Trump tells Middle East leaders US-Iran talks have ‘momentum’ Trump hosted top officials from the Gulf Cooperation Council states, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq on the sidelines of UN General Assembly. United States
Turkey, US sign $2M grant deal for small nuclear reactors: What to know The new cooperation deal comes as Ankara seeks to expand nuclear power and reduce reliance on Russia. Turkey
Analysis Why Netanyahu is distancing himself from Trump ahead of Israeli election No meeting has been announced between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly summit in New York. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Newsletter: Daily Briefing UAE's Gargash expects 'prolonged' war Turkey, US resume talks on F-16s; China slams US sanctions on Iran airlines as ‘illegal’; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Exclusive Turkey, US resume F-16 talks ahead of expected Trump-Erdogan meeting By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Analysis How Netanyahu is leveraging Houthi threat in secret Saudi normalization push By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Iraqis await fallout from NYT expose on Iranian influence Leaked documents from Iranian intelligence seem to back up Iraqi protestors' angry contention that Iran has corrupted top-level Iraqi politicians, though the politicians themselves offer rebuttals. Iraq
White House persuades Congress to ease up on Saudi Arabia The White House convinced Congress to water down a key defense bill by removing language penalizing Saudi Arabia for the Yemen war and the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. Saudi Arabia
London summit exposes Turkey’s isolation, lack of clout in NATO Seasoned diplomats say despite Ankara’s tarnished image in the alliance, Turkey has confirmed its Western orientation. Syria
Iran's regional peace initiative faces major challenges While Oman and Iran may have high hopes for the Hormuz Peace Endeavor, regional security arrangements have typically needed great-power backing to hold them together. Saudi Arabia
How Rouhani and Trump almost reached a deal While hopes have emerged as the result of a prisoner exchange between Iran and the United States, some analysts believe this won't lead to negotiations and a Trump-Rouhani meeting. United States
US set to lean on Saudi Arabia in Florida shooting probe The FBI will rely on Riyadh as it looks into last week's deadly shooting at a naval base. Saudi Arabia
Intel: How this week’s US-sponsored Nile talks buoy Egypt The US administration deepened its involvement in trilateral talks between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia over the filling of a massive new dam on the Nile River this week, to Cairo’s relief. Egypt
Iran ready for 'comprehensive' prisoner swap with US Archenemies Iran and the United States appeared closer to exchanging all their prisoners, as Tehran said it was "fully ready" for such a swap. United States
Intel: How pressure is mounting on Egypt to release detained Americans Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has taken up the case of a US citizen held in Cairo with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry. Egypt
Is Iran-Taliban cold peace within reach? To secure its part in Afghanistan's political future, Iran is actively engaging the Taliban, but the road will be bumpy, given the multiple ideological and geopolitical challenges. United States
Oil trail reveals Turkey funding Syrian Kurdish rivals Through oil, Turkey is helping to indirectly subsidize the very same Syrian Kurdish administration that it's seeking to crush. Syria
Intel: Pentagon looks to continue Saudi air force training despite shooting The Pentagon awarded a $15 million contract to a Virginia-based company to provide English-language training to Saudi Arabia’s air force at an air base in Riyadh, just hours after a Saudi national killed three people at a naval installation in Florida on Thursday. Saudi Arabia