Middle East

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

This is Beirut 17:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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

This is Beirut 15:55 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Donald Trump Tehran United States USA Washington

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 ...

Student Protests Enter Third Day at Tehran Universities

This is Beirut 15:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Iran IranProtests HumanRights StudentProtests Tehran

Student demonstrations continued for a third consecutive day across several universities in Iran’s capital on Monday, coinciding with the start of the new academic semester on February 21, according to local media reports. In parallel, Iran warned the United States on Monday that any attack would be met "ferociously" in response ...

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

This is Beirut 11:25 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Tehran United States NuclearTalks Trump USIran

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

This is Beirut 11:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

United States

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

This is Beirut 10:05 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Iran USA Hezbollah Houthis NuclearTalks Trump

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

This is Beirut 09:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Donald Trump Israel Middle East Tehran United States

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

This is Beirut 09:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Tehran

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

This is Beirut 22/02 16:20 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Palestine USA Washington

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 ...

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

This is Beirut 22/02 16:15 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Israel Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates USA

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 ...

Hamas Official Says Group in Final Stage of Choosing New Chief

This is Beirut 22/02 16:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Hamas Banks Israel Kuwait Palestine

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 ...

Student Protests Reported Across Iranian Campuses

This is Beirut 21/02 15:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Tehran IranProtests HumanRights NuclearTalks

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 ...