In 'warning shot,' US threatens sanctions on Iran’s trading partners Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said countries were given "defined timelines" to halt business with Iran or face US sanctions. Iran
Oil falls 1.8% as traders await 'toughest' sanctions on Iran Traders are awaiting details about new US measures sure to further disrupt Iranian oil flows. Iran
Analysis Israel fears Turkey’s Syria ambitions and doubts Trump will stop them Israeli officials remain skeptical of Turkish and Syrian denials over Ankara’s military ambitions in Syria, warning that a deeper Turkish foothold could threaten Israel’s security and strain its ties with Washington. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran threatens ‘devastating’ response as US ramps up sanctions Syrian Kurds announce integration with Damascus; US Treasury issues Hezbollah Iran-linked sanctions; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Could Israel have gotten more than $38 billion in security aid? Responding to criticism by former Prime Minister Ehud Barak over the size of the US security aid secured by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the latter argued that Barak is not up-to-date on the facts. Israel
Why US' biggest challenge to fighting IS in Syria might be its own allies The Obama administration’s no-boots-on-the-ground policy in Iraq and Syria has forced it to employ creative solutions to manage the complex battlefield. But for how long? Syria
US, UN say Syria cease-fire 'not dead' after strike on aid convoy Despite statements from the United States and UN following a deadly Sept. 19 strike on an aid convoy, there are growing doubts about whether the US-Russian agreement is viable. Syria
Turkey seeks more military cooperation with US in Syria Analysts who say the FSA is not a viable force against IS argue that the Turkish military needs the help of US forces as it prepares to move on the IS stronghold of al-Bab. Syria
Why Iran never counted on US-Russia agreement Despite welcoming the US-Russia agreement on Syria, Iran never had much faith in the initiative. As such, the collapse of the deal does not appear to have left anyone in Tehran fazed. Syria
Iran looms large over Senate fight to block arms sales for Saudi war in Yemen Resolution sponsors insist: It’s a civil war, not a proxy war. Saudi Arabia
Iran says US in cahoots with terrorists in Syria The US-led coalition's bombing of Syrian government forces triggered harsh condemnation from Iran, which accused Washington of being in cahoots with terrorists in Syria. Syria
Netanyahu-Obama meeting a show for home audiences Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will use his meeting with US President Barack Obama to drum up support at home, and Obama will have to watch his every move as the Republicans look to use any mistake against his candidate, Hillary Clinton. Israel
Race tightens between Clinton, Trump With seven weeks left until the US presidential election, the race is essentially a statistical tie. United States
US election 2016: So Hillary Clinton has a cough. Who cares? Here's what happened on the campaign trail the week of Sept. 12. United States
How are Aleppo's residents dealing with truce? Although aid convoys have yet to enter Aleppo as part of the latest US-Russia brokered cease-fire, Syrians are still satisfied with the relative calm following the truce’s implementation. Syria
Why Iran welcomes US-Russian deal on Syria Despite speculation that Russia's dealings with the United States might be at the expense of Iran, it appears that Tehran has plenty of reasons to welcome Moscow and Washington’s agreement on Syria. Syria