Explainer As Guterres exits, here are contenders for UNSG and their Middle East outlook The next UN secretary-general will inherit a Middle East agenda dominated by crises. United States
Interview Ex-PM says Sudan risks partition amid US ceasefire push Former Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok also called for the United States to impose sanctions that would carry “personal consequences” for the warring sides.
Iran rallies thousands of volunteer fighters as talks with US stall: What to know Iran has been leading a volunteer recruitment drive and providing military training to civilians as talks with the US remain stalled. Iran
Lebanon PM meets Rubio as Israel talks stall: What to know The visit comes as US-brokered talks between Lebanon and Israel have made little headway, with Israeli elections looming. Lebanon
Iran agrees on UN inspector access to suspected ex-nuclear sites The International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran said in a joint statement that inspectors will have access to two suspected former nuclear sites. United States
Israel retaliates after Hezbollah shoots at IDF from Lebanon Israel is worried that a security incident late Aug. 25 on the border fence with Lebanon means that Hezbollah intends to escalate tensions. Israel
Iran unveils ballistic missile named after Qasem Soleimani A missile named for the powerful commander killed in a US drone strike last January was unveiled on Iranian state TV Thursday. Iran
Iran’s hard-liners push legislation to exit nuclear deal If passed, the legislation proposed by hard-liners would effectively force the government into a farewell to the fragile nuclear deal depending on UN action. United States
UN Security Council rejects US-sought extension on Iran arms embargo The resolution failed by a 2-2 vote with 11 abstentions. United States
Journalists in Yemen attacked ‘from all quarters,’ UN rights chief says Since the beginning of April, the United Nations has documented an abduction, a killing and a number of physical attacks and threats against journalists operating in war-torn Yemen. Yemen
US to submit UN resolution to extend Iran arms embargo next week: Pompeo The arms embargo is set to expire in October as part of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and major world powers. United States
Intel: White House sympathizes with France in Libya row with Turkey White House National Security adviser Robert O’Brien on Wednesday expressed sympathy for France’s account of events in a Mediterranean naval standoff with Turkey last month over a Libyan arms smuggling allegation. Turkey
First confirmed COVID-19 case detected in northwest Syria The first case of the coronavirus in Idlib follows a veto at the UN Security Council today of a resolution that would have allowed aid to reach the embattled area via Turkey. Syria
Tensions escalate between Egypt, Ethiopia with no end in sight of Nile dam dispute Ethiopia has recently accused Egypt of unilaterally using Nile River waters via a project approved in 1995; Cairo says upstream countries are not affected and that it has all the rights to use the Nile waters. Egypt
Humanitarian aid to Syria meets Russian resistance at the UN Security Council Russia isn't budging from its resistance to deny crucial humanitarian aid to northwest Syria. Syria
Pompeo’s push to extend Iran arms embargo faces uphill battle at UN The UN Security Council is not keen on extending the Iran arms embargo despite US threats to instate snapback sanctions. United States
