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June 18, 2026

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Lebanese President Joseph Aoun speaks during a government meeting at the Presidential Palace in Beirut, Lebanon, on September 5, 2025.

Lebanon President Joseph Aoun to visit White House this month, Trump says

The visit would be the first by a Lebanese president to the White House in over a decade.

Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa is welcomed by Cyprus' President Nikos Christodoulides in Nicosia on April 24, 2026, on the sidelines of a European summit.

Analysis

Why Trump’s push for Syria to confront Hezbollah is an unlikely bid

Trump’s proposal faces resistance from Damascus, skepticism from experts and opposition across Lebanon’s political spectrum.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meets with Orthodox Patriarch of Bartholomew at the presidential complex, Ankara, Turkey, June 16, 2026.

Culture

Turkey’s Erdogan meets Orthodox patriarch amid push for reopening Halki Seminary

The meeting comes ahead of US President Trump’s expected attendance at next month's NATO leaders’ summit in Turkey, after Trump personally urged his Turkish counterpart to reopen the Halki Seminary.

Latest News

'Let Syria take care of Hezbollah': Trump criticizes Israel, leans on Sharaa to help in Lebanon

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, FRANCE - JUNE 16: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a bilateral meeting with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on the sidelines of the G7 summit, on June 16, 2026 in Evian-les-Bains, France. Leaders from the Group of 7 (G7) countries convened in Evian, France, near the Swiss border, for their annual summit to discuss challenges to peace and security for Ukraine and Europe, the situation in the Middle East, and other geopolitical issues. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Get

Analysis

'He knew it was over': Inside Netanyahu’s response to Trump’s Iran deal as Israel recalibrates

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

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

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

A convoy of U.S. vehicles is seen after withdrawing from northern Syria, in Erbil, Iraq October 21, 2019. REUTERS/Azad Lashkari - RC13EE9DCA60

Pentagon weighs options to deter Russians in Syria

After Russian forces in Syria appeared to be heading toward oil fields, the Pentagon proposed deploying tanks as a measure to guard the installations, a US official told Al-Monitor.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), joined by Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), announces a bipartisan agreement on Turkey sanctions during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., October 17, 2019. REUTERS/Erin Scott - RC173EAD1F90

Congress doubles down on bipartisan Turkey sanctions after Trump’s victory lap

Trump may have lifted sanctions on Turkey, but Democrats and Republicans alike still want to slap Ankara with their own stringent sanctions.

Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif attends a joint news conference after meeting with Norway's Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soereide in Oslo, Norway, August 22, 2019. NTB Scanpix/Stian Lysberg Solum/ via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NORWAY OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN NORWAY. - RC169141C270

Zarif urges united nonaligned front against US

Four years after signing of the JCPOA, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said relying on the United States is a "delusion."

U.S. President Donald Trump delivers a statement on the conflict in Syria with Vice President Mike Pence at his side in the Diplomatic Room of the White House in Washington, U.S., October 23, 2019. REUTERS/Tom Brenner - RC1C5194D700

Trump hails Syria ‘breakthrough,’ lifts sanctions on Turkey

President Donald Trump hailed an apparent Turkish decision to halt a military offensive in Syria as a major breakthrough and said now the United States was getting out.

Boys wave towards a convoy of U.S. vehicles withdrawing from northern Syria, in Erbil, Iraq October 21, 2019. REUTERS/Azad Lashkari - RC155923AC50

Trump administration scrambles to salvage US troop presence in Syria

President Trump says he would leave some US troops in Syria to keep the Assad regime and Iranian forces away from oil fields; the Syrian Democratic Forces commander speaks with both Trump and the Russian army chief of staff.

U.S. President Donald Trump delivers a statement on the conflict in Syria as Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and White House National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien stand by in the Diplomatic Room of the White House in Washington, U.S., October 23, 2019. REUTERS/Tom Brenner - RC1CA1D434F0

Weakened US sanctions threat lingers in wake of Turkish deal with Russia

Possible US sanctions on Turkey are looming as fighting subsides in northeast Syria and Kurdish forces draw back following an agreement between Ankara and Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan attend a news conference following their talks in Sochi, Russia October 22, 2019. Sputnik/Alexei Druzhinin/Kremlin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC15BBB57CE0

Following Trump’s lead, Putin gives Erdogan what he wants

Even his greatest detractors in Turkey are complimenting Erdogan over winning US and Russian support against the Syrian Kurds.

Russian military faces tall order following Putin-Erdogan Syria deal

The Putin-Erdogan deal has the Russian military facing a number of critical issues it may not be comfortable with.

Fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) take part in the funeral procession of Kurdish fighters who were killed during clashes in the northeastern Syrian town of Ras al-Ain, in the town of Qamishli, Syria October 22, 2019. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed - RC1405293AB0

US faces new facts on the ground as cease-fire expires

Russia and Turkey strike a deal on a safe zone as the Syrian Democratic Forces told the Donald Trump administration that Kurdish forces had withdrawn from the Turkish border today in accord with a US-brokered agreement.

Al Jazeera spends more than $500,000 defending itself against attacks

The Qatari broadcaster is under attack from Doha’s Gulf rivals.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan attend a news conference following their talks in Sochi, Russia October 22, 2019. Sputnik/Alexei Druzhinin/Kremlin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC1AC62B4210

Turkey, Russia both claim win in Syria agreement

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seems to get what he wants regarding the Kurdish People's Protection Units, and Russia appears to gain yet more influence in Syria; has Idlib become a pawn in Turkish-Russian negotiations?

Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan during a news conference following their talks in Sochi, Russia October 22, 2019. Sputnik/Alexei Druzhinin/Kremlin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC16F18BD6F0

Putin, Erdogan nail down Syria deal

The Russian and Turkish presidents met for more than six hours to come up with an agreement on Syria, one that might survive.