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

AFP via Getty Images

Regional diplomacy could break deadlock on Iran’s IRGC

While the United States and Iran seem to have hit a dead end over the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, one answer could lie in Iran’s regional policies, including its dialogue with Saudi Arabia.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett speaks at the Jerusalem Post's annual conference, Jerusalem, Oct. 12, 2021.

In win for Israel, US seems to backtrack on removing IRGC from terror list

Convincing Washington not to remove the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps from its terror list is not akin to halting the negotiated new nuke deal, but it is certainly a major diplomatic achievement for Jerusalem.

Medics wait on the pier as soldiers search for survivors off the coast of Tripoli, after an overloaded migrant boat capsized during a chase by naval forces, Lebanon, April 24, 2022.

Lebanon's impoverished citizens take to sea from Tripoli

Amid the crippling economic and social crises in Lebanon, dozens set off from the shores of impoverished Tripoli, before their boat capsized leaving six dead and many more missing.

Supporters of the Palestinian Hamas and Islamic Jihad groups rally after Friday prayers in Khan Yunis.

Hamas gains popularity in Jerusalem amid ongoing violence

Hamas’ popularity has increased during the recent escalation of violence in Jerusalem, in addition to its role as a political player in the region.

Netanyahu

Netanyahu takes informal electoral campaign to streets

The former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is crisscrossing the country, popping up at streets, sea-side promenades and camping sites in Likud-friendly environments.

Orthodox computer

Israel advances digital literacy project for ultra-Orthodox

Israel’s ministry of trade and industry estimates that many ultra-Orthodox are digitally illiterate, but much of the community avoids the internet by choice.

VIENNA, AUSTRIA - MAY 24: The flag of Iran is seen in front of the building of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Headquarters ahead of a press conference by Rafael Grossi, Director General of the IAEA, about the agency's monitoring of Iran's nuclear energy program on May 24, 2021 in Vienna, Austria. The IAEA has been in talks with Iran over extending the agency's monitoring program. Meanwhile Iranian and international representatives have been in talks in recent weeks in Vienna over reviving the

Iraq helps broker Iran-Saudi negotiations

The latest Iran-Saudi talks in Iraq have been the most productive, according to reports.

Members of various Palestinian factions pose for a picture during a demonstration to mark Quds Day in Gaza City on July 10, 2015.

Iran ratchets up anti-Israeli rhetoric ahead of key rally

Iran's state-funded media called for a boost in anti-Israeli militancy as the "final battle" nears, with officials in Tehran meeting Hamas visitors and throwing rants at Arab states for normalization with Israel.

ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images

Opposition head displaces Ankara, Istanbul mayors as Erdogan's next election rival

Republican People’s Party head Kemal Kilicdaroglu has entered the running for the Turkish opposition’s presidential candidate.

Syria refugees

Syrian opposition concerned about Ankara-Damascus talks on refugees

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has recently admitted that his government held security talks with the Syrian government amid plans for the "safe return" of Syrian refugees to their home country.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (back-R) and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin (back-L).

Egypt, Russia discuss next steps for nuclear power plant

Despite the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and sanctions imposed on Moscow, a Russian delegation visited Egypt to inspect the construction work at the Dabaa nuclear plant.

Blinken

Analysis

The Takeaway: US says Iran deal still possible; breakout time is ‘few weeks’

Islamic State steps up attacks during Ramadan; Arab-Israelis call for calm at Al Aqsa; Russian oligarchs and Egypt; Egyptian Christians alarmed by killing of priest; water scarcity threatens Jordan’s oryx; the storyteller from Idlib; and more; in less than 1200 words.

Elizabeth Hagedorn

Andrew Parasiliti

By Elizabeth Hagedorn , Andrew Parasiliti