Iran

The United States Air Force has sent a sixth sortie of nuclear-capable B-52 bombers over the Middle East. The US Air Force dispatched another pair of long-range, nuclear-capable B-52 bombers over the Middle East on Tuesday as the presidential administration of Joe Biden looks to approach negotiations with Iran.

Both Iranian and Taliban officials criticized the United States’ role in Afghanistan during a meeting in Tehran, Iran, amid peace talks in Qatar. An Iranian official accused the United States of prolonging the war in Afghanistan during a visit by the Taliban to Iran. A Taliban leader also told the …

International air traffic has resumed at Aleppo International Airport, but it is believed to remain under the control of Iranian forces. International air traffic has resumed at Aleppo International Airport, with the first departing plane touching down in Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport on Jan. 15, the official Syrian news …

McKenzie’s arrival is the first high-level visit by a top American official since Joe Biden was sworn in as president last week. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), arrived in Israel on Thursday for talks with IDF top brass about Iran and other regional challenges.

Another Israeli priority is “anywhere, anytime inspections” of Iran nuclear sites, as opposed to Tehran being forewarned as the deal currently requires.

Sergey Lavrov and Mohammad Javad Zarif have met to discuss the crisis in Syria, the need for diplomatic efforts and plans for another meeting of the Astana countries writes The Syria Times.

Peshmerga that fought on the front lines against the Islamic State see the film as an “insult and belittling the role of Peshmergas.”

The Palestinian Authority has threatened to sue former US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman after he recognized the City of David settlement project in Jerusalem.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is hinting to the new US administration that reentering the original nuclear deal with Iran could spell Israeli military action.

Though Moscow’s stance on Iran’s regional activities might be ambivalent, Russian competition with Iran in Syria, as well as their military-defense cooperation, will afford Washington limited opportunities to rely on Russian leverage-plays with Tehran.