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Politics & Security

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US sets expectations for Iraq’s next PM to confront Iranian militias

The Trump administration is cautiously sizing up Iraq’s new prime minister-designate, Ali al-Zaidi, as a potential partner in pushing back on Iranian influence.

An Iranian woman holds up an image of Iran's new supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.

Iran president says he held official meeting with Mojtaba Khamenei: What to know

The president’s announcement marks the first public confirmation of a meeting between a senior official and Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not been seen publicly since the start of the war.

People look at a drone on display at the Baykar exhibit at the SAHA International Defence and Aerospace Expo on May 06, 2026 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Turkey, Japan launch defense industry partnership with eye on drones

The initiative could eventually lead to joint UAV development and production as Japan looks to expand drone capabilities amid regional tensions.

Latest News

Israel strikes Beirut in breach of Lebanon ceasefire

People gather at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted Beirut's southern suburbs neighborhood of Haret Hreik on May 6, 2026.

Saudi FM in Turkey as Ankara, Riyadh step up coordination amid Iran war

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Ankara, May 6, 2026.

Iran, China discuss Hormuz reopening amid potential US-Iran talks

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, second right, talks to his Iranian Counterpart Abbas Araghchi, left, during the bilateral meeting in Beijing, Wednesday, May 6, 2026.

Lebanon, Israel eye third round of talks, but no Netanyahu-Aoun meeting in sight

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Amberin Zaman

Chief Correspondent

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Elizabeth Hagedorn

Diplomatic Correspondent

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Ezgi Akin

Associate Editor (Turkey)

In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO

Ben Caspit

Israel Columnist

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Jared Szuba

Defense and Security Correspondent

In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military

YASSER AL-ZAYYAT/AFP via Getty Images

Fire in overcrowded Kuwait building kills at least 41

A fire at an overcrowded building in Kuwait has killed at least 41 people and injured dozens more, and the death toll is expected to rise as dozens of others are treated in hospitals.

RABIH DAHER/AFP via Getty Images

Hezbollah fires 160 rockets at Israel after senior commander killed

Hezbollah launched more than 160 rockets at north Israel in response to the death of the most senior commander in the Lebanese group killed since the cross-border hostilities began in October.

Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani leaves after talks at the Coburg Palais, the venue of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in Vienna on August 4, 2022. - The United States and the European Union's Iran nuclear envoys on August 3, 2022 said they were travelling to Vienna for talks with Tehran's delegation as they seek to salvage the agreement on its atomic ambitions. (Photo by Alex HALADA / AFP) (Photo by ALEX HALADA/AFP via Getty Images)

Iran hopes to finalize 20-year pact with Russia as Bagheri Kani meets Lavrov

Despite lingering questions and skepticism at home, the Iranian government has been pushing the agreement as part of its overall strategy to build new alliances meant to mitigate Western political pressure and economic sanctions.

In this pool photograph distributed by Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin (L) attends a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (R) in Moscow on June 11, 2024.

Putin meets Fidan, 'fully supports' Turkey’s aspirations in BRICS

The first bilateral meeting between Putin and Fidan saw the Russian leader embrace Ankara's interest in joining the BRICS as a counterweight to the West.

Palestinians wave their national flags, and banners bearing the image of jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghuti with a slogan demanding his release and referring to him as the "symbol of freedom", during a celebration marking the 57th anniversary of Fatah movement's foundation, in Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on December 30, 2021.

Movement for PLO reform faces opposition from Ramallah leadership

Players from the Palestinian diaspora and elsewhere are pushing hard for reforms to the Palestine Liberation Organization, causing enough of a stir that President Mahmoud Abbas appears to be worried.

Members of the Sudanese army's Special Mission Forces battalion in the Northern State hold a parade in Karima city on May 19, 2024.

ICC seeks evidence on Sudan war crimes as displacement tops 10 million

The appeal comes as fighting between the Sudanese army and rival forces escalates, leaving a heavy toll on civilians.

Cars drive past a billboard bearing an inscription in Hebrew which reads 'think well of who benefits from our division - unity now', with a portrait of the head of the political wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip Yahya Sinwar, in Tel Aviv on April 26, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Palestinian territory. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP) (Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

As Hamas, Netanyahu 'accept' US plan, Sinwar 'riding high,' far from surrender

Israel’s updated assessments point to the fact that Hamas is far from surrendering and that the group’s Gaza leader Yahya Sinwar and his surviving leadership partners are convinced time is on their side.

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Electoral posters of Rassemblement National (RN) party with the pictures of Marine Le Pen (L) and Jordan Bardella are seen pasted on in Henin-Beaumont on June 10, 2024, a day after the European elections.

Analysis

Did migration, Gaza propel far-right victory in European elections?

Far-right parties in Europe traditionally support Israel, but their achievements in the elections for the European Parliament do not necessarily mean a change in Middle East policies within the European Union.

Rina Bassist

Adam Lucente

By Rina Bassist , Adam Lucente

An Egyptian army M60 main battle tank and an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) are deployed near the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip on March 23, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict in the Palestinian territory between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

With talks deadlocked, Egypt has only limited options on Rafah

Israel's offensive in Rafah is testing its decades-old peace treaty with Egypt, which was outraged by its seizure of the Rafah crossing and the demilitarized Philadelphi Corridor between Gaza and Egypt.

This pool photograph distributed by Russian state agency Sputnik shows Russia's President Vladimir Putin attending a virtual summit of the BRICS group of nations (the bloc that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) to discuss the Israel-Hamas war, in Moscow on November 21, 2023. (Photo by Alexander KAZAKOV / POOL / AFP) (Photo by ALEXANDER KAZAKOV/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

UAE, Saudi, Iran, Egypt, Turkey FMs attend Russia's BRICS meeting

The BRICS foreign ministers meeting focused on diplomatic developments related to the Gaza war and efforts to ditch the US dollar in international trade, among other matters.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan meets with Sergei Shoigu, Secretary of the Russian Federation Security Council, in Moscow, June 10, 2024.

Turkey’s Fidan holds talks in Russia ahead of BRICS summit

Fidan’s attendance at the BRICS+ summit comes at a time when Turkey’s dismay with the European Union is growing over pending resumption of the modernization of the Customs Union Treaty.

Palestinians watch as a ship transporting international humanitarian aid docks at the US-built Trident Pier near Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip on May 18, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the militant group Hamas.

Pentagon says Gaza aid pier had no link to Israeli hostage raid

Unfounded claims that the United States or Israeli military used the Gaza aid pier for a raid that killed more than 200 Palestinians could put humanitarian aid workers in danger.