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U.S. Official to TIB: Thursday’s Geneva Talks with Iran to Focus on De-Escalation

In a statement to This is Beirut, a senior U.S. official expressed that the U.S. seeks de-escalation in Thursday’s Geneva talks with Iranian officials, as the State Department orders the departure of non-essential personnel from the U.S. embassy in Beirut. The official stated that “the United States will meet Iran in Geneva this Thursday with ...

U.S. and Iran Set to Hold Talks in Geneva on Thursday Amid Mounting Tensions

U.S. and Iranian officials are set to hold another round of nuclear talks on Thursday in Geneva while President Donald Trump continues to deliberate on striking Iran. Iran is expected to provide a comprehensive plan for U.S. officials to review ahead of the talks as gaps persist over the status of Iranian enrichment capacity.  Trump has ...

Four Syrian Security Personnel Killed in IS Attack: State Media

Four Syrian security personnel were killed in an Islamic State (IS) group attack in the northern city of Raqqa, which was recently taken by Damascus from Kurdish forces, state media reported on Monday. The attack, the second against security forces in as many days per Syria's interior ministry, comes after IS called on its fighters to ...

Netanyahu Says If Iran Attacks, ‘We Will Respond With a Force They Cannot Even Imagine’

On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterates Israel’s position towards a conflict scenario with Iran, stating that the country is ready to use heavy force against Iran if it attacks. In a speech at the Knesset, he remarked that “if Iran makes a mistake–perhaps the most serious mistake in its history–and ...

Israeli Minister Says Army to Occupy All Gaza if Hamas Does Not Disarm

Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Monday that Palestinian Islamist group Hamas may soon be given a deadline to lay down its weapons. "We estimate that in the coming days, Hamas will be given an ultimatum to disarm and completely demilitarise Gaza," Smotrich said in an interview with public broadcaster Kan. "If it does not ...

Nouri al-Maliki Says He Will Not Withdraw Bid for Iraq's Premiership

Iraq's candidate for the premiership, Nouri al-Maliki, told AFP on Monday that he will not withdraw his candidacy after US threats to cut all support if he returns to the post. But Maliki sought to reassure Washington by saying he backed a state monopoly on arms, claiming an understanding is possible with pro-Iran armed factions that have long ...

U.S. Embassy Evacuates Staff from Beirut as Regional Tensions Rise

The U.S. State Department ordered the department of non-emergency U.S. government personnel from the U.S. embassy in Beirut on Monday.  “The Department of State has ordered the departure of non-emergency U.S. government personnel and eligible family members from U.S. Embassy Beirut. We continuously assess the security environment, and ...

Iran Denies Reports of Interim Agreement with U.S., Says Talks Remain Preliminary

Iran on Monday rejected reports suggesting that it has reached an interim agreement with the United States, describing such claims as unfounded and premature. During a weekly press briefing in Tehran, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei dismissed circulating rumors about a provisional deal between Tehran and Washington, saying ...

U.S. Forces to Complete Withdrawal From Syria Within a Month

US forces that led the coalition against the Islamic State group will complete their withdrawal from Syria within a month, three sources told AFP on Monday, as they began leaving a major base. The withdrawal comes as Syria's government expanded its control to the country's northeast, previously controlled by US-allied Kurdish forces, and ...

Iran May Activate Regional Allies if U.S. Launches Major Strikes

Iran could direct allied armed groups to target U.S. interests worldwide if President Donald Trump authorizes large-scale military action against Tehran, according to U.S. and Western officials cited by The New York Times. The newspaper reported that while no specific attack plans have been identified, intelligence services have detected an ...

Iran Reshuffles Command Structure as Nuclear Talks with U.S. Set for Thursday

The next round of talks between the United States and Iran will be Thursday in Geneva, Oman’s foreign minister said Sunday.  Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi said on social media that he was pleased to confirm the development “with a positive push to go the extra mile towards finalizing the deal.”  Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas ...

Iraq-Based Kurdish Iranian Parties Unite to Defy Islamic Republic

Several Iraq-based Kurdish-Iranian groups announced on Sunday a political coalition to seek the overthrow of Iran's Islamic republic and ultimately to secure Kurdish self-determination. Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region hosts camps and rear bases operated by several Kurdish-Iranian factions, which have repeatedly faced cross-border strikes from ...

IS Urges Members to Fight Syria's New Government

The Islamic State group on Saturday urged its fighters to confront Syria's new authorities, in its spokesperson's first audio message in two years. In a recording posted online, Abu Huzaifa al-Ansari said IS members in Syria must fight "the new Syrian regime, with its secular government and national army" and "make that ...

Hamas Official Says Group in Final Stage of Choosing New Chief

A senior Hamas official told AFP on Sunday that the Palestinian Islamist movement was in the final phase of selecting a new leader, with two prominent figures competing for the position. Hamas recently completed the formation of a new Shura Council, a consultative body largely composed of religious scholars, as well as a new political ...

Arab, Islamic Blocs Condemn U.S. Ambassador's Remarks on Israel's Right to Mideast Land

Arab and Islamic states condemned on Sunday remarks by US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, after he suggested Israel would be justified in controlling vast tracts of Middle Eastern land on biblical grounds. A joint statement led by the United Arab Emirates and backed by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Indonesia, Pakistan and others ...

Student Protests Reported Across Iranian Campuses

Student-led demonstrations were reported Tuesday at several major Iranian universities, with opposition outlet Iran International documenting protests in Tehran and Mashhad as discontent continues to ripple through academic institutions following last month’s deadly nationwide crackdown. According to the outlet, students at Shahid Beheshti ...

Hezbollah Intensifies Internal Military Meetings Under IRGC Supervision

Hezbollah has ramped up military and security preparations amid fears of a potential Israeli or U.S. strike, with sources telling Al Arabiya and Al Hadath that senior IRGC personnel recently arrived in Lebanon to oversee the buildup. These officers are reportedly holding regular meetings with Hezbollah operatives across Lebanon, offering direct ...

Hezbollah MP Urges Lebanese State to Rethink Security Approach After Deadly Israeli Strikes

Lebanon’s fragile security situation came back into sharp focus Saturday after Israeli air and naval strikes killed at least 14 people and wounded dozens of others in eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, prompting renewed condemnation and government criticism from Hezbollah MPs.  Rami Abu Hamdan, a member of parliament affiliated with Hezbollah, ...

Iran and Qatar Discuss U.S. Talks as Tehran Reaffirms Commitment to Diplomacy

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held a phone call with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Saturday to review regional and international developments, including the latest status of indirect negotiations between Tehran and Washington, Iranian state-linked media reported. The two diplomats ...

U.S. Announced Plans to Reopen Embassy in Damascus, Syria

U.S. officials have announced on Friday that the U.S. plans to reopen its embassy in Damascus for the first time in 14 years, according to AP News.  The Trump administration told congress that they plan to initiate a phased approach towards the resumption of embassy operations in Syria, with plans slated to begin soon. However, there is no ...

Israel Army Says on 'Defensive Alert' Regarding Iran but no Change to Public Guidelines

The Israeli army said it was on "defensive alert" as the United States threatens potential military action against Iran, but insisted there were no changes in its guidelines for the public. "We are closely monitoring regional developments and are aware of the public discourse concerning Iran. The (Israeli military) is on defensive ...

Trump on Iran Strikes: ‘I Am Considering It’

President Donald Trump stated that he is weighing military action in Iran during the Governors breakfast on Friday. When asked whether he is considering a limited strike on Iran, he said “I think I can say that I am considering it.” According to Reuters, the U.S. military positioning necessary for carrying out strikes in Iran is ...

Israel Strikes Sites Across Lebanon Linked to Hamas and Hezbollah

Israel struck sites across Lebanon on Friday near Sidon and in the Bekaa Valley, targeting operatives and command centers linked to Hamas and Hezbollah.  A preliminary toll states that 17 have been killed across Lebanon. Ain al-Hilweh Strikes Israeli missiles have struck a site in the Ain al-Hilweh area of Sidon on Friday where the Israeli ...

Iran Says Draft Nuclear Plan to be Ready in 'Next Two, Three Days'

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran is preparing to submit a draft proposal for a nuclear agreement to the United States within days, signaling a potential diplomatic opening after President Donald Trump warned of possible military action if talks fail. In an interview Friday on MSNBC, Araghchi said the proposed framework ...

Lebanon’s Justice Minister Questions 1955 Anti-Israel Law, Signals Shift in Official Discourse

Justice Minister Adel Nassar has opened the door to a sensitive national debate by questioning the legacy and application of Lebanon’s 1955 law banning contacts with Israel—legislation long treated as untouchable. Speaking about the controversial statute, Nassar acknowledged that in past decades it had operated in a political climate ...