Middle Orient

Stoking Tehran’s Fears May Be the Only Way to Avoid War Last week, Iran and the United States briefly resumed indirect negotiations to resurrect the 2015 nuclear deal. Unlike the previous round of talks in Vienna, which broke down in March, this round was hosted by Qatar and did not …

Biden’s Saudi Trip Reflects an Acceptance of the Region as It Is U.S. President Joe Biden’s upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia has unleashed a gusher of chatter in the American foreign policy community. Some reactions, including from influential Democratic politicians, have been unreservedly negative. Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff said, “Until …

Various major Palestinian factions are working together on a new platform to challenge Fatah’s dominance of the Palestine Liberation Organization. Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh called June 19 for an agreement on a Palestinian strategy to overcome the internal division and build a national front that safeguards Palestinian principles and …

The raging war of words coincided with protracted diplomacy over the revival of the Iran nuclear deal, which Israel has relentlessly criticized. Iran’s top nuclear negotiator and deputy foreign minister, Ali Bagheri Kani, issued a stern warning to Israel while talks over the revival of the Iran nuclear deal continued …

The Turkish government’s continued failure to stabilize the battered lira raises the prospect of inflation topping 100% in the fall. Consumer prices in Turkey rose 4.95% in June, bringing annual inflation to 78.6%, the highest reading since 1998, according to official data released Monday. The spiraling inflation — fueled mainly …

On his first trip abroad as prime minister, Yair Lapid met at the Elysée Palace in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss Lebanon, Hezbollah and Iran. Prime Minister Yair Lapid met a short while ago in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron. It was Lapid’s first official trip …

Various opinion polls put [Erdoğan’s] popularity at less than 30%, compared to the 52% with which he won re-election in 2018. Many Turks, although starving, are nevertheless proud that they have a leader who can confront the “infidel West” — including their traditional rival and neighbor, Greece. It is precisely …

The Syrian government forces are waging a revenge war against the Islamic State in the Syrian desert amid escalating attacks. The Syrian desert known as the Badia region has been recently witnessing violent battles between the Syrian government forces and Islamic State (IS) militants, while Russian warplanes are raiding the …

There is growing international pressure not to back treaty that would allow Iranians convicted in Belgium to serve their sentences in Iran. Belgium’s parliament on Tuesday will debate whether to ratify a proposed treaty with Iran that could allow an Iranian convicted of terrorism in Belgium to be sent back …

Israel’s Prime Minister Yair Lapid said he would discuss opposition to the Iran nuclear deal and attacks on Israeli gas fields emanating from Lebanon during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron while on a one-day visit to France. Lapid made the statement on Tuesday before boarding a plane to …