The Taliban has captured three major Afghan cities and a string of provincial capitals in a sweeping offensive that threatens the capital, Kabul. In the past 24 hours, Taliban fighters have seized Herat and Kandahar — the country’s second- and third-largest cities — as well as Lashkar Gah, the capital …

“A NEGATIVE OUTCOME, a Taliban automatic military takeover, is not a foregone conclusion,” Mark Milley, America’s most senior soldier, intoned last month while reiterating America’s support for the embattled Afghan government. General Milley is right: such a takeover is not quite inevitable, despite the departure of American troops. But it …

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said the relations between Tehran and Ankara serve peace and stability in the region. Speaking with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a phone conversation initiated by the latter, Raisi said close cooperation between Iran and Turkey is essential for peace and security in the …