Foreign troops' future in Iraq uncertain as clashes continue

Tension between Tehran and Washington has some Iraqis worried about foreign troops withdrawing from Iraq, although the United States had said it has no intention of leaving the country in Iranian hands.

Iraq

Protests break out in Iran after admission of accidental plane downing

Protests erupted in Iran after the government admitted, after three days of denial, that it had mistakenly shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane; some of the demonstrations arose out of vigils for the victims.

United States

Israeli spyware company accused of hacking activists hires lobby firm

Q Cyber Technologies has been sued by Facebook and WhatsApp and is accused of helping Saudi Arabia spy on murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Saudi Arabia

Iraqi PM quietly working to keep US troops in country

Iraq’s caretaker prime minister privately does not want US troops to withdraw, several American and Iraqi sources familiar with the situation told Al-Monitor.

Iraq

Pakistan seeks to mitigate US-Iran tensions

Pakistan, wary in part of tensions between Washington and Tehran negatively affecting the reconciliation process in Afghanistan, has offered to mediate between the United States and Iran after the recent round of violence between them.

Saudi Arabia

Intel: Democrats wade into legal gray area with Iran war powers vote

The House passed a resolution 224-194 seeking to limit President Donald Trump’s ability to conduct future offensive military actions against Iran.

United States

Can Israel, Hamas keep it calm after US killing of Soleimani?

For Israel, the return of deterrence is tainted with the possibility of a nightmare scenario.

Palestine

Rouhani adviser says US claims on plane crash ‘media war'

Iranian officials claim they are working with Ukrainian authorities to investigate the plane crash in Tehran but claim US accusations that they shot the plane down themselves is a “media war.”

United States

Iraqi protesters decry Iranian and US interference

Over three months since anti-government protests began in Iraq, attention has shifted to geopolitical fears of regional war.

Iraq

Trump's threat to Iran's antiquities sets off global uproar

With 24 recognized sites, Iran is most heavily represented Middle Eastern country on UNESCO's list of world heritage sites.

United States

Lebanon reacts following Nasrallah speech

Supporters of Lebanon’s Hezbollah were divided over its leader’s speech following the killing of top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, with some saying Hezbollah must react and others saying the Iranian strikes at the military bases in Iraq were enough.

Lebanon

Hamas intensifies Western dialogues to break political isolation

Hamas has stepped up its meetings with US and EU officials in an attempt to break its isolation and emerge on the international diplomatic scene.

Palestine