United States - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

White House, Washington DC, United States of America

United States

July 17, 2026

Washington D.C. 9:53 am

29°C

US Vice President JD Vance speaks at the Wisconsin Air National Guard facility at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport on July 8, 2026, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Vance says Israeli intelligence had ties to Epstein: What to know

Vice President JD Vance has grown more critical of Israel, possibly in an effort to capitalize on changing views among voters with an eye on the 2028 presidential election.

DAVOS, SWITZERLAND - JANUARY 22: U.S. President Donald Trump (C) sits in between Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan (L) and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev during a signing ceremony for the “Board of Peace” at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on January 22, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland. The US-backed “Board of Peace” is intended to administer the fragile ceasefire in the Gaza Strip after the war between Israel and Hamas. The final makeup of the board has not been confirmed. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/G

Trump taps Russia-born investor to oversee $200M+ fund backing Armenia-Azerbaijan corridor

The appointment of Chicago-based investor Konstantin Sokolov to oversee a $200 million fund marks a new phase for Washington's proposed trade and transportation route linking Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkey.

Latest News

Analysis

As Trump prioritizes Hormuz, Israel fears Iran rebuilding nuclear program while preserving ballistic missile threat

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Trump says US to strike Iran's Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site

US President Donald Trump gestures as he steps off Air Force One to board the new Qatari-gifted Boeing plane, en route to the United States following his participation in the NATO Summit at Royal Air Force Mildenhall on July 8, 2026, in Mildenhall, England.

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

Jared Szuba

Defense and Security Correspondent

In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military

Joyce Karam

Editor-in-Chief

Rosaleen Carroll

News Reporter and Supporting Editor

In Washington, DC, US, reporting on the Middle East

Paul J. Saunders

In Washington, DC, reporting on Russia in the Middle East

Fatah pressures Abbas to change strategy

After US President Donald Trump's speech at the United Nations, many Palestinian leaders are advancing the idea of a binational state to pressure Israel and the United States into negotiating a two-state solution.

Interview

Syrian Kurdish commander: We're 'ready to engage' with Damascus

In an interview with Al-Monitor, a Syrian Kurdish commander says the United States should stay in Syria during the post-Islamic State process.

Mazlum Kobane

Mazlum Kobane

SDF commander in chief

Some Turks blame US for Kurdish independence vote

Sources close to Turkey's ruling party say the United States secretly supports Iraqi Kurds' bid for independence as part of US plans for a "second Israel" in the region.

Is Trump about to reveal his Mideast peace plan?

The meeting in New York between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and US President Donald Trump revived Palestinian optimism on the US Mideast peace plan.

Iranian youth use their mobile phones as they rest at a park in Tehran, Iran, May 16, 2017. REUTERS/TIMA ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. - RC1A55C54480

Iranians rail against Apple, Google over pulling of apps

US tech giants Apple and Google have removed Iranian-developed apps from their online stores, sparking a backlash.

Netanyahu’s outdated Iran agenda

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu campaigns for the breakup of the Iran deal, ignoring the fact that a US withdrawal from the pact won’t be in Israel’s interest.

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and U.S. President Donald Trump confer s Argentinia's President Mauricio Macri walks past them at the start of the first working session of the G20 meeting in Hamburg, Germany, July 7, 2017. REUTERS/John MacDougall/Pool - RC18A478F480

Europeans: Trump can win on Iran without ending nuclear deal

Envoys to Washington say trans-Atlantic cooperation against Tehran needs to build on the 2015 nuclear accord, not undermine it.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani delivers remarks at a news conference during the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, U.S. September 20, 2017. REUTERS/Stephanie Keith - RC16C2DAA980

Iran looks to Europe over fate of nuclear deal

At this stage, Iran believes only the European signatories to the nuclear deal can prevent it from collapsing, whether the United States walks away from it or not.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the 72nd United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 20, 2017. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz - HP1ED9K1BC928

Palestinian leader rejects compromise on 'martyr' stipends

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas zeroed in on the two-state solution in his speech to the UN General Assembly, giving no quarter to talk about compromising on the support provided to families of martyrs.

Iranians welcome Rouhani’s response to Trump at UN

Most Iranians, with the exception of some hard-liners, praised President Hassan Rouhani for his speech at the UN General Assembly.

Abdullah al-Rabeeah Head of the Saudi Arabia delegation attends the High-level Pledging Event for the Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen, at the United Nations, in Geneva, Switzerland April 25, 2017. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse - RC1B701C8BC0

Saudis tout humanitarian record in Yemen amid Washington backlash

Saudi Arabia’s top aid official is in the United States to convince lawmakers and the US aid agency that it has Yemenis’ best interests at heart.

U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the 72nd United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 19, 2017. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid - HP1ED9J1MR9WE

Rouhani on Trump UN speech: 'Ignorant, absurd and hateful'

Iranians reacted harshly to US President Donald Trump’s speech at the United Nations against Tehran and the JCPOA.