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Politics & Security

A partial view shows a drainage vacuum hole on the lake of Qaraoun in Lebanon's southern Beqaa Valley on April 5, 2019.

Israel strikes near Lebanon’s Qaraoun dam as war intensifies: What to know

The strikes near the large water reservoir follow pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to up attacks on Hezbollah in response to rocket fire and a rising death toll in Lebanon.

Motorists drive their vehicles and pedestrians cross the street past a political billboard featuring President Donald Trump and the Strait of Hormuz along Valiasr Square in Tehran on May 26, 2026.

US-Iran deal could take ‘a few days’ as roadblocks emerge, nuclear talks deferred

Mediators are scrambling to secure a deal that would end the war, while leaving unresolved the thorniest issues that predated it.

A view shows a Lebanese flag positioned among shattered concrete and twisted rebar, remnants of a destroyed building, in Sidon, Lebanon, on May 3, 2026.

US gave Israel 'tacit agreement' to target senior Hezbollah figures

While there is no explicit agreement, sources say Washington has offered quiet approval despite a ceasefire reached April 16.

A man checks old banknotes in the Grand Bazaar in Tehran on March 3, 2025.

Analysis

Cash as leverage: How Iran's push for frozen billions is reshaping diplomacy

The frozen assets debate is a test of whether the postwar diplomatic track can move toward a durable framework — or whether financial mistrust will evolve into yet another breaking point.

A correspondent in Tehran

By A correspondent in Tehran

In Tehran, reporting on politics

Latest News

Iran’s Pezeshkian calls Iraqi leaders as Khamenei praises militias: What to know

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian listens during a joint press conference alongside Armenia's prime minister in Yerevan on Aug. 19, 2025.

US-Iran tit-for-tat strikes over Hormuz expose risks of prolonged standoff

A woman walks past an anti-US and anti-Israel mural depicting missiles hitting an aircraft carrier in Tehran on May 26, 2026.

Jared Szuba

In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military

Iran partially restores internet after 88-day blackout: What to know

An Iranian woman walks past a mobile phone shop at the Valiasr Square in Tehran on April 19, 2026.

Turkey: Thousands defy police to rally for ousted CHP leader Ozel

Turkish riot police use water cannon to disperse protesters during a rally called by ousted opposition leader Ozgur Ozel, days after a court dismissed him from office, in Izmir on May 26, 2026.

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

OMAR HAJ KADOUR/AFP via Getty Images

Feature

Trump's aid freeze forces war-battered Syrian hospitals to halt services

As Syria emerges from its grueling civil war, the doctors who survived the regime’s deliberate bombardment of medical facilities are confronting a new threat: the suspension of American aid.

Elizabeth Hagedorn

By Elizabeth Hagedorn

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

The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman transits the Suez Canal, on Dec. 15, 2024.

US Navy carrier collides with merchant ship near Suez Canal: What to know

The ship's recent departure from the Red Sea has left Middle Eastern waters without a US aircraft carrier for the third time in 15 months.

Meteor missiles

Turkey optimistic on procurement of Eurofighter jets and Meteor missiles

A senior Turkish official has confirmed Turkey’s bid to procure Meteor missiles.

Iranian Basij militia members display their drones during military drills on Jan. 10, 2025, in Tehran, Iran.

Iran unveils underwater suicide drone as US tensions grow: What we know

The showcasing of the unmanned aerial vehicle follows the unveiling of a new drone carrier warship and plans to develop a supersonic cruise missile.

A fighter of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) aims a machine gun while lying prone during a joint military exercise with forces of the US-led "Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve" coalition against the Islamic State (IS) group in the countryside of the town of al-Malikiya (Derik in Kurdish) in Syria's northeastern Hasakah province on Sept. 7, 2022.

Turkey escalates push to replace Kurds as top anti-ISIS force in Syria

Turkey is attempting to form a new coalition to combat ISIS remnants and replace the Pentagon-backed Kurdish forces in Syria.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Russian President Vladimir Putin

Russia's Putin and Syria's Sharaa hold first call since Assad fall

Syria’s Ahmed al-Sharaa and Russia’s Vladimir Putin held their first phone call on Wednesday in an uncertain time for the former allies.

Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, gives a joint press conference with the Omani foreign minister in Tehran on Dec. 30, 2024.

Iran pushes diplomatic blitz to thwart Trump's Gaza relocation plan

With its regional proxies decimated in Israeli attacks, Iran is seeking to restore its position within the new regional dynamics by encouraging Islamic countries to mobilize against President Donald Trump's Gaza policies.

Educational Bookshop

After raid, Israel puts Jerusalem bookshop owners under house arrest: What to know

Israeli police raided the Educational Bookshop on Sunday and arrested its owners on charges of “disturbing public order,” a move met with outcry by diplomats.

US President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrive to hold a press conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington, on Feb. 4, 2025.

Israel says Gaza war to resume if hostages aren't released Saturday

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was backing the ultimatum of President Donald Trump for the release of hostages by Saturday afternoon, but he did not specify if he expects all remaining hostages to be released that day.

Assad family

After sharing escape plan, Hafez Bashar al-Assad's alleged X account suspended

The son of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad posted about his family’s final days in Damascus before the rebel takeover.

ZAIN JAAFAR/AFP via Getty Images

Israeli raid in Jenin kills at least 25, displaces 40,000: What we know

The Israeli army has escalated its operation in the northern West Bank in the past three weeks, causing massive destruction of infrastructure, forcing more than 40,000 Palestinians to flee their homes and killing dozens.

Israeli hostages stand on stage flanked by Hamas militants during the official handover in Gaza, Gaza Strip, on February 8, 2025. Hamas hands over three Israeli hostages to the Red Cross as part of ongoing negotiations. (Photo by Youssef Alzanoun / Middle East Images / Middle East Images via AFP) (Photo by YOUSSEF ALZANOUN/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

Can Hamas defy Trump's ultimatum as Gaza ceasefire teeters?

Israel is considering introducing a transitional phase to salvage the deal and ensure the continued release of hostages. However, for this to proceed, Hamas must adhere to the agreed-upon terms by Saturday.

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