Russian delegation in Syria to preserve military bases: What to know Russian and Syrian military officials have held a series of reciprocal exchanges and visits in recent weeks, as the Kremlin continues to view Syria as a key military vantage point. Syria
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. Iran
UAE President meets Putin in Russia to discuss nuclear energy, trade, Iran The visit of Emirati President Sheikh Mohammed comes a day after the Kremlin hosted President Ahmed al-Sharaa to discuss the future of Russian military bases in Syria. Russia
Sharaa, Putin meet in Moscow after Russia's abrupt pullout from Syria base Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s visit to Moscow, his second in four months, comes days after Russia began withdrawing its forces and evacuating equipment from its military base in northeast Syria. Syria
Analysis Turkey rebuffs air-defense criticism after drone shot down near Ankara By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Does ‘Syrian trio’ of Russia, Iran and Turkey have a future? There are signs that the Astana talks on the Syrian war — which began in 2017 and are sponsored by Moscow, Ankara and Tehran — have little prospect of making progress going forward. Syria
Israel in quiet talks with Syria on prisoner swap Israel is reportedly negotiating with Syria on the release of a woman who mistakenly crossed the border in exchange for the release of two Golan residents imprisoned in Israel. Israel
Russian interactions with Palestinians seen as all talk, no action Russia is showing its reach with Palestinian factions in advance of elections, but there is still no sign that Moscow is having an impact. Palestine
Russia plays up ties to Syrian Christians Russia declares its support for the Orthodox Christian militias fighting alongside the Syrian regime, as it shows great interest in the ideological factor within its expansion and domination strategy in Syria Syria
In letter to Putin, Khamenei says Iran 'will not wait' Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reached out to Russian President Vladimir Putin in a personal note about the nuclear deal and strengthening ties. Russia
Iran, Russia, China to conduct joint naval exercise in Indian Ocean Russia continues to seek opportunities to expand its influence in the Middle East, the head of CENTCOM said Monday. Russia
Russia, Iran compete for influence in Syria via private security companies Private security companies in Syria with ties to Russian and Iranian forces are busily recruiting young men with attractive salaries. Syria
What Navalny case says about Russia’s approach in Syria The case of Russia opposition figure Alexey Navalny — and the Kremlin's reaction to his investigations — tells a lot about Moscow's approach to the conflict in Syria. Syria
Egypt dodges Trump’s ire as White House orders massive last-minute aid cuts The outgoing president briefly sought to freeze all US military aid to Egypt over its purchase of Russian military hardware, but the White House revised the decision before notifying Congress, Al-Monitor's sources said. Egypt
Moscow stands to gain from Hamas-Damascus reconciliation While claims that Russia is playing a large role in reconciliation talks between the Palestinian movement Hamas and the Syrian regime may be overstated, Moscow could benefit in several ways if the two sides restore relations. Palestine
Turkey sticks to its guns on Russian S-400s despite US sanctions Voices are growing louder in Turkey questioning why these systems were ever purchased, considering the headaches they have caused for Ankara. Turkey
Russian, Palestinian leaders discuss Israel-Palestinian peace process Russia has voiced willingness to mediate between Israel and Palestine in its capacity as a member of the Middle East Quartet. Palestine
