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Politics & Security

Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz

Analysis

How failing US-Iran diplomacy is giving way to fresh confrontation

Iran's dismissal of secret talks with Washington comes as diplomacy is in impasse, the Strait of Hormuz remains contested and Iranian commanders signal a potentially more aggressive military posture.

A correspondent in Tehran

By A correspondent in Tehran

In Tehran, reporting on politics

Ships are docked along a pier at the Khor Fakkan Container Terminal, the only natural deep-sea port in the region and one of the major container ports in Sharjah Emirate, along the Gulf of Oman on July 14, 2026.

UAE halts all trade ties with Iran after missile attack

The incident follows the UAE blaming Iran for strikes on ADNOC vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

United Arab Emirates

US sanctions International Criminal Court president, top lawyer

The sanctions come a month after Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowed to dismantle the court "brick by brick."

Latest News

Syria announces capture of senior ISIS official near Manbij: What to know

SANA

Jared Szuba

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

What we know about Israeli strikes on Syrian air base tied to Turkey

A tank is seen at the Abu Duhur military airport area in Idlib province, on Jan. 21, 2018.

Adam Lucente

By Adam Lucente

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Analysis

Netanyahu yields to Trump on Gaza, betting Hamas won’t disarm

Ohad Zwigenberg / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

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

After 44 years, Israel retrieves remains of soldier killed in Lebanon: What to know

Katz

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

People take part in a protest against the execution of Iranian footballer Amir Nasr-Azadani -sentenced to death within protests following the death of Mahsa Amini- and to demand human righst in Iran, in front of the Iranian embassy in Mexico City on December 19, 2022. - Amir 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.(Photo by PEDRO PARDO/AFP via Getty Images)

Iran on 'execution spree' of Kurdish, Baluchi minorities, Amnesty says

A total of 94 people of any background were executed in January and February, according to Amnesty International.

Rally in Jerusalem, Feb. 25 2023 Credit: Tal Kfir Shor

Handmaid's Tale inspires Israeli women battling religious coercion

Hundreds of women clad in red cloaks and sporting white bonnets have been appearing in the past few weeks in several of the anti-judicial overhaul, pro-democracy demonstrations across the country.

Kilicdaroglu and Aksener

Turkey's opposition alliance fractures, fails to agree on challenger to Erdogan

The Iyi Party will not support the opposition coalition’s top candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu in the presidential elections.

Algeria military

Rumblings from Ukraine war felt in western Mediterranean

The Eastern European conflict has strained the traditional Russian alliance with Algeria, while Morocco tries to use the Abraham Accords to finalize its hold on Western Sahara.

Gilles Kepel

By Gilles Kepel

This picture shows traffic in Baghdad's Tahrir Square with the iconic Freedom Monument, a 50-metre (165-foot) long bas relief that honours the 1950 revolution which overthrew Iraq's monarchy, on November 7, 2022.(Photo by AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP via Getty Images)

Iraq rolls out new plan to reduce chronic Baghdad traffic

Successive Iraqi governments have tried but failed to address the problem of traffic in the capital. Sudani's plan involves building new bridges and overpasses.

Republican People's Party (CHP) Kemal Kilicdaroglu (L), IYI Party Meral Aksener (2ndR), Felicity Party (Saadet) Temel Karamollaoglu (R), Democratic Party (DP) Gultekin Uysal (3rdL), Future Party (Gelecek) Ahmet Davutoglu (3rdR), and Democracy and Progress (DEVA) Party Ali Babacan (2ndL), belonging to the Turkish opposition alliance called National Alliance, pose on stage before presenting their programme, in Ankara, on January 30, 2023. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey’s opposition close to naming Kilicdaroglu to challenge Erdogan

Turkey’s six-party opposition inches closer to naming main opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu as the common candidate, but the right-wing Iyi Party is still hesitant.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin to visit Israel, Jordan, Egypt

The Pentagon chief's second tour of the Middle East comes as diplomatic efforts to return to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal appear to have run out of gas.

JOE KLAMAR/AFP via Getty Images

IAEA chief heads to Tehran, as Iran's 83.7% enrichment triggers alarm

The visit comes ahead of Grossi's trip to the US, and at the height of tensions between the nuclear watchdog and the Islamic Republic as the latter continues to ramp up nuclear enrichment toward the weapons-grade bar.

The Iranian-flagged oil tanker Fortune is docked at the El Palito refinery after its arrival to Puerto Cabello in the northern state of Carabobo, Venezuela, on May 25, 2020. - The first of five Iranian tankers carrying much-needed gasoline and oil derivatives docked in Venezuela on Monday, Caracas announced amid concern in Washington over the burgeoning relationship between countries it sees as international pariahs. (Photo by AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)

Iran's oil, petrochemical trade hit with new US sanctions

The designated firms are located in Iran, China, Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates.

Smoke rises during clashes between an extremist group and the Palestinian security forces in Ain al-Hilweh camp, near the southern coastal city of Sidon, Lebanon, April 8, 2017.

Clashes in Lebanon’s Palestinian refugee camp as security void looms

The UN recently warned that poverty and crime is on the rise in the camp due to the Lebanese economic crisis.

Bezalel Smotrich, Israeli far-right lawmaker and leader of the Religious Zionist party, speaks during a rally with supporters, Sderot, Israel, Oct. 26, 2022.

Jewish groups: Israel's Smotrich 'not welcome' in US after bigoted comments

Liberal Jewish organizations condemned the statement made Wednesday by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich about "wiping out" the Palestinian village of Huwara.

Libya

The Takeaway: Can Libya pull off elections in 2023?

Plus, the US condemns an Israeli minister's call to "wipe out" a Palestinian town, and concerns grow over Iran's nuclear activity.