Middle East

Khamenei Issues Pardons Excluding Protest Cases
Khamenei Issues Pardons Excluding Protest Cases

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei approved pardons or sentence reductions for more than 2,000 convicts on Tuesday, according to the judiciary, while explicitly excluding those linked to recent nationwide protests. According to AFP, the decision, which covered 2,108 inmates, was made at the request of the head of the judiciary and ...

Iran Warns of 'Destructive' Influence on Diplomacy Ahead of Netanyahu's U.S. Trip
Iran Warns of 'Destructive' Influence on Diplomacy Ahead of Netanyahu's U.S. Trip

Iran warned Tuesday of "destructive" influence on diplomacy ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington for talks expected to focus on U.S. negotiations with Tehran. "Our negotiating party is America. It is up to America to decide to act independently of the pressures and destructive influences that are detrimental to ...

Iran Security Chief Meets Oman Ruler After U.S. Talks
Iran Security Chief Meets Oman Ruler After U.S. Talks

Iran's top security official met Oman's ruler in Muscat on Tuesday, days after a new round of talks there between officials from Washington and Tehran. Ali Larijani, who heads the Supreme National Security Council, and Sultan Haitham bin Tariq "discussed the latest developments in the Iranian-American negotiations", the official Oman News Agency ...

Netanyahu to Prioritize Discussions on Iran During Washington Visit
Netanyahu to Prioritize Discussions on Iran During Washington Visit

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday said he would prioritise discussions on negotiations with Iran when he meets with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington this week. "On this trip we will discuss a range of issues: Gaza, the region, but of course first and foremost the negotiations with Iran. I will present to the ...

Northern Israeli Residents Tell This Is Beirut They Hope for Peace With Lebanon
VideosNorthern Israeli Residents Tell This Is Beirut They Hope for Peace With Lebanon

Israeli independent journalist and political analyst Selena Ryan traveled across northern Israel to speak with residents of border communities about peace with Lebanon. From Metula to Shlomi, Malkia, Hanita, and Adamit, she interviewed coffee cart owners, farmers, teachers, students, couriers, and artisans. Despite their different backgrounds and ...

Iran Rejects Pressure on Uranium Enrichment, Floats Dilution if Sanctions Lifted
Iran Rejects Pressure on Uranium Enrichment, Floats Dilution if Sanctions Lifted

Iran conveyed its position on the issue of uranium enrichment on Monday, stating that it would not be coerced to scale back its nuclear program but would be willing to dilute its enriched uranium if sanctions are lifted. The head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, Mohammad Eslami, signaled the country’s willingness to dilute its ...

Kuwait Targets Hezbollah’s Health Network With New Terrorism Designations
Kuwait Targets Hezbollah’s Health Network With New Terrorism Designations

Kuwait added eight Lebanese hospitals to its national terrorism list on Monday in an effort to target service sectors that Hezbollah incorporates into its cashflow. This development grows the list of sanctioned Lebanese entities by the Kuwaiti government, which notably includes the Hezbollah-affiliated financial apparatus Al Qard Al Hassan. The ...

Qassem: Israeli-U.S. Aggression Is Lebanon’s Core Challenge
Qassem: Israeli-U.S. Aggression Is Lebanon’s Core Challenge

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said on Monday that Lebanon has preserved its independence through resistance and possesses “real capabilities,” arguing that the country’s central challenge remains what he described as ongoing Israeli and American aggression. Speaking during a public address, Qassem said that sustained Israeli ...

U.S. Steps Up Tracking of Iranian Funds as Nuclear Talks Loom
U.S. Steps Up Tracking of Iranian Funds as Nuclear Talks Loom

The U.S. Treasury Department said on Sunday it was ramping up monitoring of Iranian financial networks, alleging that the Iranian government is transferring funds overseas to shield assets from soaring domestic inflation and long-standing American sanctions. The United States has intensified efforts to track Iranian money flows, accusing Tehran ...

Eight Muslim Countries Condemn Israel's 'Illegal' West Bank Control Measures: Statement
Eight Muslim Countries Condemn Israel's 'Illegal' West Bank Control Measures: Statement

Saudi Arabia and seven other Muslim countries on Monday condemned new Israeli measures to tighten control of the West Bank and pave the way for more settlements on the occupied Palestinian territory. Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the UAE, Qatar, Indonesia, Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey "condemned in the strongest terms the illegal Israeli decisions and ...