Why US strikes on Iran rail bridge signal shift in Hormuz conflict A US missile strike on the railway bridge linking Iran to Central and East Asia suggests the White House is once again flirting with politically coercive tactics after the June agreement failed to halt Iran's attacks on Hormuz shipping. Iran
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran hits Gulf, warns Hormuz will reopen on its terms Lebanese president meets US envoy; Russia eyes Tartous logistics hub in Syria; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Lebanon's Aoun to meet Trump in first presidential summit in US since 2009 The visit by the Lebanese head of state will coincide with ongoing US-sponsored Lebanon-Israel talks. Lebanon
Oil soars more than 6% as Trump rules out Iran deal, threatens more strikes Oil prices had been recovering following a memorandum of understanding signed last month to end the war, but they rose by more than 6% early on Wednesday. Iran
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Trump says Iran deal is ‘over’ By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Analysis Trump's F-35 push for Turkey runs into CAATSA — and Israel By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Will Palestine finally recognize local evangelicals? In light of the growing influence of Christian Zionism in the West, the Palestinian leadership is revisiting recognition of evangelicals in the Palestinian territories and engaging local evangelicals to speak with Western Christians about support for Israel and the Palestinian movement. Palestine
Gingrich considered registering as a lobbyist for Iran regime change The former House speaker sought advice late last year on whether to register as a foreign agent for the Iranian opposition. United States
Iranian photographer reclaims iconic image used in controversial Trump tweet Iranians react against harsh messages by officials in the United States on the 40th anniversary of the 1979 Iranian Revolution. United States
Revolution at 40: Have Iranian regional policies come full circle? Forty years after the Islamic Revolution, the shah’s view of Iran and its role in the region is paradoxically echoed in the foreign policy debate by those with a more revolutionary perspective. Legacy: Gulf
Russia is 'clear eyed' about its Mideast policy Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin discusses the results of his latest tour around the Middle East and Russia’s vision for key regional issues, including Israeli-Iranian frictions, Idlib and the buffer zone in Syria. Iraq
Will Warsaw summit unite US, EU against Iran? Despite a likely Western European snub in terms of level of representation, the Warsaw summit holds the possibility of being a starting point for a European-American consensus against Iran down the line, potentially depriving Tehran of even the minimum benefits of the nuclear deal. United States
Egypt parts ways with top lobbyist days after '60 Minutes' debacle Cairo and the Glover Park Group have ended a relationship that began after the 2013 coup. Egypt
Trump, touting gains over IS, focuses on Syria exit Speaking to diplomats attending a ministerial meeting of the 79-member Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS today, President Trump said a formal announcement would come next week that 100% of the terror group's territory had been liberated. Syria
Congress puts heat on Saudis as Trump shields crown prince With President Donald Trump set to blow off a deadline to assess Prince Mohammed’s role in Jamal Khashoggi’s murder, Congress is gearing up to pass several anti-Riyadh measures. Saudi Arabia
Iranian opposition unwelcome at Pompeo’s anti-Iran bash Iranian opposition gets left out of meeting on Iran taking place in Poland next week. Legacy: Gulf
Iranians praise Iraq’s rejection of US presence to 'watch' Iran President Donald Trump's controversial remarks about maintaining the US military presence in Iraq to "watch" Iran have sparked warm exchanges between Iran and Iraq. Iraq
Will Iraq ask US troops to leave the country? US President Donald Trump's recent statement about the role of US troops in Iraq — to keep an eye on Iran — has caused a strong backlash among Iraqi politicians who see this statement as an interference in Iraqi matters. Iraq