Iran Rejects IAEA Visit to Bombed Nuclear Sites, Accuses Grossi of Bias

This is Beirut 27/06 20:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Iran Abbas Araghchi IAEA Rafael Grossi

Iran on Saturday rejected a request by UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi to visit facilities bombed by Israel and the United States, saying that it suggested "malign intent." International Atomic Energy Agency director general "Grossi's insistence on visiting the bombed sites under the pretext of safeguards is meaningless and possibly even ...

Syrian Authorities Seize 3 Million Captagon Pills Near Lebanese Border

This is Beirut 27/06 20:10 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Captagon Syria Drugs

Syria said Friday that authorities had seized some three million pills of the illicit stimulant captagon after clashes with a drug trafficking network near the Lebanese border. Authorities observed the network "coming from Lebanon into Syrian territory" via illegal border crossings in the Jarajir area in the northern Damascus countryside, said a ...

Putin: Russian and Ukrainian Peace Proposals Are "Absolutely Contradictory"

This is Beirut 27/06 18:45 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Russia Ukraine Vladimir Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that Russia and Ukraine's demands for peace were "absolutely contradictory," after two rounds of peace talks failed to bring the sides closer to an elusive ceasefire. Russian and Ukrainian negotiators swapped memorandums outlining their visions for how to end the three-year conflict at ...

VideosBeyond the Majority: Mapping Iran’s Ethnic and Religious Diversity

Lyne Sammouri 27/06 18:45 - Reading : less than a minute

With a population of around 92 million, Iran is home to a rich mix of ethnic and religious groups, reflecting centuries of shared histories and cultural complexity. 

The Lingering Specter of the Islamic State in Lebanon

Mario Chartouni 27/06 17:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

ISIS lebanon Nahr el-Bared Palestinians Islamists Tripoli Lebanese Army

The Lebanese Army announced on Tuesday the arrest of a man identified as R.F., also known as “Qassoura,” who is believed to be the leader of the Islamic State (ISIS) in Lebanon. The operation, conducted by the Directorate of Intelligence, led to the confiscation of a large cache of weapons, ammunition, electronic devices, and materials used ...

VideosKatulis: Iranian Proxies' Influence in the Region Has Considerably Weakened

Tylia El Helou 27/06 16:30 - Reading : less than a minute

Iran United States Israel Hezbollah

Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute Brian Katulis gave insights regarding the current situation between Iran and Israel, as well as the diminishing influence of Iranian proxies in the region.

Toward the Normalization of Syria-Israel Relations? Insights from the Israeli Press

Natasha Metni Torbey 27/06 14:40 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Israel Donald Trump Benjamin Netanyahu Syria Normalization

As major regional dynamics shift, the prospect of a rapprochement between Damascus and Tel Aviv—once unthinkable—is starting to take shape. On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the outcome of the war with Iran, which began on June 13 and ended with a ceasefire agreement on June 24, “could lead the way to new ...

VideosWhat Are the Abraham Accords?

Lyne Sammouri 27/06 14:15 - Reading : less than a minute

Abraham Accords Lebanon Iran Israel United States

Since early 2025, US officials have stated that new countries, such as Lebanon and Syria, could soon join the Abraham Accords. But what are the Abraham Accords?

Severe Climate Crisis Hits Syria: 16.3 Million at Risk of Food Insecurity

This is Beirut 27/06 13:40 - Reading : less than a minute

Syria Agriculture Drought

Syria is facing its worst climate crisis in 60 years. Drought, rising temperatures, and a significant drop in wheat production threaten millions. The impact on agriculture is devastating, with 16.3 million people now at risk of food insecurity. Farmers are losing their livelihoods, and the country’s breadbasket is drying up.

China's Top Diplomat to Visit EU, Germany, France Next Week

This is Beirut 27/06 12:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

European Union China Wang Yi Russia

China's top diplomat Wang Yi will head to Europe next week for talks with counterparts from the European Union, Germany and France, Beijing said on Friday as it seeks to shore up fraught ties with the bloc. Beijing has sought to improve relations with Europe as a counterweight to superpower rival United States, though frictions remain over trade ...

Police, Clergy Scuffle in Armenia as Standoff Escalates

This is Beirut 27/06 12:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Armenia

A scuffle broke out in Armenia on Friday between clergymen and police, part of an escalating standoff between the influential Church and the Caucasian nation's authorities. The two sides have been at loggerheads since Catholicos Garegin II -- the church's spiritual leader -- began calling for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to resign over ...

US Envoy Leaves Russia as Detente Faltering

This is Beirut 27/06 12:15 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

USA Russia

The US ambassador to Russia, Lynne Tracy, is departing Moscow, leaving Washington without a top envoy in the country as a rapprochement being pushed by US President Donald Trump falters. Moscow earlier this week accused Washington of not being "ready" to take steps to restore the normal functioning of their embassies, hobbled by years of ...