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'

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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

Muslim worshippers pray on Laylat al-Qadr during the holy month of Ramadan at Al-Azhar Mosque, Cairo, Egypt, April 27, 2022.

Egypt removes all mosque restrictions amid Brotherhood criticism

In response to the Muslim Brotherhood’s allegations of restricting worshippers in mosques, Egypt’s Ministry of Endowment decided to open all mosques across the country at full capacity, in a first step to ease the coronavirus measures.

Syria attack

Pentagon inquiry finds no fault in 2019 Syria strike that killed civilians

Internal investigation blamed Syrian Kurdish forces for failing to mention the presence of civilians when calling in US airstrike.

Syrians coming from Turkey go through the Bab al-Salame crossing in the border town of Azaz, to spend the last days of Ramadan and the Eid al-Fitr holiday with family in Syria, in Aleppo province, Syria, April 18, 2022.

Turkish-backed forces meet with rival HTS in north Syria

Extensive meetings were held in the past days between Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which controls Idlib, and the Levant Front, one of the most prominent and strongest groups of the Syrian National Army, in a bid to reach a compromise between the two sides.

Abdelkhah

Iran reveals identities of two detained French 'spies'

State media aired what it said was Intelligence Ministry footage of the arrest of two French citizens, accused of attempting to "instigate chaos" by inciting Iran's protesting teachers.

Egyptian ambassador

Egypt’s ambassador say US should use leverage with Ethiopia amid Nile dam dispute

Speaking at an Al-Monitor event in Washington, Motaz Zahran also addressed human rights issues and a plan to supply energy to Lebanon.

US Army Lt. Gen. Michael Kurilla arrives to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

New CENTCOM chief visits Israel as Iran nuclear talks drag on

Gen. Michael Kurilla's visit comes as Israel seeks a Plan B in case the Vienna talks fail.

Israeli policemen and family members of Israeli border police officer Yezen Falah attend his funeral in the Druze village of Kisra-Sumei, northern Israel, March 28, 2022.

Israeli ministers call for change in controversial Nationality Law

Paying tribute to the Druze community and its contribution to the country, Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman called to change the controversial Nationality Law, which anchors the Jewish character of the State of Israel.

Iranian Army office/AFP via Getty Images

Iran opens drone factory in Tajikistan

Iran is seeking to strengthen ties with its fellow Persian-speaking country and drones play a big role in the Islamic Republic’s military strategy.

Chris McGrath/Getty Images

Turkish government discovers 'astroturfing'

Seemingly acting on social media calls, the Turkish government cracks down on the secular lifestyle, experts warn.

HENRIK MONTGOMERY/TT News Agency/AFP via Getty Images

How long can Erdogan sustain threat to veto Finnish, Swedish NATO bids?

Erdogan shakes up otherwise unified Western alliance on Ukraine war.

OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images

Opposition claims military contractor poses risk to Turkish elections

Kemal Kilicdaroglu has highlighted security company Sadat as a potential threat to polls due over next year.

This general view shows the site of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, Guba, Ethiopia, Feb. 19, 2022.

Ethiopia faces new cyberattacks on its Nile dam

Ethiopia said it foiled international cyberattack attempts targeting the works of its Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.