Joel Rayburn commits to helping lift Syria sanctions, boxing in Iranian influence In a hearing with Senate lawmakers, the White House’s pick to become the State Department’s top diplomat on the Middle East argued for capitalizing on Iran’s losses in Syria and Lebanon while stressing that the Islamic Republic should not have the ability to enrich uranium domestically. United States
Interview Syria’s central bank chief: US sanctions relief a ‘turning point’ Abdulkader Husrieh discusses how sanctions relief could impact Syria’s reintegration into the global financial system. Abdulkader Husrieh Syrian central bank governor
Analysis As Trump lands in UAE, tech and trade to dominate agenda, not defense The Emirati official said that the US' easing of sanctions on Syria is “the right thing to do,” but expressed concerns about stability and safety of minorities in the country. By Adam Lucente In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change
Erdogan thanks Trump for ‘historic’ Syria decision during Sharaa meeting The Turkish president also said his country was ready to support Damascus in the fight against the Islamic State and in maintaining the security of ISIS camps. Turkey
Exclusive Syria's Sharaa pledges to form task force for missing Americans By Elizabeth Hagedorn In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights
Will US sanctions succeed in isolating Iraqi Shiite factions? As the United States intensifies its activities against Iran in the region, it has also increased pressure on Iraqi factions backed by Iran. Yet the influence that these factions have in Iraq limits the effects of such pressures. Iraq
Congress takes aim at pro-Iran election winners in Iraq US lawmakers are preparing sanctions as Tehran presses Baghdad to form a government friendly to its interests. Iraq
Iran-India logistical cooperation set to jump amid scaled-back energy ties India is well-versed in the game of balancing ties with Iran and the United States and is set to use the current situation over sanctions to promote logistical cooperation with Tehran while limiting oil imports from Iran. United States
Saudi Arabia hires star lawyer to fight anti-oil cartel bill Former Republican Solicitor General Ted Olson is being paid to push back against bipartisan legislation challenging OPEC’s dominance. Saudi Arabia
Iraq's religious tourism suffers from US sanctions on Iran The number of Iranian pilgrims traveling to Iraq for religious holidays is expected to witness a sharp decline due to the impact of US economic penalties on Iran. Iraq
Rouhani moves closer to Khamenei amid bipartisan backlash President Hassan Rouhani’s appearance before parliament to answer economic questions did not satisfy Principlists or Reformists. It did, however, please Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran
Tehran summit to end Syrian war, says Iran media The summit taking place in Iran between Russia, Turkey and Iran on Friday can lead to the end of the Syrian civil war. Syria
Zarif: Even America’s allies not immune to US sanctions During an unannounced trip to Turkey, Iran’s foreign minister warned America’s allies that they are not immune to US pressure. Syria
Perplexed Iranians watch price of ‘moving coffin’ hit all-time high An Iranian-made vehicle notorious for its low safety standards has seen a price jump of around 50% in a matter of three weeks, sparking outrage. Iran
Iran yanks favored exchange rate from students abroad The Iranian government’s new foreign exchange rules are keeping many students abroad from obtaining currency at the lower official rate, with the backlash posing a new challenge for the Rouhani administration. United States
Congress dangles Turkey trade deal as carrot to Trump’s stick Lawmakers are floating a free trade agreement with Turkey as the president doubles steel and aluminum tariffs on Ankara for its ongoing detention of a US pastor. Turkey
FSA takes hit with slump of Turkish lira The collapse of the Turkish lira paralyzed markets in Operation Euphrates Shield areas and is harming the livelihood of more than 100,000 families. Syria
