Iran’s Araghchi to meet China, Russia FMs at Shanghai Cooperation meeting Iran is seeking to deepen economic ties with the China-led bloc amid US sanctions and the aftermath of last month's war with Israel. Iran
Analysis Can China and Russia fill Iran's defense vacuum after 12-day war? With its air defenses shattered by Israeli strikes in the recent war, Iran is scrambling to rebuild amid growing public doubt over the reliability of its "strategic alliances." By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Analysis Why peace with Turkey has come to mean survival for Armenia’s Pashinyan As Yerevan edges closer to the West, regional power struggles and domestic unrest threaten to derail the Armenian leader’s strategy. By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Putin hosts Iran’s FM as Tehran strikes US bases Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Moscow on Monday for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a day after US airstrikes hit three Iranian nuclear facilities. Iran
Analysis Can Russia broker Iran-Israel deal as Putin looks to divert West from Ukraine? By Kasia A. Houghton
Novy God holiday enchants Israelis with Soviet new year festivities After years of misunderstanding and rejection of the Soviet holiday, Novy God has become as Israeli as any other of the beloved traditions brought to the country by waves immigrants. Israel
Turkey’s Libya gambit raises stakes in eastern Mediterranean Turkey’s military commitments to Libya’s Tripoli-based government have escalated the conflict in the eastern Mediterranean. Turkey
Turkey slams US defense bill as sanctions loom The US Senate passed a defense bill with several measures deemed hostile by Ankara officials, signaling Capitol Hill’s intent to move forward with sanctions on Turkey. Turkey
Intel: Top US and Russian generals link up to talk Syria Gen. Mark Milley, the top US military official, met his Russian counterpart Gen. Valery Gerasimov in Bern, Switzerland, today as part of an ongoing high-level military dialogue between the United States and Russia. Syria
Congress sides with Cyprus against Turkey as eastern Mediterranean heats up Congress just passed two bills siding with Cyprus in its territorial and natural gas dispute with Turkey. Turkey
Russia exits nuclear conversion project, but stands by Iran Russia has halted its conversion operations at Iran's Fordow nuclear facility, but this doesn't signal a crack in Moscow-Tehran relations. Russia
Intel: Trump administration distances itself from Congress’ recognition of Armenian genocide The State Department is distancing itself from Congress’ vote to recognize the Ottoman Empire’s massacre of more than a million, mostly Christian Armenians as a genocide. Turkey
Turkey’s military involvement in Libya set to grow Turkey's formalization of military support to Libya's internationally recognized government has prompted worries of an on-the-ground confrontation with Russia. Turkey
Intel: How Iranian influence operations are receiving new scrutiny in Washington The Senate is poised to follow the House lead in passing legislation to create a center to monitor Iranian, Russian, Chinese and North Korean efforts to sway US public opinion. Congress
Will Libya become Turkey’s next Syria? The recently signed Turkey-Libya military cooperation deal and maritime delimitation agreement threatened to raise tensions not only in Libya but throughout the Eastern Mediterranean with Turkey asserting the right to intervene militarily in Libya if requested and to drill for oil and gas. Turkey
Are Russia and Turkey in tug of war over Libya? Libya has emerged as a contested issue between Russia and Turkey. Turkey
Intel: Pentagon worried Turkey ‘spinning out’ of NATO orbit Defense Secretary Mark Esper told an audience at a New York think tank he was worried that Turkey is “spinning out” of the NATO orbit. Turkey
