Analysis Why peace with Turkey has come to mean survival for Armenia’s Pashinyan As Yerevan edges closer to the West, regional power struggles and domestic unrest threaten to derail the Armenian leader’s strategy. By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Putin hosts Iran’s FM as Tehran strikes US bases Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Moscow on Monday for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a day after US airstrikes hit three Iranian nuclear facilities. Iran
UAE's MBZ and Putin hold call as Gulf, Russia push diplomacy on Iran-Israel Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to be courting Gulf support for a diplomatic role in the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel. Iran
Analysis Can Russia broker Iran-Israel deal as Putin looks to divert West from Ukraine? A mediating role between Tehran and Tel Aviv could help the Kremlin boost its credentials as well as turn attention away from ongoing war in Ukraine. By Kasia A. Houghton
Analysis Mi-26s and T-62s: What Russia's military backing of Haftar means for Libya By Francesco Schiavi In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance
Blinken cautions Turkey against future S-400 purchases Secretary of State Antony Blinken also said that President Joe Biden's recent recognition of the Armenian genocide should not have come as a surprise. Turkey
The Takeaway: Does Hamas win if Abbas delays Palestinian elections? Plus: Fallout in Turkey from Biden’s designation of genocide in Armenia. Israel
Turkish-Russian ties marked more by rivalry than cooperation today President Recep Tayyip Erdogan believed Russia would provide him leverage against the United States and Europe after Turkey’s ties with the West took a nosedive. Turkey
The Takeaway: Two tracks lead to Tehran: one through Vienna, another through Baghdad Plus: Egypt’s train wrecks; new Nile Dam tensions; Turkey’s trafficking scandal; Iraq’s tribal vote; more! Iran
Taliban, Assad continue to unite Russia, Iran While Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed ways to salvage the 2015 nuclear deal in his visit to Tehran this week, the topics of Syria and Afghanistan also featured prominently on the agenda. Russia
Russia describes latest Iran nuclear talks as 'positive' The talks in Vienna come less than a week after a suspected Israeli attack on an Iranian nuclear facility. Iran
Egypt joins Gulf region’s Combined Maritime Forces led by US Egypt's participation in the task force comes as Russia seeks closer defense ties with Cairo and Sudan. Legacy: Gulf
Russian FM talks Nile dam, defense cooperation in Egypt trip Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also discussed Libya and Syria with Egypt's leaders Egypt
Turkey, US in rare position of unity over Ukraine Russia’s Turkey policy to "drive a wedge between Turkey and its NATO allies" will not likely bear fruit when it comes to Ukraine. Turkey
China looms large in Turkey’s controversial waterway project Turkey is reportedly gearing up to partner with China in the construction of an artificial waterway parallel to the Bosporus, a project with likely implications for Russia and the United States in the Black Sea. Turkey
Who benefits if Erdogan scraps key maritime treaty? A warning by more than 100 retired Turkish admirals against scrapping an 85-year-old maritime treaty restricting foreign military presence in the Black Sea coincides with rising tensions between Russia and Western-backed Ukraine in the region. Turkey
What’s Moscow's game plan for Lebanon? With the worsening of the Lebanese crisis, Russia will have to take a closer look at Lebanese affairs to protect its assets in Syria. Lebanon
