United States - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

White House, Washington DC, United States of America

United States

May 4, 2026

Washington D.C. 2:28 am

9°C

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent testifies during a Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government hearing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on April 22, 2026 in Washington, DC.

US sanctions Iran’s shadow banking channels moving oil proceeds from China

The latest sanctions come as the Trump administration weighs Iran's latest proposal to end the war.

Ibrahim AMRO / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Without exit strategy, Israel faces emboldened Hezbollah, limited options on Iran

While President Donald Trump remains undecided on striking Iran again, the Israeli military is sinking deeper into its Lebanon quagmire with a reinforced Hezbollah.

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Iraq's prime minister-designate, Ali al-Zaidi, at Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's office on April 28, 2026.

Trump congratulates Iraq PM-designate Zaidi in call: What to know

The US President was openly critical of previous nominee Nouri al-Maliki, seen as too close to Iran, but is now welcoming the new candidate put forward by Iraq’s leading Shiite bloc.

This photo obtained by AFP from the Iranian news agency Tasnim shows an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) boat allegedly taking part in an operation to seize ships attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz, on April 21, 2026.

Trump faces three paths ahead in Iran war as Hormuz standoff intensifies

As the Hormuz standoff threatens a global economic chill, Trump must choose between military escalation, seeking a partial deal with Iran, or waiting out the pressure campaign.

Latest News

Trump speaks with Netanyahu, Putin as Iran pressure campaign escalates

President Donald Trump gives a speech during the State Arrival Ceremony on the South Lawn on April 28, 2026, in Washington.

US seeks to train Lebanon army units to disarm Hezbollah: What to know

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (C), alongside US State Department Counselor Michael Needham (2L) and US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa (2R), speaks during a meeting.

Analysis

Despite Trump pressure to limit Israel's Lebanon attacks, Aoun-Netanyahu meeting still unlikely

ANWAR AMRO/AFP via Getty Images

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Why US, Israel are freezing France out of Lebanon talks

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to journalists as he arrives for an informal meeting of the European Council in Nicosia, Cyprus, April 24, 2026.

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Elizabeth Hagedorn

Diplomatic Correspondent

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Jared Szuba

Defense and Security Correspondent

In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military

Joyce Karam

Editor-in-Chief

Rosaleen Carroll

News Reporter and Supporting Editor

In Washington, DC, US, reporting on the Middle East

Paul J. Saunders

In Washington, DC, reporting on Russia in the Middle East

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani attends the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan June 15, 2019. REUTERS/Mukhtar Kholdorbekov - RC16F9F1C360

Iran's president warns of increased enrichment but says measures reversible

Amid near-zero progress between Tehran and the European signatories to the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, President Hassan Rouhani is sounding the alarm that reinstatement of uranium enrichment at pre-deal levels is only a few days away.

Is Iran bargaining chip for Russia in relations with the US?

Russia has a lot less incentives to bargain over Iran than the United States believes.

US envoy to Israel demolishes American Bahrain conference achievements

The participation of American Ambassador David Friedman in the tunnel-opening ceremony in Jerusalem undermines all his country's efforts at the Bahrain economic workshop.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, German Foreign Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L-R) pose for a family picture after the last plenary session at the United Nations building in Vienna, Austria July 14, 2015. Iran and six major world powers

World powers implore Iran to stick with nuclear deal

European nations expressed regret that Iran had exceeded a 300-kilogram cap on its stockpile of low enriched uranium, but diplomats said they were seeking ways to keep Iran in the nuclear deal.

Mossad director Joseph (Yossi) Cohen gestures as he addresses a budgeting conference hosted by Israel's Finance Ministry in Jerusalem October 22, 2018. REUTERS/ Ronen Zvulun - RC12EA778850

Israel’s Mossad chief spearheads campaign against Iran in Syria

Mossad head Yossi Cohen delivered an aggressive speech against Iranian entrenchment in Syria, reflecting the forceful policy adopted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during family photo session with other leaders and attendees at the G20 leaders summit in Osaka, Japan, June 28, 2019. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque - RC187E92FB00

Trump critics rethink US policy toward Saudi Arabia

A change in direction of US policy toward the Saudis should be part of a broader change in policy to the region, especially regarding Iran.

Iranian Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, speaks during a news conference with Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Alhakim in Baghdad, Iraq May 26, 2019. REUTERS/Khalid Al-Mousily - RC1CB4BEB750

Iran ready for 'second phase' in scaling back nuclear deal commitments

Iran is expressing full determination to enter a "second phase" in reducing its commitments under the nuclear deal as it perceives European moves to protect the pact as insufficient.

A boy holds the Free Syrian army flag during a protest calling for an end to the strikes and for Ankara to open the frontier at the Atmeh crossing on the Syrian-Turkish border, in Idlib governorate, Syria May 31, 2019. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi - RC1746D6BD80

Escalation in Idlib may force Turkey to review its position

Confrontations between Turkish forces and the Syrian army are becoming more frequent in and around Idlib, the last stronghold of the Syrian opposition.

Members of Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) take part in a military parade in the town of Taza, south of the northern oil city of Kirkuk, Iraq June 28, 2019. REUTERS/Ako Rasheed - RC1A38BBA4F0

Iraq orders militias to fully integrate into state security forces

In an important move amid US-Iran tensions, the Iraqi prime minister issued a decree ordering the Popular Mobilization Units to come under the full control of the state.

U.S. Army Gen. Joseph Votel, commander of the U.S. Central Command, testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington March 9, 2017. REUTERS/Aaron P. Bernstein - RC1CF13A3590

Top US general’s retirement marks turning point in Mideast operations

Will Gen. Joseph Votel's retirement result in the end of US low-budget warfare in the region?

A view shows a new S-400 "Triumph" surface-to-air missile system after its deployment at a military base outside the town of Gvardeysk near Kaliningrad, Russia March 11, 2019. Picture taken March 11, 2019. REUTERS/Vitaly Nevar - RC11938EDE40

Intel: Why Turkey is intent on proceeding with Russian arms deal

The first shipment of the Russian-made S-400 missile defense system will arrive in Turkey “within one week or 10 days,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced yesterday.

Gulf states divided in approach to Iran-US escalation

Not having faced a direct threat from Iran in the last few decades, the position of Oman, Kuwait and Qatar in the current tensions with Iran is that of peaceful negotations, rather than military intervention.