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

Mufti Allam

Egyptian Mufti warns Britain on threat from Muslim Brotherhood

Grand Mufti of Egypt Shawki Allam, in a visit to London, made the government's case about the ongoing threat from the Brotherhood..

A boat sails along the Setit river bordering Ethiopia.

Sudan, Ethiopia blame each other for border violations amid Nile Dam dispute

The border dispute between Sudan and Ethiopia may affect the crisis over Ethiopia’s controversial Nile Dam, amid fears of the situation turning into an armed conflict.

Israeli flags flutter at the military cemetery on the Mount of Olives.

Hamas warns Israel against flag march in Al-Aqsa

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh warned Israel against holding its annual Jerusalem Day flag march in Al-Aqsa, threatening to confront it with “all means.”

tanker

Iran seizes two Greek tankers after US, Greece seize Iranian fuel

The tanker wars between the US and Iran appear to be heating up once again as Vienna talks remain on the rocks.

Erdogan

Analysis

Biden didn’t go to Turkey, and things aren’t okay with Erdogan

The Turkish president announces plans for another invasion of Syria, while digging in on rejecting admitting Sweden and Finland to NATO.

Week in Review

By Week in Review

iraq parliament

US disturbed by Iraqi law criminalizing Israel ties

The State Department said the new Iraqi law promotes “an environment of antisemitism.”

Turkey women

Turkish women's rights activists decry racism in their name

Dozens of Turkey’s grassroots women rights groups issued a statement against racism and anti-immigrant sentiment, only to face angry reaction from many parts of the political spectrum.

RONEN ZVULUN/AFP via Getty Images

Israeli leadership divided on Iran deal

Israel’s top security and intelligence officials can’t agree on whether Israel is better off with or without an Iran nuclear deal.

Israeli protesters wave national flags as they march toward Tzahal Square during the Flag March organized by nationalist parties, Jerusalem, April 20, 2022.

Israel on high alert ahead of Sunday’s Jerusalem march

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett took a final decision that the flag march in Jerusalem’s Old City will take place as decided beforehand, with police at maximum alert across the country.

An aerial view shows Syrians sitting amidst the damaged buildings to break fast during an iftar gathering in Tadef.

Syrians reject trench dug by Turkish army near Aleppo

The residents of Tadef in the Aleppo countryside are rejecting a military trench being dug by the Turkish army that would cross through their city, calling on changing its course and retaking control of the areas held by the Syrian government forces inside the city.

Masafer Yatta

US lawmakers urge Blinken to press Israel on Masafer Yatta evictions

The lawmakers called for the administration to pressure Israel on the evictions before President Joe Biden travels to Israel this summer.

Turkish military tanks drive past the town of Ariha on the M4 highway in Syria's rebel-held northwestern Idlib province on May 7, 2020.

US, Kurdish officials call Turkish threats of military operation in Syria 'serious'

Ankara's threats come amid a spat with NATO allies over Finland and Sweden’s request to join the Western alliance.