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

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Politics & Security

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Explainer

Iran war pushes up coal use, complicating Turkey’s COP31 pledge

Turkey is asking world leaders at COP31 to back a global push to use more electricity, even as the Iran war has driven up natural gas prices and pushed some power producers back to coal.

Ahmed al-Alwani in an undated photo

Ex-Iraqi MP Ahmed Alwani found dead in Lebanon: What to know

Ahmed al-Alwani was a prominent leader of anti-government protests by Iraqi Sunnis in 2013, and was released from prison last year.

Iranian-made Zolfaghar missiles

Iran unveils new underground 'missile city': What to know

Iran has moved much of its missile stockpile underground as the threat of a new war looms.

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.

Latest News

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

ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP via Getty Images

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

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Jared Szuba

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

Explainer

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

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

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. (

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

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.

HASAN ALI ELMI/AFP via Getty Images

Egypt treads cautiously with reelected Somali president

Cairo has little to say about the return of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as Somalia’s president, keeping an eye on the Horn of Africa amid Turkey’s growing influence in the region and the stalled negotiations on Ethiopia’s controversial Nile dam.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) walks with his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro.

Venezuela’s Maduro receives warm welcome in Turkey

Turkey and Venezuela have good relations, much to the chagrin of the United States.

Adam Lucente

By Adam Lucente

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

ERbil

Drone blast near US consulate in Erbil injures three

No US-led coalition facilities were hit in the latest attack, an official told Al-Monitor.

Iraqi-Kurdistan

India protest

Iran moves on from India's Prophet Muhammad controversy

Iranian diplomats have praised India’s response to members of its ruling Bharatiya Janata Party who insulted Islam.

Erdogan

US officials say Turkey ‘well aware’ of their concerns over Syria offensive

Saudi oil

Analysis

The Takeaway: Mideast economies face ‘predominantly downside’ prospects due to Ukraine war

Former Kurdish fighter helps Swedish PM survive confidence vote; Israel pushes Iran shadow war further into shadows; Gulf remittances are lifeline for Sudan; Israel expands trade, business dealings in Gulf; questions over missing lower half of ‘half mummy.’

Andrew Parasiliti

Elizabeth Hagedorn

By Andrew Parasiliti , Elizabeth Hagedorn