Russian-Iranian competition heats up in South Caucasus For Moscow, contradictions with Tehran may turn out to be much more sensitive than disputes with Ankara. Kirill Semenov | Russia | Oct 15, 2021 Russian attack helicopters launch rockets during military exercises at the Kapustin Yar range in Astrakhan region, Southern Russia on Sept. 25, 2020 during the "Caucasus-2020" military drills gathering China, Iran, Pakistan and Myanmar troops, along with ex-Soviet Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus.
Turkey requests to buy 40 US F-16 fighter planes Just last week Erdogan boasted about potential new defense deals with Russia, including aircraft purchases. Al-Monitor Staff | News Brief | Oct 8, 2021
Russian FM, Blinken discuss reviving Iran deal Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed prospects for resuming talks over the landmark nuclear deal, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Wednesday. Al-Monitor Staff | Iran | Oct 6, 2021
Intel: Turkey talks expanding defense ties with Russia, snubbing NATO Erdogan's boasting about future defense projects with Moscow comes after he failed to get a meeting with President Joe Biden in New York. Al-Monitor Staff | Russia / Mideast | Oct 1, 2021
Putin, Erdogan hold closed-door summit in Sochi Few details were released about the substance of the relatively brief meeting, but progress on Syria will be difficult to achieve. Anton Mardasov | Russia | Sep 29, 2021
Russia bombs Turkey's allies in Syria ahead of Putin-Erdogan summit Russian jets shelled a camp for the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army in Afrin, north of Aleppo, and intensified its airstrikes against the areas controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in Idlib ahead of the meeting between the Turkish and Russian presidents on Sept. 29. Sultan al-Kanj | Syria | Sep 28, 2021
Syria to be key topic in Erdogan-Putin summit The Turkish and Russian presidents are expected to discuss Syria in Sochi, as well as Ukraine, anti-missile batteries and natural gas. Amberin Zaman | Turkey | Sep 28, 2021
Iran's Raisi to meet Putin as states mull Taliban recognition In his first foreign visit as Iran's president, Ebrahim Raisi will sit down with Russian and Pakistani leaders amid new regional dynamics triggered by the US departure from Afghanistan. Al-Monitor Staff | Iran | Sep 16, 2021
Lebanese energy plan includes Syria A meeting of Jordanian, Egyptian, Lebanese and Syrian ministers seems to have cracked Syria's isolation. Osama Al Sharif | Jordan | Sep 10, 2021
The Takeaway: Iran nuclear diplomacy creeps forward in Moscow and Paris Also: Taliban’s success inspires Syrian jihadis; Russia’s delicate diplomacy in Syria and Turkey; Nile dam parley peters out; IDF snared in political rift; Egypt’s Avenue of the Sphinxes; and more … in only about 1,500 words. Andrew Parasiliti, Elizabeth Hagedorn, Joe Snell | Iran | Sep 8, 2021
Humanitarian aid entering via conflict lines stirs controversy among Syrian opposition The Syrian opposition fears the cross-border humanitarian aid mechanism will be replaced by cross-line aid deliveries amid accusations leveled at Hayat Tahrir al-Sham of trying to normalize ties with the Syrian regime and its allies. Khaled al-Khateb | Syria | Sep 6, 2021
Is Moscow using the S-400 against Turkey? Ankara denies the suggestion from Moscow that a second batch of S-400s is headed for Turkey and says it is an effort to stall Turkey’s talks with the United States and Europe. Semih Idiz | Turkey | Sep 3, 2021
Russian rebuke of Turkey for Crimea support highlights Ankara's delicate balancing act Turkey's support for Crimea also highlights the growing value of Ukraine and Crimea for Ankara. Amberin Zaman | Turkey | Aug 25, 2021
Russian, UK envoys ignite fury in Iran with 'inappropriate' restaged photo A restaged version at the Russian Embassy in Tehran of the historic 1943 photo showing Soviet, American and British "Big Three" leaders at the then-Soviet Embassy angered many Iranians, who have historically seen the 1943 Tehran Conference as a bitter symbol of subordination to world powers. Al-Monitor Staff | Iran | Aug 13, 2021
UN Syria envoy urges end to 'siege-like' situation in Daraa UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen said Syrian civilians living under a government siege in the southwestern city are suffering from shortages of fuel, food and medicine. Al-Monitor Staff | Syria | Aug 13, 2021
Intel: US lifts Iran-related sanctions, says no connection to nuclear deal Elizabeth Hagedorn | Iran | Oct 8, 2021
"The eighteen days of the revolution were the best days of my life," says Egyptian novelist Alaa Al Aswany
Russian attack helicopters launch rockets during military exercises at the Kapustin Yar range in Astrakhan region, Southern Russia on Sept. 25, 2020 during the "Caucasus-2020" military drills gathering China, Iran, Pakistan and Myanmar troops, along with ex-Soviet Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus.
