Analysis As US-Iran talks falter, Israel views war outcome as 'total strategic failure’ Israeli officials believe the US failure to attain the kind of agreement with Iran that it originally sought stems from the strategic mistakes made during and after the recent war. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Oil falls below $71 as US-Iran talks continue, Gulf exports rebound Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in an X post on Wednesday that Iran and the United States had made "positive progress." Iran
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Qatar reports progress in US-Iran talks Syrian FM in Lebanon; Pro-Palestinian candidate unseats long-serving Democrat in Colorado; Turkish jets strike al-Shabab targets in Somalia; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Araghchi warns Israel as US, Iran hold technical talks in Doha Syria unveils its transitional parliament appointees; Kuwait’s Zain plans a major telecom investment in postwar Syria; and North Africa’s World Cup teams make history. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Newsletter: China-Middle East Saudi FM goes to China amid Trump-MBS friction By Joyce Karam , Rosaleen Carroll
Analysis For Israel, Lebanon deal 'historic' despite fears Hezbollah will rebuild By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Baghdad looks to Trump with framework agreement Following the victory by US President-elect Donald Trump, Iraq seeks to strengthen cooperation with the United States through the full implementation of the 2008 Strategic Framework Agreement. Iraq
Three reasons Iran should worry over Russia’s Syria plans Despite successful cooperation with Moscow to help retake Aleppo, Tehran is likely to remain suspicious of Russian intentions and maneuvering in Syria. Syria
Wary Saudis silent as Trump's Israel position takes shape US President-elect Donald Trump's choice for ambassador to Israel is a sign that he still intends to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv, a major shakeup in American policy if the plan is followed through. Saudi Arabia
Obama’s Aleppo defense US President Barack Obama says the brutality in Aleppo is solely the fault of "the Assad regime and its allies Russia and Iran." Does Israel benefit from Russia’s role in Syria? Bombings in Turkey spur an anti-Kurdish frenzy. Syria
What the 'Russian lobby' in Ankara wants A group of so-called Eurasianists are again whispering to Ankara that Turkey's future lies with Russia and China and have outlined a plan for severing ties with Europe. Russia
The wall that separates Israeli, US Jews While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu drags his feet in ensuring that all Jews can worship at the Western Wall in the way they wish, some members of his party have proposed a law that would imprison women for doing just that. Israel
Why do Turks blame the West for PKK terror? Conspiracy theories aside, Turks can be forgiven for thinking that Western support for Syrian Kurds is essentially support for the Turkish Kurdistan Workers Party. Iraq
New year, new Netanyahu? Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has once again proclaimed his support for a two-state solution with the Palestinians, but is he being genuine? Palestine
What Exxon's Rex Tillerson might mean as secretary of state Democrats and some Republican lawmakers expressed concerns about the extensive business dealings in Russia of Trump’s nominee to be secretary of state, but several former diplomats said ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson brings significant global experience negotiating in complex environments. Russia
Al-Bab shaping up as more trouble for Turkey Islamic State fighters have dug in around al-Bab, reportedly digging trenches and preparing suicide bombers, as Turkish forces bombard their positions. Syria
Why do Iran's conservatives oppose deals with Boeing, Hyundai? Iranian conservatives denounce the billion-dollar deals with Boeing and South Korea’s Hyundai to modernize Iran’s air and shipping fleets after years of sanctions. United States
Netanyahu's 'Job Act' could win him Trump-like appointment powers Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to have an American-type administration in which he and his associates decide who is appointed to key positions. Israel