What’s behind Zarif’s visit to Beirut?

An Iranian diplomat shared with Al-Monitor some behind-the-scenes information regarding the Iranian foreign minister’s visit to Beirut and its implications for Lebanon and the region.

Palestine

New IDF strategy dismisses Iran nuclear threat

The IDF's new strategy document declares Iran's nuclear program non-threatening and instead prepares to deal with attacks by Iranian proxies and other armed organizations in the region.

Palestine

Zarif presses diplomacy on Syria

Iran brokers humanitarian cease-fires in Syria; Yair Lapid discusses “dreadful gamble” in US-Israel relations; Turkey’s Stone Age temple may predate Stonehenge and Egyptian pyramids by thousands of years.

Oman

Zarif pushes Syria plan ahead of Iran-GCC talks

With a nuclear deal in hand, Iran is focusing on jump-starting regional diplomacy and dealing with Syria.

Legacy: Gulf

PKK vs. Turkey: Violence plagues people of Basak

Turkish security forces expand their operations to urban areas in the southeast of the country.

Iraq

Civilians 'biggest losers' of opposition infighting in eastern Ghouta

The residents of eastern Ghouta are falling victim to disputes between the warring factions in the area, as each accuses the other of monopolizing control of tunnels and food commodities.

Syria

Speculation about Turkish civil war is just that

Clashes between Turkish security forces and the PKK are intensifying and becoming more violent.

Iraq

Syrian refugees in Gaza face limited job opportunities

Syrian women who have fled the war in Syria to Gaza with their Palestinian husbands are denied institutional financial aid, under the pretext of being part of a Palestinian family not eligible to receive assistance dedicated to Syrian refugees.

Palestine

Former US ambassador: There won't be peace in Syria without prosecution of Assad

In Stephen Rapp's first interview since leaving office, the recently resigned US ambassador-at-large and chief of the State Department’s Office of Global Criminal Justice says progress is being made on amassing documentation of the "hell" in Syria.

Syria

Sahl al-Ghab emerges as main focus of Syrian rebels' fight against regime

Syria’s Sahl al-Ghab region is of strategic importance to the Syrian opposition factions that have been trying to weaken the Assad regime whose largest pool of supporters is based there.

Lebanon

How Iran deal could bring multilateralism to Middle East

As the Joint Cooperative Plan of Action comes into effect, the region could see the emergence of a new era of greater cooperation by all regional actors, including Iran.

Syria

Ankara warms to idea of political solution in Syria

Ankara seems to be growing more amenable to a solution that includes the Syrian regime, unhappy about perceptions that it has used the international effort against the Islamic State as an excuse to resume strikes against the Kurdistan Workers Party.

Syria