US brokers deal for limited Israeli withdrawal in south Lebanon The deal establishes a US-facilitated military coordination group to oversee the creation of two initial pilot zones in southern Lebanon. Lebanon
Analysis Vance turning us into 'punching bag': Israel fumes over alleged IRGC-CENTCOM channel in Doha The US-Iran decision to launch direct talks between the IRGC and CENTCOM in Qatar deepens the rift between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while heightening Israeli fears that Washington is shifting toward Doha and Tehran. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
As US talks stall, Hezbollah chief defiant, says Israel to leave Lebanon ’humiliated' The speech comes as the Lebanese-Israeli talks appeared to reach a deadlock this week amid Israel’s refusal to withdraw from Lebanese territory as long as Hezbollah remains armed. Lebanon
Explainer Bombed sites, missing uranium: How Trump’s Iran deal hinges on inspector access Iran's long record of obstructing the UN's nuclear watchdog raises questions about how much access it would grant in a future deal. Iran
UN nuclear watchdog: Iran dragging feet on access to nuclear sites International Atomic Energy Agency, in two separate reports, says Iran is not granting the IAEA access to sites suspected of past involvement in Iran's nuclear program and says Iran has significantly increased its stockpile of low-enriched uranium at the Fordow facility. Iran
US sanctions Iranian Guardian Council members, holds off on UN snapback penalties The Trump administration is coming under pressure from anti-Iran deal advocates to find a way to trigger the "snapback" of UN sanctions this year. United States
Intel: Why Trump is calling a Democrat’s Iran meeting illegal President Donald Trump doubled down on his accusation today that Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., violated the law by meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif at the annual Munich Security Conference over the weekend. United States
Rouhani faces winter of Iran's discontent Iran’s hard-liners have already secured a takeover of the parliament in elections this month; Trump says any negotiations are totally up to Iran. United States
Key nuclear watchdog reassures Washington it can still monitor Iran as deal unravels The International Atomic Energy Agency chief is making the rounds in Washington this week to stress that his agency can still monitor Iran’s nuclear program as the nuclear deal unravels. Congress
Europe worries as Trump seems to lose interest in new Iran deal Europeans with embassies on the ground disagree with the belief by Donald Trump administration officials that the Iranian regime is on the brink of collapse, and that the administration can wait for Iran to surrender to a long US wish list. United States
EU’s top diplomat in Iran to discuss fragile nuclear deal The EU’s foreign policy chief was in Tehran to salvage the crumbling nuclear deal at a time of heightened tensions between Iran and the West. Iran
Iran’s air safety questioned after multiple flight incidents Panicked Iranians are nervously debating safety onboard domestic airliners after three airplanes nearly crashed in three consecutive days. United States
Iran opposition lobbied Giuliani, CEO of United Against Nuclear Iran New lobbying disclosures raise new questions about the ties between the hawkish organization United Against Nuclear Iran to the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq. United States
Will Iran take up Trump’s offer to ‘make a deal together’? President Donald Trump may be ready for another deal with Iran, and if so, Tehran’s leaders should take him up on it. Iraq
Russia exits nuclear conversion project, but stands by Iran Russia has halted its conversion operations at Iran's Fordow nuclear facility, but this doesn't signal a crack in Moscow-Tehran relations. Russia
Rouhani heads to Japan as Abe seeks US-Iran deal Iran's president has embarked on a trip that will take him to Japan, a host that has been scrambling to mediate some Tehran-Washington rapprochement at a critical time for the Iranian economy. United States
