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August 24, 2026

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Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent addresses the audience during opening remarks at the Ministerial on the Resurgence of Political Terrorism at the State Department on July 16, 2026 in Washington, DC. Bessent spoke alongside U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller as they discussed the rise of far-left political terrorism as a transnational threat. (Photo by Finn Gomez/Getty Images)

Breaking | Last Updated: August 24, 2026, 3:51 pm

In 'warning shot,' US threatens sanctions on Iran’s trading partners

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said countries were given "defined timelines" to halt business with Iran or face US sanctions.

Leon Neal/Getty Images

Oil falls 1.8% as traders await 'toughest' sanctions on Iran

Traders are awaiting details about new US measures sure to further disrupt Iranian oil flows.

ANKARA, TURKEY - JULY 7: U.S. President Donald Trump (L)shakes hands with with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) during a formal arrival at the Bestepe Presidential Palace during the NATO summit on July 7, 2026 in Ankara, Turkey. Leaders from NATO's 32 countries, plus NATO allies like Ukraine, gathered in the Turkish capital to discuss a range of issues involving spending targets, defense industrial production, and support for Ukraine, among other topics. (Photo by Emrah Gurel - Pool/Getty Images)

Analysis

Israel fears Turkey’s Syria ambitions and doubts Trump will stop them

Israeli officials remain skeptical of Turkish and Syrian denials over Ankara’s military ambitions in Syria, warning that a deeper Turkish foothold could threaten Israel’s security and strain its ties with Washington.

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

Latest News

Caught in the middle, Oman shrugs off Trump's latest Iran threat

Win McNamee/Getty Images

China slams Trump over economic war on Iran: What to know

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian holds a press conference on Aug. 19, 2026.

Explainer

King Abdullah visits China as region hedges against US unpredictability

King Abdullah II arrives in Beijing, Aug. 20, 2026. Photo from Xinhua/Chen Yehua.

Trump’s Iran ‘economic D-Day’ threat sends oil prices above $94

Iranians drive past an anti-US billboard at Enghelab Square in central Tehran, Aug. 3, 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

Lebanese soldiers standing atop a military vehicle in Alma Al-Shaab, near the border with Israel in southern Lebanon, on Nov. 28, 2025.

Lebanon’s army chief in Washington as Hezbollah disarmament enters critical phase

Gen. Rodolphe Haykal is seeking US support for what is likely to be a cautious approach to expanding the geographic scope of the Lebanese army's efforts to disarm Hezbollah.

Syrian Democratic Forces fighters stand on a pick-up truck to provide security during an inspection of SDF positions on the Tell Brak frontline in Syria on Jan. 26, 2026.

France's role in Syria-SDF agreement: What to know

French diplomatic sources highlight the role played by Paris in recent months in reaching an agreement between the Sharaa government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrives for a welcoming ceremony prior to talks with the Russian president at the Kremlin in Moscow, on Jan. 29, 2026.

UAE’s MBZ reportedly cancels Japan visit amid US-Iran standoff: What to know

While tensions remain high between the US and Iran, both sides are reportedly moving toward renewed nuclear talks.

United Arab Emirates

A woman checks a window shop at a jewelry store in Dubai, on March 10, 2025.

Gulf markets recover after gold rout, buoyed by Iran de-escalation hopes

Saudi Arabia’s benchmark stock index, TASI, rose 1.4%, a day after falling the most in nearly 10 months amid a broad sell-off in the commodities market.

United Arab Emirates

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (R) and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi (L) give a statement at the Ritz Hotel as they meet on Jan. 30, 2026 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Turkey emerges as possible host for US-Iran talks: What to know

Turkey is moving to host potential US-Iran talks as Ankara intensifies mediation efforts amid mounting concerns over the fallout of a possible US strike on Iran.

Syrian government troops patrol the streets of Tabqa, in Raqqa province, on the southwestern banks of the Euphrates, Jan. 18, 2026.

Analysis

Syria’s Kurdish pullback hands Damascus a win — and new ISIS risks

Cooperation with the United States in the battle against ISIS could prove both a blessing and a curse for the Syrian government.

Cagatay Cebe

By Cagatay Cebe

In Istanbul, reporting on security and counterterrorism

Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, arrives in Beirut, Lebanon, on Sept. 27, 2025, to attend a memorial service for Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Putin meets Iran’s top security official as Trump says Tehran wants deal

President Donald Trump said on Friday that Iran is seeking a nuclear deal but declined to specify a timeline for negotiations.

Men sign up to join the "martyrdom brigades" under the umbrella of Iraq's pro-Iran paramilitary group Hezbollah Brigades (Kataib Hezbollah), who called upon Iraqis to volunteer in fighting alongside Iran in the event of a full-scale war with the US and Israel, at a mosque in Baghdad on January 29, 2026. (Photo by AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP via Getty Images)

Iraqi militias claim volunteers readying to defend Iran from US: What to know

Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat al-Nujaba have said they are registering volunteers to defend Iran should the US attack.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (R) and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi (L) give a statement at the Ritz Hotel as they meet on Jan. 30, 2026 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Araghchi visits Turkey as Ankara steps up diplomacy in Iran-US standoff

Talks between the top Turkish and Iranian diplomats further clarified red lines but fell short of de-escalation.

TOPSHOT - Cars drive past an anti-US billboard installed on a building at the Enqelab Square in Tehran on January 26, 2026. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

Israel ups Iran intel sharing with US, expects Trump to strike within 'weeks'

Israel is making vast amounts of intelligence available to the United States in preparation for a potential attack on Iran.

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

In this handout provided by the US Navy, The USS Gerald R. Ford, and Italian navy offshore Patrol Vessel ITS Paolo Thaon di Revel operate in the Mediterranean Sea, Oct. 2, 2025.

Analysis

Why Trump’s Venezuela playbook could face hard reality in Iran

On Wednesday, Trump said an armada larger than the one sent to Venezuela is heading toward Iran and “like with Venezuela,” it is ready to employ force if necessary.

By Rosaleen Carroll

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

Old chemical barrels.

Oil climbs above $70 a barrel, hitting five-month high on Iran tensions

At 9:30 a.m. ET, Brent crude futures reached $70.44, the highest level since Aug. 1, 2025.