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

White House, Washington DC, United States of America

United States

November 8, 2026

Washington D.C. 10:53 am

14°C

People vote on Election Day during the midterm elections

Analysis

From sanctions relief to deterrence: How Iran reads US elections

Iran's negotiators now view US elections through the lens of political pressure and the costs of conflict, while even Javad Zarif frames diplomacy as part of deterrence.

Jamshid Jamshidi

By Jamshid Jamshidi

MEHMET ESER/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Will Democrats block Trump’s push to deliver Turkey F-35s, lift sanctions?

Democratic control of Congress complicates Turkey’s push for F-35s and sanctions relief, but Ankara remains hopeful Trump can still broker a deal.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York, speaks during a press conference

Explainer

Who will lead Congress? Democrats weigh Schumer alternatives, Jeffries bid

A number of contenders have emerged as challengers to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, including strong critics of the Iran war and US support to Israel.

Tump

Can Trump turn midterm defeat into Iran breakthrough?

Although Iran may have contributed to Republican losses in midterms, the Trump administration still has a historic opportunity in the Middle East.

Latest News

Feature

Emboldened Democrats gear up to challenge Trump over Iran war, Gulf business ties

A protest sign is seen near the White House the day after Election Day

Elizabeth Hagedorn

By Elizabeth Hagedorn

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Explainer

Democrats’ midterm sweep tests US-Israel ties as Eisenkot vows reset

An aerial view shows a campaign billboard depicting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of the Likud party and President Donald Trump in Tel Aviv, on Oct. 26, 2026, on the eve of Israel's legislative elections.

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

Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson attends a news conference with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, German counterpart Sigmar Gabriel and European Union's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini after meeting Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (unseen) in Brussels, Belgium January 11, 2018. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir - RC1D1AB58660

Some Iranians say nuclear deal can survive if Europe cooperates

Some Iranian officials and analysts say that Tehran should remain in the nuclear deal with the European Union if Europe stands up to US pressure to end the agreement.

An American made Patriot missile launcher of the Kuwait Air Force, used
to shoot down incoming ballistic missiles, is deployed in an undated
file photograph. A U.S. Patriot missile battery may have engaged a
British Royal Air Force aircraft near

the Kuwaiti border on Sunday, a Pentagon spokesman said. REUTERS/Kuwait
Ministry of Defence - RP3DRINEPZAA

Congress nudges Trump toward Gulf missile defense

Congress is trying to revive US-led talks for a GCC-wide missile shield against Iran that have stalled amid tensions with Qatar.

Why Europe could end up being blamed for nuclear deal collapse

Britain, France and Germany’s outreach to Trump has increasingly put them in a position where they will likely be blamed by all sides in case the nuclear deal collapses.

Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a news conference at the Ministry of Defence in Tel Aviv, Israel April 30, 2018. REUTERS/ Amir Cohen - RC1245937670

Netanyahu banks on escalation with Iran

The Israeli prime minister expects political windfall from revealing "an open secret" about Iran’s past nuclear program.

Tribesmen inspect fragments of a Houthi ballistic missile at a farm after it was intercepted by the Saudi-led coalition's air defence forces in Marib, Yemen February 23, 2018. Picture taken with a fisheye lens. REUTERS/Ali Owidha - RC1974FC90C0

US troops on Yemen border ruffle congressional feathers

Recent revelations that US ground troops are helping Saudi-led coalition forces target Houthi missile stockpiles in Yemen have renewed calls on Capitol Hill for more congressional oversight in the war.

CAIRO, EGYPT - JULY 26: An Egyptian Army Apache helicopter flies over the Cairo skyline during pro-military demonstrators at Tahrir Square on July 26, 2013 in Cairo, Egypt. Protesters gathered to show support to the overthrow of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi by the Egyptian military on July 3, after a speech made Wednesday by the Chief of Egypt's Armed Forces, General Ahmed Fattah al-Sissi, who called for mass anti-Morsi protests across Egypt on Friday against 'violence and terrorism'. Egyptian authori

Congress withholds Egypt aid over injured American

Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., has asked the Donald Trump administration to hold $300 million in military aid unless Cairo pays reparations for a 2015 attack on tourists and meets a series of human rights conditions.

Iran's FM takes to YouTube to reject renegotiating nuclear deal

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has posted an English-language video to YouTube laying out Iranian positions on the nuclear deal, including why Tehran will not be revisiting the agreement despite threats by US President Donald Trump to exit it if it is not reopened and other issues addressed.

A U.S. soldier from the 2nd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division stands guard at a military base north of Mosul, Iraq, February 14, 2017. Picture taken February 14, 2017. REUTERS/Khalid al Mousily - RC1D165D9880

Pentagon blows deadline to pry Iraq off US military aid

The Donald Trump administration will continue to foot the bill for rebuilding Iraq’s defense institutions amid rising Iranian influence.

Presidents Hassan Rouhani of Iran, Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and Vladimir Putin of Russia hold a joint news conference after their meeting in Ankara, Turkey April 4, 2018. REUTERS/Umit Bektas - RC17DDDED670

Iran, Turkey and Russia hope they’re all on same page

The three guarantors of the Astana peace talks seek to affirm the stability of the talks as well as the trio itself.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif attends a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia January 10, 2018. REUTERS/Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool? - UP1EE1A1NCZOZ

Iran’s FM says Qatar 'brought Saudi Arabia to its knees'

Iran’s foreign minister slams the Saudi crown prince over his approach to foreign policy in a speech at a top Tehran university.

Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a news conference at the Ministry of Defence in Tel Aviv, Israel, April 30, 2018. REUTERS/ Amir Cohen - RC11C40F3DE0

How Netanyahu’s nuclear 'show' could harm Mossad

While revelations by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the Iranian nuclear program exposed Tehran's lies about past efforts to reach nuclear capacity, they also revealed involuntarily that Iran has obeyed the 2015 accord.

Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a news conference at the Ministry of Defence in Tel Aviv, Israel April 30, 2018. REUTERS/ Amir Cohen - RC1480BD75A0

Europe says Bibi’s ‘atomic archive’ pitch proves need for Iran deal

European powers and Russia said Israel’s claimed seizure of documents from Iran’s shuttered nuclear weapons research program proves the need for 2015 Iran nuclear deal.