Middle East

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 ...

Iran FM Says Nuclear Deal 'Within Reach' Ahead of US Talks

This is Beirut 24/02 20:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Iran United States Abbas Araghchi Nuclear Talks

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday that a nuclear deal was "within reach", ahead of talks with the United States scheduled for later this week. "We have a historic opportunity to strike an unprecedented agreement that addresses mutual concerns and achieves mutual interests," said Araghchi, in a post on ...

U.S. Mediating Prisoner Exchange Talks Between Damascus and Druze

This is Beirut 24/02 19:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Syria Druze United States Talks

The United States is leading negotiations between a prominent Druze leader and the Syrian government to secure an exchange of prisoners held since sectarian clashes in a Druze-majority Syrian province last year, a source with knowledge of the matter told AFP Tuesday. Thousands are estimated to have been killed when clashes erupted between Druze ...

Iran Seeks Agreement With U.S., Warns Attack Would Be a “Real Gamble”

This is Beirut 24/02 18:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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Iran’s deputy foreign minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi stated on Tuesday that Iran seeks to take steps for reaching an agreement with the United States on the nuclear issue. U.S. and Iranian officials are slated to meet for another round of talks in Geneva on Thursday mediated by Oman. However, both countries continue to shore up their ...

Revolutionary Guards Conduct Military Drills in Iran's South: State TV

This is Beirut 24/02 14:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Iran's Revolutionary Guards, the ideological arm of the military, are carrying out drills on the country's southern shores of the Gulf, state media said Tuesday. "Combined 1404 (2026) exercise of the IRGC Ground Forces has begun," state TV reported, referring to this year in both the Iranian and Gregorian calendars. The war games are focused on ...

Hamas Calls for Sanctions Against Israel Over New West Bank Moves

This is Beirut 24/02 11:45 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Hamas on Tuesday called for sanctions against Israel, welcoming a joint condemnation by nearly 20 countries of new Israeli measures aimed at tightening control over the occupied West Bank. Israel has approved a series of initiatives this month backed by far-right ministers, including launching a process to register land in the West Bank as ...