Egypt sentences activist Sanaa Seif to 18 months in prison Seif, who had been in pretrial detention since June, was convicted Wednesday of spreading false news and misusing social media. Egypt
Ukraine rejects Iran's final report on downed passenger plane The Iranian government said last year's shooting down of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 was the result of a human error. Iran
Iran operating new advanced centrifuges, nuclear watchdog finds According to an International Atomic Energy Agency report, Iran is now using IR-4 centrifuges to enrich uranium in violation of the nuclear accord. Iran
UN says Libya arms embargo 'totally ineffective' A United Nations panel of experts accused several member states, including Turkey and Russia, of fueling the Libyan conflict. Libya
Egypt begins rounding up dissidents under new terror law Under the new anti-terror law issued by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, several young Egyptians have already been arrested and could face sentences of 10 years in prison or even death. Egypt
How to rein in Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units There is an urgent need to organize the Popular Mobilization Units' various groups under the government’s control to avoid chaos and internal divisions that some parties might exploit to achieve their regional agendas. Iraq
Iranian deputy foreign minister reasserts leadership on Syria, confidence in Hezbollah During a visit to Beirut, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein-Amir Abdollahian discussed Lebanese presidential elections and pressing regional issues, including relations between Washington, Riyadh and Moscow concerning Syria and the nuclear agreement. Legacy: Gulf
The new pulse of Gulf security The Iran nuclear deal and the summit between US President Barack Obama and Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud could signal a turning point in Gulf security. Saudi Arabia
What will US-Saudi summit mean for Iranian policy in the Middle East? In a meeting Sept. 4 with US President Barack Obama, Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud was assured that the nuclear deal prevents Iran — whose influence in the region the kingdom is eager to counter — from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Saudi Arabia
Will King Salman’s visit to Washington reset US-Saudi relations? The joint statement released following King Salman's meeting at the White House with President Barack Obama Sept. 4 indicates that they discussed the region's most pressing issues including the Iran nuclear deal, the Syrian civil war, the fight against the Islamic State and the war in Yemen. Saudi Arabia
Congress' last hurrah before Iran vote A look at the Middle East issues Congress will be addressing the week of Sept. 7. Congress
What Obama should say to King Salman during his visit The inaugural visit of Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud to Washington offers US President Barack Obama a unique opportunity to address the long-standing tensions and rivalry between Iran, Iraq and the GCC states. Legacy: Gulf
Jordan’s ‘highway through hell’ Amid security concerns, Iraqi authorities decided in mid-July to close the only border crossing with Jordan, leaving the once-busy trucking route between the two countries deserted. Iraq
Egypt's battle against Facebook continues Calls for blocking Facebook in Egypt will not yield the desired results, according to some experts, as terrorist ideas and rumors can continue to spread on other websites. Egypt
Khamenei says sanctions must be removed, not suspended Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei spoke in detail about the need for sanctions to be removed, rather than suspended, in regard to the comprehensive nuclear deal. Iran
The invisible Saudi king Though breathless press reports predicted the Saudi leader would attend Russia’s MAKS-2015 air show, it seems that King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud never intended to visit Russia so soon after accepting the invitation to do so and will likely make the trip in the fall. Saudi Arabia
