Middle East

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

This is Beirut 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 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 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 ...

Iran Says Students Have Right to Protest but Must Know 'Red Lines'

This is Beirut 10:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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University students have the right to protest but everyone must "understand the red lines", the Iranian government's spokeswoman said Tuesday, in the first official reaction to renewed rallies on campuses since the weekend. "Sacred things and the flag are two examples of these red lines that we must protect and not cross or ...

Trump: Top General Doesn’t Oppose Iran War

This is Beirut 09:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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U.S. President Donald Trump pushed back on reports that Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine had cautioned against a prolonged military campaign against Iran, insisting his top general does not oppose potential military action. “Numerous stories from the Fake News Media have been circulating stating that General Daniel ...

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

This is Beirut 23/02 21:15 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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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

This is Beirut 23/02 20:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

United States Iran Nuclear Talks Escalation

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

This is Beirut 23/02 18:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Islamic State Syria

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’

This is Beirut 23/02 18:10 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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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

This is Beirut 23/02 17:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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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 23/02 15:55 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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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 23/02 15:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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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 ...