Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran says it doesn’t seek to resume negotiations with Washington Sharaa says Syria seeks security deal with Israel; Red Sea shipping slows after Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Syria arrivals surge 111% as government bets on tourism revival The country welcomed 3.52 million visitors during the first half of 2026, more than double the figure recorded a year earlier, as the government pushes to reconnect to the world and promote tourism as a pillar of economic recovery. Syria
Syria seizes arms shipment on Iraq border destined for Hezbollah The operation comes as part of the Syrian authorities' efforts to curb illicit arms smuggling through its territory, namely intended for Hezbollah. Lebanon
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran declares 'existential war' as US strikes reach near Tehran By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Kremlin confirms S-400 talks with Turkey By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran hits Gulf, warns Hormuz will reopen on its terms By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Kurds demand answers after battles in Cizre Controversy simmers over what exactly happened in Cizre as the town emerges devastated from a weeklong curfew, imposed with the stated aim of uprooting Kurdish militants entrenched in residential areas. Syria
Villages abandoned as Syrians flee northern Aleppo The northern countryside of Aleppo has been emptied as thousands fled to surrounding areas following the intensification of the Islamic State attacks in August. Syria
Iraq sees exodus of minorities Large waves of emigration are dramatically depleting Iraq’s minority populations, especially Christians, with dire consequences for the country's future diversity. Iraq
Kurdish National Council: We must remove the top of the pyramid in Syria In an interview with Al-Monitor, the head of the Kurdish National Council, Ibrahim Biro, talked about his party’s opposition to the Syrian regime, and stressed that a federal system is needed in Syria to integrate all of Syria’s sectarian and ethnic components. Syria
How Erdogan exploits Syrian refugees Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan had hoped a wave of Syrian refugees, created with assistance to the Islamic State, would force NATO to act against Syria's Bashar al-Assad, and when that failed, he allowed the refugees to move westward to pressure Europe. Israel
Congress rethinks anti-Assad stance Senate Democrats are beginning to question regime-change goals amid Islamic State gains. United Arab Emirates
Refugees risk it all Even daily tragedies at sea don’t stop Syrian refugees from risking their lives and those of their families trying to get to Europe from Turkey. Syria
Russia deepens Turkey’s Syrian impasse Moscow’s increasing military support for the Assad regime makes a reassessment of Ankara’s Syria policy essential. Syria
Why the Gulf isn't to blame for Syrian refugee crisis Oil-rich Gulf states are defending their record in assisting Syrian refugees as world opinion grows more hostile to their perceived indifference. Legacy: Gulf
Syrian regime displaces Zabadani residents Syria’s Madaya is under siege and suffering from an influx of people displaced by the regime's attacks on Zabadani. Syria
Opposition-regime swap deal in Syria frozen until further notice A Lebanese official told Al-Monitor that the swap deal discussed between the Syrian army and Hezbollah and the opposition fighters concerning Zabadani and two Shiite villages in Idlib province has been postponed until the outcome of King Salman’s visit to the United States unfolds. Lebanon
Syria's new capital … Istanbul While Europe panics over 224,000 refugees, displaced Syrians have reached 330,000 in Istanbul alone. Syria
