EU-Mideast ties

Retired Israeli general and executive director of Tel Aviv University's Institute for National Security Studies Amos Yadlin attends a session at the Manama Dialogue security conference in the Bahraini capital, on Dec. 5, 2020.

Interview

Yadlin: Israel's war goal to weaken Iran, not immediate regime change

Israeli leaders are aware that Washington will decide when the war ends whether or not Israel has achieved its war aims, Yadlin told Al-Monitor.

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez speaks during a United Nations Summit on Palestinians at UN headquarters during the United Nations General Assembly, New York, Sept. 22, 2025.

Spain recalls Israel ambassador, calls Iran war 'flagrant illegality': What to know

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called the US-Israel war in Iran a "flagrant illegality.”

A plume of smoke rises after an explosion on March 2, 2026 in Tehran, Iran.

US strikes on Iran peak as Trump warns Tehran over Hormuz oil routes

The Pentagon said its campaign in Iran will reach new levels of daily strikes just hours after President Donald Trump placed the onus on Iran not to escalate further.

Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

With Gulf partners under fire from Iran, will Europe step up its defense?

France and the United Kingdom are prepared to help defend Gulf countries against Iranian attacks, but experts say they are unlikely to extend the same support to Israel.

Latest News

Merz courts Gulf as Germany seeks energy alternatives to US, China

Merz

France's role in Syria-SDF agreement: What to know

Syrian Democratic Forces fighters stand on a pick-up truck to provide security during an inspection of SDF positions on the Tell Brak frontline in Syria on Jan. 26, 2026.

Analysis

Will EU’s terror listing of besieged Iran's IRGC backfire?

A person holds up a placard which reads "IRGC Terrorist" as they take part in a rally in solidarity with protesters in Iran on Jan. 11, 2026, in London, England.

A correspondent in Tehran

By A correspondent in Tehran

In Tehran, reporting on politics

European Union adds IRGC to terror list, expands sanctions

SIMON WOHLFAHRT / AFP via Getty Images

Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio seen during the G7 Foreign Ministers Meeting at the Weissenhaus Grand Village Resort on May 13, 2022 near Oldenburg in Holstein, Germany. The three-day conference is focusing on the current Russian war in Ukraine. The foreign ministers of Ukraine and Moldova are also attending. (Photo by Georg Wendt - Pool/Getty Images)

Analysis

Meet Italy’s Luigi Di Maio, EU’s first envoy for Gulf region

Not everyone in Italy and France is welcoming the nomination of former Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio as the European Union's new envoy to the Gulf region.

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

Iranians burn a Swedish flag during a protest in Tehran on January 27, 2023 against the burning of a Koran in Stockholm. - Swedish-Danish far-right politician Rasmus Paludan set fire to a copy of the Muslim holy book in front of Turkey's embassy in the Swedish capital. Many Muslim countries have said they were outraged by the burning of the Koran, which Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson condemned as "deeply disrespectful". (Photo by AFP) (Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Sweden-Iran ties strained even more after resolution to blacklist IRGC

Following the execution of Iranian-Swedish dual national Habib Chaab, the Swedish parliament adopted with an overwhelming majority a resolution calling to blacklist the IRGC.

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

Militants with the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah, parade in Beirut's southern suburbs on April 14, 2023, to mark Al-Quds (Jerusalem) Day, a commemoration in support of the Palestinian people celebrated annually on the last Friday of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. (Photo by ANWAR AMRO / AFP) (Photo by ANWAR AMRO/AFP via Getty Images)

Germany arrests two suspected Hezbollah members over 'recruiting activities'

Germany designated the Lebanese militant group a terror organization in 2020 and has seen its relations with Iran sour in the last year.

H225M helicopter

UAE axes $879m military helicopter deal with Airbus

Muammar Abdulla Abushehab, defense and security industry affairs sector chief for the UAE’s Tawazun Council, stressed that the decision was not a political one.

United Arab Emirates

Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir (C) speaks during a ceremony for Remembrance Day for fallen soldiers (Yom HaZikaron) at the military cemetery in Beersheba on April 25, 2023. - Israel marks Remembrance Day to commemorate 24,213 fallen soldiers and victims of attacks recorded since 1860 by the Ministry of Defence, just before the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of its creation according to the Jewish calendar. (Photo by GIL COHEN-MAGEN / AFP) (Photo by GIL COHEN-MAGEN/AFP vi

EU cancels Israel's Europe Day reception over Ben-Gvir participation

The EU mission in Israel announced that it was canceling its Europe Day reception to avoid hosting far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

Italian Government Presidency of the Council of Ministers

Italy and UAE push reset button, boost strategic partnership under Meloni

The government of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni seeks to boost ties with the UAE, which Rome views as a strategic partner in the region.

Iranian employees of Saipa auto plant assemble a Tiba (Gazelle) car in the central city of Kashan on May 9, 2010. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad inaugurated the largest automobile factory in the Middle East with a capacity of producing 150,000 cars a year, creating 4,000 jobs directly and 20,000 indirectly in the region. The Saipa factory will produce a new small car called Tiba costing between 80 and 90 million Rials (8,000 to 9,000 USD) for lower-middle class population. AFP PHOTO/ISNA/ALIREZA SOTA

Iran's SAIPA signs $497 million car deal with Russia, Belarus

Iranian carmaker SAIPA will export vehicles to Belarus and Russia following a similar agreement with Venezuela.

Israeli foreign minister Eli Cohen and EU high commissioner for foreign affairs josep Borrell , Brussels, may 2 2023

Israel, EU reconcile, agree to hold summit after Cohen-Borrell meeting

In a surprising move, Israel's Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and EU's foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell agreed in Brussels to hold an association council meeting by the end of 2023. Israel is also advocating for more EU sanctions on Iran.

This photograph taken on Feb. 8, 2023, shows a large banner with a portrait of Belgian aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele.

Belgium looking into Iran's request for prisoner swap

Belgium and Iran seemingly advance toward a prisoner exchange deal, though Brussels is warning that contrary to Tehran’s statements this could take time.

Belgian Manon Vandecasteele sits blindfolded in a cell during a protest action for her uncle Olivier Vandecasteele, who is imprisoned in Iran, on the Grand-Place in Tournai on April 22, 2023. - Belgium on April 18, 2023 said it had formally asked Iran to repatriate jailed aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele from Tehran, after a disputed prisoner exchange treaty entered into force. Iran arrested Vandecasteele, 42, in February 2022 and sentenced him to 40 years for spying, in a move condemned as "hostage diploma

Iran blacklists EU, UK officials as it ups armed support for Russia

Iran's tit-for-tat measure marked the latest episode in its tensions with Western adversaries and coincided with fresh allegations of its military assistance to Russia in the war against Ukraine.

Vacher

Analysis

Ball now in Tunisia's court regarding $1.9bn IMF bailout

Officials from the IMF, the World Bank and Italy have all commented on the proposed bailout package this week as a Tunisian delegation joins the spring meeting of the multilateral institutions in Washington.

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

EU raises $7.5 billion for Turkey, Syria earthquake victims

Erdogan tells donors that Turkey will continue to facilitate the land and air transfer of humanitarian aid materials from third parties and other countries to the quake victims in Syria.