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
Pressure mounts on Iran's president to skip the UN General Assembly The Iranian president’s planned trip to New York to attend the UN General Assembly is sparking divisions among his political backers and opponents. United States
Behind Paraguay's decision to return its embassy to Tel Aviv Analysts say that Palestinian and Paraguayan officials have worked behind closed doors to reverse the decision of the former administration to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Palestine
Trump turns away from the Palestinians In a departure from past US administrations, the Donald Trump administration in a series of recent steps increasingly appears to be aligning the United States against the Palestinians on key issues in the conflict. Palestine
Israel, US seek to redefine Palestinian refugees Israeli diplomats claim that the UNRWA’s mandate must be revised so that the issue of Palestinian refugees will include only the generation that really lost its home. Palestine
Did Trump’s double-speak ‘blow’ chances of Rouhani meeting? The Iranian and US presidents are slated to address the UN General Assembly on the same day next month — but the prospect of direct talks between the two leaders remains dim given the harsh rhetoric and contradictory stances of the US administration. United States
Could Hifter's about-face on control of Libya's oil lead to real progress? Khalifa Hifter’s decision to return control of the oil ports under his authority to the National Oil Corporation, three weeks after seizing them, could be seen as a goodwill gesture that will prompt genuine progress toward an agreement between the two sides. Libya
Congress threatens to cut UN funding for voting against Israel President Donald Trump and Congress are on the same page with a new law that would cut US funding for UN agencies deemed insufficiently supportive of Israel. Palestine
International pressure on Israeli settlements renews push for US anti-boycott laws Pro-Israel advocates trying to fight boycotts of Israel's settlements face a new urgency as the UN turns its spotlight on the West Bank, but legal challenges to federal and state laws are creating significant hurdles. Palestine
Trump seeks to slash funding for UN missions in Mideast The State Department budget is seeking across-the-board cuts to international peacekeeping missions worldwide. Lebanon
Can Palestinians bear halt of US aid? As the United States withholds more than half of its financial contribution to UNRWA, fears arise about the repercussions the decision will have on the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian economy. Palestine
Moscow mulls scenarios as Mideast mediator The United States recently riled up the Middle East with its pronouncement on Jerusalem, giving Russia an opportunity to quietly step up its work in the background on Palestinian-Israeli negotiations. Palestine
US, Israel isolated as UN votes in defiance of Trump on Jerusalem The overwhelming vote at the UN General Assembly meeting against the US move on Jerusalem will not bring peace any closer, but it does restore a sense of integrity to the world body. Palestine
