US envoy Barrack oversees Chevron deal in Iraq amid Iran influence row The Trump administration is maintaining pressure on Iraq over the nomination of former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and the influence of Iran-backed militias in the country. Iraq
Analysis Iran scrambles to shape endgame amid growing US military pressure With Washington tightening deadlines and deploying assets, Tehran is mounting a rapid diplomatic campaign while preparing for what is increasingly seen as some level of unavoidable confrontation. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
US partners shy away as Pentagon readies for potential strikes against Iran Turkey and the United Kingdom are the latest among Washington’s military partners seeking to distance themselves from being tied to any planned strikes against Iran. United States
Analysis Despite warnings from Israel's defense elite, Netanyahu pushes for Iran strike Although Israeli advisers warn against appearing to drag the US into war, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not hidden his desire to help topple the Islamic Republic. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
US says nuclear talks to continue, despite alleged Iran kidnapping plot State Department spokesman Ned Price said Washington is "ready to go" ahead with talks, after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the task of renegotiating the deal had been handed over to the next administration. Iran
Rouhani says nuclear talks will be handed to successor Iran's president said the next administration will take up the nuclear negotiations. Iran
Who is Masih Alinejad, target of an alleged Iranian kidnapping plot? Prosecutors say the four Iranian defendants plotted to forcibly take the Brooklyn-based author and activist to Iran where her "fate would have been uncertain at best.” Iran
IRGC official urged Iraq militias to continue hitting US, report The IRGC intelligence chief's visit to Iraq last week followed one by top commander Ismail Ghaani. Iran
Zarif's final defense for Iran deal infuriates hard-liners Iran's foreign minister faced scathing attacks from hard-liners in parliament after his upbeat assessment of the status of the nuclear talks. Iran
Iran says US prisoner swap negotiations underway The Iranian comments followed US special envoy for Iran Robert Malley's pledge that the United States would not accept a partial deal that does not bring home all four detained Americans from Iran. Iran
Pompeo speaks at conference by controversial Iran opposition group Slovenia's prime minister and other former US officials also speak at virtual event held by Mujahedeen-e-Khalq. Iran
Iran hosts Afghan government, Taliban for talks Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif celebrated the looming US withdrawal from Afghanistan during the event. Iran
The Takeaway: Does Iran want to scuttle nuclear deal talks with militia attacks in Iraq? Also: Fresh reporting from Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Gaza; high oil prices may undercut GCC reforms; a cure for termites in Egypt; and more. Iraq
Militias launch spate of attacks on US positions in Iraq Iraq's Ain al-Asad air base was hit with the second rocket attack in just over 48 hours. Iraq
US Treasury Department removes Iranians from designated individuals list A Treasury official told Reuters the move was unrelated to the talks on Iran's nuclear program. The Biden administration also removed some Iranian citizens from the list in June. Iran
Iraq-Syria border strikes on pro-Iran ‘militias’ spark retaliation Airstrikes on both sides of the Iraqi-Syrian border near Qaim conducted by the United States were followed by retaliatory strikes by Iran-linked groups against a Kurdish-led SDF base housing coalition forces in eastern Syria. Iraq
