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

politics and security cover image

Politics & Security

Iranian walks past a giant billboard reading "The Strait of Hormuz remains closed" at the Revolution Square in Tehran on April 22, 2026.

Iran floats ‘plan B’ to defuse Hormuz standoff, delay nuclear talks

The proposal would postpone negotiations over Iran's nuclear program in an attempt to break the deadlock.

People walk along an alley at a bazaar in Bahrain's capital, Manama, on March 11, 2026.

Bahrain strips 69 people of citizenship for 'glorifying' Iran attacks

The revocations were carried out under legal provisions allowing the state to strip nationality from individuals whose actions are deemed to threaten national security.

Ali al-Zaidi

Breaking | Last Updated: April 27, 2026, 3:43 pm

Iraq's Shiite alliance nominates Ali al-Zaidi as PM candidate: What to know

Ali al-Zaidi, who leads a bank accused of money laundering, received support from previous nominee Nouri al-Maliki and incumbent Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, though it remains unclear whether the Trump administration will approve of him.

Lebanese president Joseph Aoun (L) stands next to the parliament speaker Nabih Berri as he delivers a speech at the parliament building in Beirut Jan. 9, 2025.

'Treason is war for external interests': Lebanon’s Aoun hits back at Hezbollah

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun rejects Hezbollah’s criticism of talks with Israel, insisting negotiations are aimed at ending hostilities and saying “treason” is taking the country to war for external interests.

Latest News

Turkey’s military spending jumps to $30B, leads Mideast growth in 2025

Turkey's submarines and fast-attack craft ships participate in the live-fire phase of the Blue Homeland-2026 (Mavi Vatan) tactical military exercises in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, in Antalya on April 9, 2026.

Iran FM meets Putin, Russia’s military intel chief as talks stall: What to know

Iran FM meets Putin and Russia’s military intel chief as talks stall: What to know

Analysis

Turning point on Israel? Democrats’ Senate vote signals shift driven by Iran, Gaza wars

The US Capitol building is shown on April 20, 2026, in Washington.

Jared Szuba

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

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

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) leaders' summit in Samarkand on September 16, 2022. (Photo by ALEXANDR DEMYANCHUK/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey's Erdogan seeking a meeting with Assad and Putin

In a reversal, Erdogan wants Russia to set-up a three-way meeting with Bashar Al-Assad, ten years after Ankara calling for his removal from power

YASIN AKGUL/AFP via Getty Images

Turkish mayor's conviction unites opposition, but challenger to Erdogan unclear

Turkey's opposition leaders are rallying around the case of Ekrem Imamoglu, whose conviction seems to have kicked off the campaign for next year’s elections.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin greets Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi (R) as he arrives for meetings at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, December 14, 2022. (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

Egypt’s Sisi gets warm welcome at Pentagon as Cairo assumes naval role

Egypt took charge of Combined Task Force 153 on Monday as the Pentagon seeks to economize its footprint in the Middle East.

This picture shows an official yellow taxi and a van vehicle driven on the Galata Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey, March 30, 2018.

US Embassy in Turkey clarifies car crash involving mission community member

The embassy has clarified reports over an individual who crashed his car in Istanbul while he was reportedly driving under influence of alcohol.

Italian members of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon gather in the village of Seddiqine, from near where four rockets were fired toward Israel, Tyre district, south Lebanon, May 19, 2021.

Irish UN peacekeeping soldier killed in south Lebanon

A UNIFIL convoy came under attack Dec. 14 resulting in the death of an Irish soldier and the injury of three others.

A Turkey-backed Syrian fighter sits at a position on the outskirts of the town of Marea.

US, Russia stall Turkey's ground operation, but Kurdish gains under threat

The Russian and US policies of appeasing Turkey have averted a new Turkish ground operation in Syria for now, but they both lay the ground for a gradual undoing of Kurdish gains in the north.

Tunisian demonstrators take part in a rally against President Kais Saied, called for by the opposition "National Salvation Front" coalition, in the capital Tunis, on December 10, 2022. (Photo by FETHI BELAID/AFP via Getty Images)

The Takeaway: Tunisia's Saied visits US, days before controversial elections

Plus, Iran is expelled from a United Nations women's rights body and Morocco's underdog team is knocked out of the World Cup.

The UN voted to remove Iran from a women's rights body over Tehran's brutal crackdown of women-led protests. Twenty-nine members of the UN Economic and Social Council voted to expel the Islamic republic from the UN Commission on the Status of Women. (Photo by YUKI IWAMURA/AFP via Getty Images)

Iran removed from UN women’s rights body after US push

Iran's removal from the 45-member Commission on the Status of Women comes as Tehran continues its brutal crackdown on its nationwide protests.

Turkey ship

Turkey, insurers reach deal to end oil tanker logjam

Ankara’s standoff with international insurers, which has created a line of crude oil tankers near the Turkish straits, ends with agreed wording on an insurance letter demanded by Turkey.

Nasr-Azadani was arrested in the city of Isfahan two days after allegedly taking part in an "armed riot" in which three security agents were killed on September 16, Isfahan's judiciary chief Abdullah Jafari said, quoted on December 11 by Iran's ISNA news agency. (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)

Fate of Iran soccer player unclear as he faces risk of execution

Iranian prosecutors are seeking to send Amir Reza Nasr Azadani to the gallows, as the Islamic Republic defiantly presses ahead with death sentences for protesters.

People demonstrate outside the Iranian Embassy in Ukraine on Oct. 17, 2022, in Kyiv.

Iran says Ukraine failed to prove drone claims

Tehran continued to dig in heels over deliveries of Iranian drones to Russia and accused Ukraine of making "baseless" claims.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is pictured on a screen.

Israel excluded from Ukraine's solidarity conference in Paris

While Israel has offered humanitarian aid since the start of the conflict, Ukraine’s president has been strongly pushing for weapons and Iron Dome anti-missile batteries.