Analysis As US-Iran talks falter, Israel views war outcome as 'total strategic failure’ Israeli officials believe the US failure to attain the kind of agreement with Iran that it originally sought stems from the strategic mistakes made during and after the recent war. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Oil falls below $71 as US-Iran talks continue, Gulf exports rebound Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in an X post on Wednesday that Iran and the United States had made "positive progress." Iran
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Qatar reports progress in US-Iran talks Syrian FM in Lebanon; Pro-Palestinian candidate unseats long-serving Democrat in Colorado; Turkish jets strike al-Shabab targets in Somalia; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Araghchi warns Israel as US, Iran hold technical talks in Doha Syria unveils its transitional parliament appointees; Kuwait’s Zain plans a major telecom investment in postwar Syria; and North Africa’s World Cup teams make history. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Newsletter: China-Middle East Saudi FM goes to China amid Trump-MBS friction By Joyce Karam , Rosaleen Carroll
Analysis For Israel, Lebanon deal 'historic' despite fears Hezbollah will rebuild By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Senate fails to pass resolution blocking Trump administration’s F-35 sale to the UAE Major obstacle falls to Trump administration's Gulf security goals. United Arab Emirates
Iran sanctions US envoy to Yemen in retaliation for US blacklisting The Iranian Foreign Ministry announced sanctions on Christopher Henzel, the US ambassador to Yemen. Yemen
Emirati, Israeli officials upbeat about Biden Administration The director general of Israel’s Foreign Ministry, Alon Ushpiz, and the UAE’s assistant minister for culture and public diplomacy, Omar Ghobash, discussed the prospects for Israeli-Palestinian peace, Iran, and combating bigotry in the region and more at an Al-Monitor event. United Arab Emirates
Iran’s Rouhani suggests nuclear deal’s fate is in Biden’s hands President Hassan Rouhani said Iran will resume full compliance with the nuclear deal as soon as his incoming American counterpart uses his signature to rejoin the same accord. United States
Biden's CENTCOM pick to head Pentagon raises concern over civilian leadership Gen. Lloyd Austin has emerged as the president-elect's likely pick over former Pentagon policy chief Michele Flournoy. United States
A new page in Israeli-Saudi relations? Not so fast With US President Donald Trump soon out of the picture, the Saudis prefer to take things slow with Israel, and await the new Biden administration. Saudi Arabia
Biden: 'Hard to tell' how scientist’s killing would impact Iran negotiations The recent assassination of Iranian scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh could complicate Biden's pledge to rejoin the nuclear agreement. United States
UAE responds to criticism from US senators on F-35 sale A group of bipartisan senators has introduced legislation rejecting the Trump administration's planned sale of the advanced fighter jet to the United Arab Emirates. United Arab Emirates
Israel worries that Biden will re-adopt Obama’s Iran policy The most important thing now for Israel’s security agencies is for the Biden administration to dialogue with them and include them over its future Iran policy. Israel
Trump administration imposes new sanctions on Iranian company The administration is continuing to add sanctions on Iranian entities ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's taking office. Biden could remove some of the sanctions. United States
Iran says no new negotiations until US reenters nuclear deal Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the United States must reenter the nuclear deal without preconditions. United States
The Takeaway: Is Israel ready to welcome the Squad? Israeli minister says it is time to ramp up outreach to Democrats; Amberin Zaman gets the scoop on Turkey-Israel channel; Biden administration needs to lay out Saudi policy early; four Mideast takeaways from Obama’s book. Israel