Culture alert: Gaza conflict spills over to cinema festivals

Iran’s Fajr International Film Festival has invited Palestinian director Rashid Masharawi as its guest of honor, while, farther west, Palestinian artists are boycotting the Istanbul Film Festival for refusing to drop an Israeli-government-backed sponsor, Art Israel.

Palestine

Putin, Erdogan, Rouhani extend circle of trust in Syria

As the Astana process seizes the initiative on Syria, the United States could put Israel-Lebanon shuttle diplomacy to the test on Hezbollah.

Israel

Conditioning American withdrawal from Syria

Now that President Donald Trump has announced US forces will be soon leaving Syria, the administration must rethink its previously stated conditions for withdrawal.

Israel

What's really driving currency depreciation in Iran?

Rather than an indicator of a poor economy, the devaluation of the Iranian currency is the result of investment behavior, and what we are witnessing now looks more like a bubble.

Iran

Russia sees benefit of nudging Turkey on to Manbij in Syria

Despite their divergent strategic goals, the leaders of Iran, Russia and Turkey have agreed to work together in Syria while further excluding the United States from the decision-making process.

Syria

Ankara summit focuses on Syria's fate once war ends

The presidents of Iran, Russia and Turkey reassured each other that they are the "big three" of the Syrian peace talks and discussed their mission to resolve the civil war.

Syria

Iranian conservatives ask supreme leader for reforms

Conservative officials and activists aligned with former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wrote an open letter to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the need for reforms.

Iran

Late Iranian president's son on road to become Tehran mayor

Mohsen Hashemi, the oldest son of late Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, may become mayor of the country’s capital.

Iran

White House says anti-IS fight in Syria ‘coming to rapid end’

The White House signaled that its mission in Syria will be focused on the narrow task of finishing off the Islamic State and will leave it to others to fund and conduct post-IS stabilization.

Syria

Erdogan, Putin, Rouhani tout alliance, eye US for next move

The presidents of Turkey, Russia and Iran emerged from a summit on Syria as a united front, though the image hardly indicates an alignment in their priorities.

Syria

Turkey hosts Iran, Russia to discuss Syria’s future

Iran’s president traveled to Ankara for the second trilateral summit on Syria with Turkish and Russian counterparts.

Syria

Iran-Iraq War continues to claim lives

The vast number of anti-personnel mines planted during the Iran-Iraq War continue to maim and kill on both sides of the border, but Iran refuses to engage states and organizations with experience in de-mining.

Iraq