cited staffing shortages as the reason, it has been roughly a decade since a Turkish chief of staff has retired before completing a full four-year tenure. Turkey
