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

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Politics & Security

OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey bars MP’s wife from travel after his fund scandal criticism: What to know

Opposition politicians and rights advocates described Yonca Verdioglu Sik’s brief detention as an attempt to intimidate her husband, opposition lawmaker Ahmet Sik, over his criticism of the government.

ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP via Getty Images

GCC to build military command center in Kuwait as region simmers: What to know

GCC countries have stepped up their joint defense efforts with the announcement of a new forward command center to be headquartered in Kuwait, as tensions between Iran and the US continue to escalate.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Hegseth strikes defiant tone, calls House impeachment process 'farce'

Pentagon's top official called Rep. Thomas Massie's charges a 'farce,' arguing other defense secretaries trespassed on the War Powers Act without being impeached.

Jared Szuba

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

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) casts his ballot, next to his wife Sara

Explainer

From Oct. 7 inquiry to blocking Netanyahu: Eisenkot's bloc maps out Knesset agenda

Israel's opposition to advance anti-Netanyahu government measures as soon as Knesset convenes Tuesday, without waiting for a new cabinet to take shape.

Latest News

Slotkin, Van Hollen emerge as potential challengers to Schumer’s Senate leadership

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 23: U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) speaks at a press conference on China AI export controls at the U.S. Capitol on September 23, 2026 in Washington, DC. Slotkin, joined by fellow Senate Democrats, urged Senate Republican's and the Trump administration to enact stronger export controls on AI technology and computer chips to China. The Democrats also call for a vote on bipartisan export control legislation, including the AI OVERWATCH Act, the MATCH Act, and the Chip Security Act. (

Massie introduces impeachment articles against Hegseth over Iran war

SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images

France blames Iran for supermarket fridge hack, seeks EU sanctions

This photograph shows empty fresh-food refrigerators at an Intermarche supermarket in Nevez, France, on Oct. 12, 2026, following a cyberattack that caused its refrigerators to defrost.

Explainer

Iraqi PM cancels Mosul airport contracts, citing Iran militia links: What to know

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi speaks during a joint press conference with Germans chachellor at the Chancellery on September 15, 2026 in Berlin, Germany. High on the meeting's agenda is the expansion of economic cooperation between Germany and Iraq. (Photo by Michele Tantussi/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

A picture obtained by AFP outside Iran on Sept. 21, 2022, shows Iranian demonstrators taking to the streets of the capital Tehran during a protest for Mahsa Amini, days after she died in police custody.

Iran says it will prosecute those who encourage protests

In an attempt to quell widespread protests, Iran is now warning that those who encourage protests will be held liable.

Mohammed al-Halbusi.

Iraqi parliament speaker resigns

Iraqi parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbusi resigned from his post but is expected to be re-elected.

UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP27, Mahmoud Mohieldin, speaks at the United Nations Climate Action: Race to Zero and Race to Resilience Forum in New York City on Sept. 21, 2022.

UN envoy welcomes climate spotlight on Egypt, Africa

"Africa is bringing solutions," said Mahmoud Mohieldin, the UN Climate Change High Level Champion for Egypt, in an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor.

JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Israel keeps flights coming as Jews flee Russia

In fear of conscription, Russian Jews are fleeing the country for Israel.

Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian listens during a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart at the foreign ministry headquarters in Iran's capital Tehran on June 23, 2022.

Interview

Iran ‘ready to provide answers’ on nuclear probes, FM says

In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian discusses the nuclear talks, the prospects for a prisoner exchange and the protests following the death of Mahsa Amini.

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian

Foreign Minister of Iran

Tanzanian High Commissioners and foreign ambassadors visit the construction site of the Julius Nyerere Hydro Power Project, in Rufiji, Aug. 14, 2022.

Egypt, Tanzania push ahead on Julius Nyerere dam project

Egypt is working to consolidate its influence in Central and East Africa amid the stalled negotiations over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

Fighters loyal to the Government of National Unity are pictured in a street in Tripoli, following clashes between rival Libyan groups, Libya, Aug. 27, 2022.

Political battle in Libya reaches Supreme Court

The eastern-based House of Representatives has launched an offensive on the judiciary that threatens to politicize one of the sectors of the country that had been able to remain to some extent outside the national rifts and that could turn the conflict very legal in nature.

LOUAI BESHARA/AFP via Getty Images

Gazans, Syrians both torn as Hamas restores ties with Syrian regime

Hamas has announced the restoration of relations with the Syrian government, but Hamas circles are not in agreement on the news.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry participates in a panel talk at the 2018 Munich Security Conference on Feb. 17, 2018 in Munich, Germany.

Not enough to declare intentions on two state solution, says Egypt’s foreign minister

Sameh Shoukry, in an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, says Egypt “will do everything possible to protect our interests” in the Nile Dam dispute with Ethiopia.

UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, holds a news conference on the creation of a constitutional committee for the country, at the United Nations offices in Geneva, on Oct. 2, 2019.

Syria still risks economic collapse, says UN envoy

Geir Pedersen, the UN special envoy for Syria, says that the country faces a ‘crisis of epic proportions for the Syrian people.’

Iran protest

US lets firms expand internet services in Iran amid blackout

The American move to support internet freedom in Iran comes as protests continue over the death of Mahsa Amini.

A picture obtained by AFP outside Iran shows demonstrators gathering around a burning barricade during a protest for Mahsa Amini, a woman who died after being arrested by the Islamic republic's "morality police", in Tehran on Sept. 19, 2022.

Iran intensifies crackdown on protests amid internet outage

Videos trickled in of Iranian police opening fire on protesters, who appeared to be standing their ground despite a nationwide internet blackout.