This is Beirut - Washington

Syria Defense Ministry Says Army Has Taken Control of Al-Tanf Base After U.S. Pullout

This is Beirut, 12/02 14:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Syria's defence ministry said on Thursday that the army had taken control of the Al-Tanf base after the withdrawal of US forces deployed there as part of the coalition against the Islamic State group. "Through coordination between the Syrian and American sides," army units have taken control of the base "and have begun ...

Turkey Says Washington and Tehran Showing New Flexibility as Nuclear Talks Resume

This is Beirut, 12/02 14:10 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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Turkey’s foreign minister said the United States and Iran are displaying rare signs of pragmatism in efforts to revive negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program, suggesting Washington may now be prepared to tolerate limited uranium enrichment under strict conditions. In an interview with the Financial Times published Thursday, Hakan ...

What the LAF Chief’s Visit to the U.S. Revealed

Hussain Abdul-Hussain, 09/02 14:35 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

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Lindsey Graham portrayed his meeting with Rodolphe Haykal, which collapsed within minutes, as a complete debacle. The U.S. senator asked the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) chief if Hezbollah was a terrorist organization. Haykal’s reply—“not in the Lebanese context”—prompted Graham to walk out in fury, insisting that any group responsible ...

Who Rises Next? Sunni Perspectives on the Muslim Brotherhood and President Al-Sharaa

Claudia Groeling, 06/02 23:25 - Reading : less than a minute

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In Lebanon today, the Sunni streets are largely leaderless, and many are searching for new direction. This Is Beirut went on the ground in Sunni areas to ask residents about the Muslim Brotherhood’s designation as a foreign terrorist organization and whether the Brotherhood or President Ahmed al-Sharaa can fill the leadership void. Many ...

U.S. Pulls Troops From Northeastern Syria Amid SDF-Damascus Integration

This is Beirut, 06/02 23:20 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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The U.S. has begun its withdrawal of troops from the Shaddadi base in northeastern Syria this week as part of a broader drawdown of direct U.S. military presence in Syria. This event occurred amid the incorporation of civilian and security sector responsibilities to Damascus to replace the SDF and the U.S. as the primary force monitoring the ...

Iraq PM Candidate Maliki Says Majority Bloc Has Final Say on Nomination

This is Beirut, 04/02 09:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Iraq's main candidate for the premiership, Nouri al-Maliki, said Tuesday that withdrawing his candidacy would jeopardise Iraqi sovereignty after US threats and he would only step aside if his electoral bloc asks him to. Last week, US President Donald Trump, in his latest intervention in another country's politics, issued an ultimatum, ...

Can a New Round of U.S.–Iran Talks Avert Escalation?

Natasha Metni Torbey, 03/02 12:45 - Reading : 6 minute(s)

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Amid elevated military tensions, the U.S. and Iran are now cautiously opening diplomatic channels, indicating an interest in averting a major conflict with potentially uncontrollable consequences for the region. In recent days, a series of mixed signals—from hawkish statements and regional warnings to indirect exchanges via ...

U.S. Policy Toward Lebanon: Obstacles to Dismantling Hezbollah’s Grip on Power

This is Beirut, 03/02 09:00 - Reading : less than a minute

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At 10:00 a.m. EST, the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa will convene a hearing titled “U.S. Policy Toward Lebanon: Obstacles to Dismantling Hezbollah’s Grip on Power” to assess the political, security, and institutional challenges confronting U.S. policy in Lebanon. The hearing will feature ...

Haykal’s U.S. Visit Signals Bid to Translate Military Gains into Political Trust

This is Beirut, 02/02 10:45 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Lebanese Army (LAF) Commander General Rodolphe Haykal kicked off an official visit to the United States on Monday with a stop at U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) in Tampa, in a trip that goes beyond routine military protocol and carries clear political implications. At CENTCOM, Haykal met with Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, presenting detailed maps and ...

Turkey Urges U.S. to Resist Israeli Pressure to Strike Iran

This is Beirut, 30/01 11:50 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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In a joint press conference held on Tuesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reiterated their commitment to diplomacy and warned against any military intervention in Iran, as tensions in the region continue to rise. Fidan emphasized Turkey’s opposition to military action, stating that Ankara ...

Trump Confirms Speaking to Iran, Says He Plans to Again

This is Beirut, 30/01 11:20 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Thursday evening that he intends to hold talks with Iran. When asked by reporters about the possibility of talks with Tehran, Trump said, "Yes. I intend that. We have a lot of very large and powerful ships heading to Iran right now, and it would be great not to have to use them.” Asked if ...

Washington Hosts Saudi and Israeli Officials to Weigh Possible U.S. Strikes on Iran

This is Beirut, 29/01 13:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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The Trump administration is hosting senior defense and intelligence officials from Israel and Saudi Arabia for talks on Iran this week as President Trump considers military strikes, two U.S. officials and two other sources with knowledge told Axios. The Israelis came to D.C. to share intelligence on possible targets inside Iran. Israeli military ...

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