Middle East

Detainee Swap in Sweida Following Deadly Clashes

This is Beirut 13:40 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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The Syrian government and Druze factions in the southern province of Sweida carried out an exchange of 86 detainees on Thursday, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) declared. The detainees had been held since deadly violence erupted in the Druze-majority stronghold in the summer of 2025. Sweida remains the last major territory ...

Iran University Suspends Three Students for Burning Flag

This is Beirut 13:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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A major Iranian university has suspended three students for burning the national flag during recent anti-government protests, local media reported Thursday. Student demonstrations erupted on Saturday at several major universities in the capital, Tehran, with campuses in other cities joining in the days that followed. Pro- and anti-government ...

USS Gerald Ford Leaves Crete as Iran Talks Begin: AFP

This is Beirut 12:25 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, sent to the Mediterranean this week in a military build-up to put pressure on Iran, left a naval base in Crete Thursday, an AFP photographer said. Its departure came as a new round of indirect talks between the United States and Iran on the latter's nuclear program, mediated by Oman's ...

Iran Could Offer Billion-Dollar Energy Deal Ahead of Nuclear Talks - Report

This is Beirut 10:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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Iran is reportedly preparing a major economic offer aimed at persuading the United States to pursue a diplomatic agreement instead of a military strike. The proposal, according to the Financial Times, could include significant investment opportunities in Iran’s oil, gas, and mineral sectors. The source said the plan appears tailored to ...

Report: Hezbollah Reassures State of Conditional Neutrality

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

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As Washington and Tehran resume high-stakes negotiations in Geneva on Thursday, described by diplomats as a “last opportunity” to prevent escalation, Lebanon finds itself once again navigating the fault lines of a potential regional confrontation. According to senior Lebanese political sources cited by Nidaa Al-Watan, Hezbollah has conveyed ...

U.S., Iran Prepare For Geneva Talks as Trump Signals Flexibility on Enrichment

This is Beirut 00:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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U.S. and Iranian officials prepare for the next set of talks set to occur in Geneva on Thursday as the two parties seek to move closer to an arrangement on the nuclear issue. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Geneva on Wednesday and presented a nuclear agreement proposal to the Omani Foreign Minister. The Iranian goal is to get ...

New U.S. Treasury Sanctions Target Iranian Shadow Fleet, Missile and Drone Supply Chains

This is Beirut 25/02 20:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

United States Iran Sanctions

The U.S. Treasury Department placed additional sanctions on Wednesday on the Iranian shadow fleet and networks linked to missile and drone production. Listed on the sanctions includes 11 vessels involved in the trade and transit of Iranian petroleum. The goal of targeting these ships is to freeze the oil revenue from which the Iranian regime can ...

Iran President Says Sees 'Favourable Outlook' Ahead of U.S. Talks

This is Beirut 25/02 14:55 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said Wednesday that he was hopeful ahead of the third round of talks with the United States, adding that they could help end the standoff with Washington. "We see a favourable outlook for the negotiations," said Pezeshkian in a speech. "We are continuing the process under the guidance of the ...

Syria Confirms Mass Escape from Al-Hol Camp for Relatives of Jihadists

This is Beirut 25/02 14:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Syria's interior ministry confirmed on Wednesday the mass escape of relatives of suspected Islamic State group jihadists from the Al-Hol camp last month following the withdrawal of Kurdish forces who had overseen the facility. "When our forces arrived, they found cases of collective escapes due to the camp having been opened up in a ...

Iran Rejects U.S. Claims on Missile Programme as 'Big Lies'

This is Beirut 25/02 10:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Iran's foreign ministry on Wednesday dismissed US claims about its missile programme as "big lies", after President Donald Trump said Tehran was developing missiles that can strike the United States. "Whatever they're alleging in regards to Iran's nuclear programme, Iran's ballistic missiles, and the number of ...

Trump in State of the Union Speech: ‘I Will Never Hesitate to Confront Threats to America’

This is Beirut 25/02 06:35 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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U.S. President Donald Trump delivered his State of the Union speech at the U.S. capitol on Tuesday evening, defending his foreign policy agenda as escalatory rhetoric and posturing against Iran continues. Trump highlighted his focus on a policy of “peace through strength” and stated that “as president, I will make peace wherever I can. But ...

Rubio Briefs Members of U.S. Congress on Iran Ahead of Trump State of the Union

This is Beirut 24/02 23:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with members of the U.S. congress on Tuesday afternoon for a closed-door briefing on Iran at the White House. Leadership from both the House of Representatives and the Senate–the Gang of Eight–attended the briefing, including from the Intelligence Committees. According to Barak Ravid, CIA ...