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Politics & Security

Defendant Wassim al-Assad appears before the Fourth Criminal Court during the opening session of his trial in Damascus on June 24, 2026.

Syria opens trial of Wassim al-Assad, cousin of ousted president: What we know

The trial follows another session in the case against Atef Najib, also a cousin of former President Bashar al-Assad, as Syrian authorities continue prosecuting figures linked to the former regime and its remnants.

Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty Images

Trump insists no Hormuz tolls as Iran, US make conflicting claims

Iran has said it wants to charge "maritime service fees" in the Strait of Hormuz.

An Iranian man rides his motorbike past a billboard on May 28, 2026.

Analysis

Why Iran's generals are intensifying anti-US rhetoric amid negotiations

Leading figures within Iran's military and security establishment have framed the memorandum with Washington not as an end point but as a conditional arrangement tied to battlefield realities.

A correspondent in Tehran

By A correspondent in Tehran

In Tehran, reporting on politics

Latest News

Turkey detains 233 ahead of NATO summit, including LGBTQ+ activist Yildiz Tar

Demonstrators take part in a rally against the upcoming NATO Summit early July in Ankara, on June 13, 2026.

Iran's Ghalibaf holds talks in Oman on Strait of Hormuz: What to know

Speaker of the parliament of Iran, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf (R), arrives at the Burgenstock resort in Obbuergen, near Lucerne, Switzerland, on June 21, 2026.

Iraq taps Krikor Der-Hagopian as first Armenian Christian ambassador to US

Krikor Der-Hagopian at the 9th Sulaimani Forum, in Sulaimaniyah, Iraq, on April 16, 2025.

Analysis

Pilot zones at center of Israel-Lebanon talks as Trump pressures Netanyahu

Lebanese army forces deploy in the village of Bir al-Salasel in southern Lebanon on June 15, 2026. Iran's foreign ministry on June 15 said the US must ensure that Israel commits to stopping the war in Lebanon under a deal agreed upon with the US to end the Middle East war. Lebanon was pulled into the conflict in early March when Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah launched rocket attacks on Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iran's supreme leader, prompting Israeli strikes and a ground invasion. (Pho

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

MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

Many Swedes unsettled by NATO deal with Turkey

The Swedish government has come under fire for its concessions to Turkey in return for Ankara’s support for Sweden’s NATO membership, and the angst among Swedes of Kurdish origin is palpable.

Israeli Armed Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi takes part in a candle lightning ceremony with Israeli soldiers on the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, Jerusalem, Nov. 29, 2021.

Israel weighs options for confronting Iran in event of nuclear deal

In the battle between Israel’s security agencies, the Mossad estimates that US President Joe Biden's administration is eager to reach a deal with Iran, at whatever cost.

AFP via Getty Images

Iran, Iraq exchange more soldiers' remains

Although the Iran-Iraq War ended in 1988, the remains of fallen soldiers continue to be repatriated between the two countries.

Members of the Free Syrian Army wave the flag of the Syrian opposition as they travel in a truck through the town of Hazano, in Idlib's northern countryside, as reinforcements are deployed from Aleppo's northern countryside to Idlib's countryside to counter an ongoing pro-regime offensive, Syria, Feb. 5, 2020.

Free Syrian Army defends areas of influence against IS, HTS cells

The internal fighting among FSA factions and the ambitions of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham to expand its control in the northwest of Syria did not prevent the Turkish-backed FSA factions from continuing their security operations to crack down on Islamic State cells in the countryside of Aleppo.

The 5th Trilateral Meeting of Defense Ministers of Egypt, Cyprus and Greece, Cairo, June 20, 2022.

Egypt, Greece, Cyprus boost military cooperation in EastMed region

Egypt, Greece and Cyprus have promoted their military relations in the face of security threats and to defend their interests in the Eastern Mediterranean that is rich in oil and gas reserves.

ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images

IRGC chief warns of spy war as new intel head takes over in Iran

The comments were made against the backdrop of an unexpected shakeup within the IRGC's intelligence wing following a series of breaches.

Sweden's Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson (L) shakes hands with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Erdogan says Sweden's, Finland's NATO memberships not done deal

The Turkish president says that while the two countries are invited to join NATO, the possibility of a veto remains if they don't keep their promises.

The Karnak Temple in Upper Egypt's ancient city of Luxor is pictured on March 1, 2020 with the Chinese flag in solidarity with the Chinese people amidst a world outbreak of coronavirus COVID-19, which originated in China. (Photo by - / AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)

China will expand energy, economic partnerships — not security — in Middle East

Howard J. Shatz

Howard J. Shatz

STEFANI REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

Biden says he won't ask Saudi Arabia to pump more oil during trip

President Joe Biden also downplayed his expected meetings with Saudi leaders, including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images

Netanyahu leads united opposition into Israeli elections

After much political haggling, the coalition finally managed to disperse the Knesset, setting the date for the new elections as Nov. 1.

Andreas Rentz/Getty Images

Israel draws closer to NATO

Israel aspires to upgrade its relations with NATO beyond geography, offering technological innovation and intelligence-gathering capabilities as a basis for stronger ties.

Turkish Presidential Press Office/Getty Images

Prominent sheikh’s funeral exposes Turkey’s secular-religious divide

The funeral of a prominent religious leader has showcased the growing influence of religious groups in Turkey.