Analysis Why Iran's Pezeshkian is facing an uphill battle in postwar diplomacy As President Masoud Pezeshkian's administration advances dialogue with Washington, its fiercer contest is in the corridors of power within the Islamic Republic itself. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Analysis For Israel, Lebanon deal 'historic' despite fears Hezbollah will rebuild While the deal with Lebanon allows the Israeli military to maintain a presence there, security experts warn that it also gives the weakened Hezbollah the time it needs to recover. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
3 IRGC members killed in twin attacks as Iran intensifies Kurdish crackdown At least three members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed in separate armed attacks across Iran, including one in western Iran near the border with Iraqi Kurdistan, where authorities have intensified their crackdown on Kurdish groups. Iran
Saudi Arabia's FM heads to China amid differences with US on Iran war Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan’s visit to Beijing comes as commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains unstable. Saudi Arabia
Analysis How competing visions over Hormuz strait threaten fragile Iran-US deal By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Trump calls Iran’s drone attack on cargo ship 'foolish violation' of ceasefire By Jared Szuba In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military
Iran opposition lobbied Giuliani, CEO of United Against Nuclear Iran New lobbying disclosures raise new questions about the ties between the hawkish organization United Against Nuclear Iran to the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq. United States
Pentagon pushed back internally on strike against Iranian military leader In the days preceding President Donald Trump's order for the drone strike that took out Qasem Soleimani, Pentagon officials were split over whether to carry out the strike. Iraq
US expresses hope troops will stay in Iraq after parliament vote Iraq's parliament votes for a nonbinding resolution to expel US troops as the United States pauses operations against the Islamic State. Iraq
Iraqi armed factions vow revenge for Shiite commanders’ killings Iraqi politicians and leaders of Shiite armed groups now incorporated into government forces have vowed to get revenge for the US drone attack that killed IRGC commander Qasem Soleimani and Kataib Hezbollah militia chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. Iraq
White House defiant as Iraq threatens to expel US troops over Soleimani strike Iraq’s potential vote to expel US forces for assassinating Maj, Gen. Qasem Soleimani could spell trouble for the campaign against the Islamic State. Iraq
Trump: Killing Soleimani intended to avert, not start war with Iran With no details to back up their claims, the Donald Trump administration asserts that the targeted killing of Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani was to disrupt imminent attacks against US interests. Originals
What Iran lost with Soleimani’s killing The top military commander’s influence went beyond his military prowess, and will be something that no successor can likely replicate. Iraq
US prepares for potential Iranian escalation and Iraq expulsion The Donald Trump administration is bracing for potential Iranian attacks throughout the Middle East after a Pentagon strike killed the paramilitary leader Qasem Soleimani Jan. 3. Iraq
Iraq can’t survive a US-Iran war The Iraqi government is on edge after the United States takes out Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani, calls for restraint. Iraq
Top commander's assassination leaves Iran with very few options to retaliate Following Qasem Soleimani's assassination in Iraq, there has been heightened concern about an Iranian reaction. But due to Tehran's economic hardship, decreased support from the public in Middle East societies and international isolation, Iran isn't likely to seek revenge militarily against the United States. Iraq
Like a third wheel, US complicates India-Iran relations Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar visited Tehran recently to work through bilateral relations and pursue a port development project. United States
Intel: Why Ankara is maintaining cautious silence on Soleimani killing Officials in Ankara were awake and concerned in the early morning hours of Jan. 3, after a US strike near Baghdad's airport killed top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani. Yet 18 hours after the strike, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is still silent. Turkey
