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

Iraq politics

US urges Iraqi government formation as stalemate drags on

The deadlock has left Iraq without a new budget amid the economic uncertainty stemming from Russia's war in Ukraine.

Erdogan

Will Erdogan sustain balance between West, Russia as Ukraine war drags on?

If the West and NATO remain united during the long war in Ukraine, Turkey’s policy of straddling between Kyiv and Moscow would be unsustainable.

This aerial view shows supporters of the Palestinian Hamas movement rallying after Friday prayers, in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, to show solidarity with Palestinians confronting Israeli forces at the AL-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, on April 22, 2022.

Hamas makes demands of Israel to prevent escalation in Gaza

Hamas has made four demands of Israel in an effort to contain the violence at Al-Aqsa Mosque and in the West Bank.

Palestinian children burn tyres following an earler an Israeli military raid in Jenin in the occupied West Bank on April 12, 2022.

Is Israel ready to invade Jenin camp?

Residents of the Jenin refugee camp in the northern West Bank fear yet another invasion by the Israeli army, 20 years after the Battle of Jenin.

Pro-Russian supporters wave flags as they welcome missile cruiser Moskva.

How Russia losing its Black Sea flagship Moskva could reverberate in Syria

This photo shows the security fence near Ibthan (in the Zemer local council) in central Israel separating it from the West Bank, April 13, 2022.

Israel forced to rethink lax approach on security fence

IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi would have probably preferred dedicating all his attention and efforts to Iran, and not be bothered with the breaches in the security fence.

Al Aqsa

Hamas weighs restraint, escalation with Israel as violence intensifies

The Israeli air force bombed Gaza in response to rocket fire, the worst violence in a year, as confrontations continue in Jerusalem.

The Hilton Taba Resort is seen on the east coast of the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, July 10, 2013.

Egyptians outraged over Israeli festivals in Sinai

Two music festivals organized by Israel in the Sinai Peninsula have raised the ire of Egyptians as they coincided with the anniversary of the liberation of Sinai.

Iranian conservative presidential candidate and Tehran Mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

Iran parliament speaker in hot water over family's trip to Turkey

Under tightening livelihood strains and constantly being told to pursue modesty and exercise austerity, the Iranian public saw the trip as a sign of brazen hypocrisy among some senior officials whose private lives are characterized by extravagance.

This photograph taken on March 23, 2022, shows an emergency room at an Israeli field hospital, in Lviv.

In policy shift, Israel will send Ukraine defensive equipment

After unsuccessful attempts at mediation between Russia and Ukraine, Jerusalem tilts toward Kyiv.

Palestinian Muslims gather at Al-Aqsa Mosque compound following Friday prayers during the holy month of Ramadan, Jerusalem, April 15, 2022.

Israel faces diplomatic blitz over Temple Mount clashes

With all the efforts invested by the Bennett government to rehabilitate ties with Jordan, Jerusalem was surprised over the tone deployed by Amman over the Temple Mount clashes.

TOBIAS SCHWARZ/AFP via Getty Images

Nonproliferation experts push for Iran deal resurrection as talks stall

Dozens of nonproliferation experts and former officials have warned that failure to bring Iran back into compliance with the landmark accord would be "misguided, irresponsible, and dangerous."