Politics & Security - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

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Politics & Security

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. (

Slotkin, Van Hollen emerge as potential challengers to Schumer’s Senate leadership

A growing number of Democrats are calling for new leadership in the Senate to replace Schumer, arguing that the party needs a leader who better reflects its generational and ideological shift to the left.

SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images

Massie introduces impeachment articles against Hegseth over Iran war

House Democrats are on board with voting to impeach the Pentagon chief, but it's not clear how many Republicans will break with the White House's public messaging.

This photograph shows empty fresh-food refrigerators at an Intermarche supermarket in Nevez, France, on Oct. 12, 2026, following a cyberattack that caused its refrigerators to defrost.

France blames Iran for supermarket fridge hack, seeks EU sanctions

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Monday blamed Iran for the October cyberattack that disabled refrigeration at supermarkets across France.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi speaks during a joint press conference with Germans chachellor at the Chancellery on September 15, 2026 in Berlin, Germany. High on the meeting's agenda is the expansion of economic cooperation between Germany and Iraq. (Photo by Michele Tantussi/Getty Images)

Explainer

Iraqi PM cancels Mosul airport contracts, citing Iran militia links: What to know

Kataib Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc is questioning the sources of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s wealth after he moved to curb militia influence in the country.

Latest News

Trump meets Qatar PM as mediators push Iran deal

President Donald Trump (R) attends a bilateral meeting with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani during the G7 summit, in Evian, France, on June 16, 2026.

Lebanon replaces Detroit consul expelled over 1983 Marines attack posts

Marines barracks

Iran claims IAEA held 'recent' inspection at Bushehr plant: What to know

A picture taken on Nov. 10, 2019, shows an Iranian flag at Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant.

Analysis

Trump officials look past Netanyahu, push Eisenkot to form government quickly

Amir Levy/Getty Images

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

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

There are reports from different cities of Iran that the government of the Islamic Republic uses children under the age of 18 as repression forces. This child in Shahrood is wearing a military uniform and holding a baton

Lawmaker suggests Iran recruited children for protest crackdown

Pictures have emerged of juveniles in riot gear helping to crush Iran's anti-government protests.

Chris McGrath/Getty Images

Turkey’s Central Bank ducks soaring inflation to cut rates again

Despite the highest inflation in 24 years, Turkey’s Central Bank has made its third interest cut ahead of elections next June.

AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images

Israeli candidates treat violence in Arab towns as niche problem

Instead of treating the rise of violence in Arab society as a national problem, Prime Minister Yair Lapid and opposition head Benjamin Netanyahu are only making Arab Israelis promises to remedy the situation.

JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images

Iran sanctions BBC Persian

The Islamic Republic has been lashing out at London-based Iranian news outlets for their coverage of the anti-government protests in Iran.

Kyiv

Ukraine pressures Israel to supply weapons, cites Iranian threat

With reports of Iran supplying Russia with attack drones, Israel is finding it increasingly difficult to reject Ukraine’s pleas for defensive weaponry.

A general shot taken on June 30, 2015, shows a neighborhood in the Syrian capital, Damascus.

Syrian government retaliates for killing of soldiers by Islamic State

The Syrian government and Russia accused the Islamic State of blowing up a troop bus of the Syrian army’s Fourth Division in its main headquarters near Damascus.

AFP via Getty Images

Russian referendums strain Egypt-Ukraine ties

Egypt denies sending observers to monitor the Russian referendums on illegally annexing four regions in Ukraine.

Iran ukraine drones

Analysis

The Takeaway: Iranian drones in Ukraine send message to West

Closer Iran-Russia ties are another thing to worry about; Israel won't send missile defenses to Ukraine; Lebanon-Israel agreement still needs details filled in; and why the region may need nuclear energy to meet climate goals.

Elizabeth Hagedorn

Andrew Parasiliti

By Elizabeth Hagedorn , Andrew Parasiliti

drone attack

US military eyes counter-drone experimentation in Saudi Arabia

US Central Command is moving ahead with plans to help enable shared air and missile defense across the Middle East.

A Tunisian prostitute works in a brothel in the district of Abdallah Guech in Tunis on Feb. 19, 2011.

Tunisia's sex workers want their brothels back

The crackdown on legal brothels in Tunisia puts its sex workers at risk of further harm.

HDP MP Omer Faruk Gergerlioglu holds a photograph depicting censorship.

Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk, writers reject Turkey’s new 'censorship' bill

Turkey’s main opposition has taken the newly enacted bill to the Constitutional Court for annulment, while Erdogan described the law he swiftly ratified as “a pressing necessity.”

Iron Dome

Israel won’t supply Ukraine with missile-defense systems

Defense Minister Benny Gantz continues to refuse requests by Kyiv to supply Ukraine with the Israel-US-developed Iron Dome or other anti-missile systems.