Politics & Security - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

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Politics & Security

JOSEPH EID/AFP via Getty Images

Israel’s Shin Bet chief meets Mohammed Dahlan in UAE: What to know

Shin Bet Chief David Zini met in the United Arab Emirates with former senior Fatah official Mohammed Dahlan, who is seen by Israel and the United States as a leading candidate to administer the Gaza Strip after the war.

An undated image of Foza Yusif.

Interview

Top Syrian Kurdish official slams parliamentary vote in northeast as 'undemocratic'

Foza Yusuf, a senior figure in Syria’s Kurdish-led autonomous administration, said the May 24 parliamentary vote was structured to disadvantage Kurdish parties.

Foza Yusuf

Foza Yusuf

Top Syrian Kurdish official

Vehicles drive past a billboard on the facade of a building depicting the Strait of Hormuz with a caption in Persian reading, "Forever in Iran's Hand," at Vanak Square, Tehran, Iran, May 25, 2026.

US, Iran signal progress toward war deal, but no breakthrough imminent

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson described the document under discussion as a 14-point framework agreement rather than a final deal.

Latest News

Interview

As Sudan war drags on, US-Iran conflict compounds humanitarian crisis in Darfur

Janti Soeripto helps at a community kitchen serving hot meals to displaced families arriving from El-Fasher.

Janti Soeripto

President and CEO of Save the Children US

Analysis

Cheap drones, costly threats: Why Gulf states are looking to Turkey for defense deals

SAHA EXPO 2024

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Explainer

Why Sunni frustration is growing over Lebanon’s amnesty law

Women hold portraits of jailed Islamist cleric Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir during a protest calling for his release in Beirut on April 24, 2025.

Analysis

US, Turkey boost Libya coordination, but unity push faces political hurdles

Abdullah DOMA / AFP via Getty Images

Ezgi Akin

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

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

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett arrives for a Cabinet meeting at the prime minister's office, Jerusalem, March 27, 2022.

Israel’s Bennett advances 'regional architecture' in Abu Dhabi

The quick visit of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett June 9 to Abu Dhabi clearly demonstrates the Israeli-American strategy of creating a large regional alliance that would face the Iranian threat.

HASSAN AMMAR/AFP via Getty Images

Researchers say Iran's doing nothing to protect young people from addiction

Addiction among young Iranians is worrying experts who say that as confusion and inconsistency characterize the country's handling of the malady.

Third Legion.

Turkish-backed forces step up military drills ahead of potential operation in northern Syria

Free Syrian Army factions are holding major military drills and parades to beef up their combat readiness to take part in the Turkish military operation against Kurdish forces in northern Syria.

Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr delivers a speech in the central Iraqi city of Najaf on June 3, 2022.

Muqtada al-Sadr threatens to withdraw from parliament

After failing to form a national majority government, Iraqi populist cleric Muqtada al-Sadr asked his party members in parliament to prepare to resign.

Yemen

Yemen truce brings relief but no path to lasting peace

Yemen's UN-sponsored truce is a priceless relief for civilians and a diplomatic success for the UN envoy for Yemen. But because the root causes remain unsolved, a permanent peace is still doubtful.

This picture taken on March 26, 2022, shows a view of the exterior of Iraq's Council of Representatives.

Iraqi parliament approves emergency food security bill

Iraqi lawmakers passed an emergency food security bill weeks after the Federal Supreme Court labeled unconstitutional a similar bill proposed by the caretaker government.

Saudi air force

Congress wants Pentagon to bolster Arab, Israeli air defenses against Iran

The Abraham Accords could enable Israel to share missile defense technology with Arab Gulf countries in a joint defensive architecture against Iran.

Lapid

Israel’s Lapid courts Arab parties with eye toward early elections

Foreign Minister Yair Lapid is reshaping his election-campaign strategy in response to infighting on the right, and a possible showdown with former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

JOE KLAMAR/AFP via Getty Images

Iran pledges 'firm' response to IAEA resolution, switches off cameras

Prospects for supervision of Iran's nuclear activities went cloudy as the UN nuclear watchdog chief decried a potential "fatal blow" from Iran's disabling of 27 IAEA-installed cameras at its key facilities.

ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images

Venezuelan president, top Russian diplomat overlap in Turkey

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro were in Ankara on the same day.

Kobi Gideon/GPO

After IAEA criticizes Iran, Israeli prime minister meets with Emirati leader

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett made a quick visit to the Emirates, where he met privately with Emirati President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed.

Liberian President George Weah delivers a speech during his visit to the Mashav center, an Israeli agency for international development cooperation, in the Israeli kibbutz of Gash Shfayim, north of Tel Aviv, Israel, Feb. 26, 2019.

Liberia, Suriname pledge to open offices in Jerusalem

The announcements come as Israel seeks to reinforce and expand its relationships in Africa.