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
US deploys Bradley armored vehicles to Syria after dustups with Russia’s troops Four US service members were injured last month when a Russian troop carrier rammed a US military vehicle. Syria
Russia pushes COVID-19 vaccine in Egypt Moscow is busily promoting its COVID-19 vaccine in Egypt, which it hopes to recruit for testing and production purposes. Egypt
OPEC+ pressures Iraq, UAE to further cut oil production Saudi Arabia and other OPEC members held a virtual meeting with Russia and other allied oil producers today to discuss the continuing low price of oil amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Saudi Arabia
Wagner has already crashed two Russian fighter jets in Libya, AFRICOM says Russian regular forces are likely present in Libya, AFRICOM's intelligence director said Libya
How a second Trump term could shift Russia’s stance on Syria Bahrain, UAE peace deals compel Palestinian rethink on strategy. United Arab Emirates
Russia enters EastMed fray, offers to mediate with Turkey As Turkey bemoans its loneliness in a bitter row with Greece over energy exploration in the Mediterranean Sea, Moscow says it is ready to step in to mediate talks. Turkey
Who is behind wave of killings of tribal sheikhs in east Syria? Syria's eastern province of Deir ez-Zor sees escalating tensions between Arab tribes and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. Syria
Russia increased Wagner deployments as Hifter’s offensive faltered, UN report says A new UN report backs US claims that Russia sent more fighters to Libya as Turkey intervened against Hifter. Libya
Iran nuclear deal members agree on preserving landmark pact Iran and representatives of China, France, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom met in Vienna as Washington presses on with its bid to restore sanctions on Tehran. Russia
Is Syria’s eastern front about to boil over? Another tough week for US-Turkey relations as Erdogan accuses US of "sick mentality." Syria
What’s next for Russia-Iran military partnership? If the arms embargo on Iran ends in October, what arms might Tehran buy from Moscow? Russia
US troops injured after encounter with Russian vehicle in Syria The US called the incident with Russia in northeast Syria a "breach of deconfliction protocols." Syria
