Middle East

Dozens of US lawmakers to visit occupied territories over two-state solution, Iran

A delegation of the US House Democrats will visit Israel and the occupied West Bank this week to discuss prospects for a two-state solution, Israel's judicial reforms and Iran nuclear program, among other issues.

Document shows MKO, ISIS colluded to assassinate commanders of resistance groups

The Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) says it has obtained a document which shows the terrorist Mojahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MKO) has worked hand in glove with the ISIS terror group seeking to assassinate commanders of resistance movements in Syria.

Saudi-hosted conference over Ukraine kicked off, Russia absent

Saudi Arabia is hosting a summit in Jeddah, in which senior officials from some 40 countries – except Russia – will try to draft key principles on how to end Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Taliban shut down Iranian charity organization’s offices

The Taliban rulers of Afghanistan have shut down the offices of the Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation, a major Iranian charitable organization, in the Afghan cities of Kabul, Mazar-e-Sharif and Herat.

US lawmakers cast doubt on continued security coordination with Palestinian Authority

US lawmakers have questioned whether Washington should continue security coordination with the Palestinian Authority (PA). Some politicians have blamed it on the deteriorating security situation in the occupied West Bank.

Palestine says ties with US at lowest level as Washington fails to pressure Israel

Palestine's ties with the United States are at the lowest level as Washington fails to pressure Israel to stop its actions against Palestine, a senior official has said.

UK acknowledges Daesh committed genocide against Yazidis in Iraq

The UK government has formally acknowledged that the Daesh terror group committed acts of genocide against Yazidi people in northern Iraq in 2014.

Shooting at Swedish consulate in Turkey injures one

A Turkish employee was seriously wounded in an armed attack at Sweden’s honorary consulate in Turkey’s western province of Izmir, officials have confirmed.

Iranian security chief: US, Israel use terrorism as a tool to create crises in region

Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Akbar Ahmadian has warned of the US plots to revive terror cells in the region.

Poll shows Americans’ trust in US military lowest in two decades, citing poor pull-out from Iraq and Afghanistan

Public confidence in the US military has been constantly in decline over the past five years and it is now at its lowest level in two decades, a recent opinion poll shows. Gallup has linked the decline to the United States' poorly executed withdrawals from Iraq and Afghanistan.

China, UAE to hold first joint aerial drills

The air forces of China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will conduct a joint training exercise in China's Autonomous Region of Xinjiang in August, Beijing announced Monday.

Russia does not want military clash with US, but ready for any scenario: Putin

Russia is ready for any scenario, but does not want a direct military clash with the US, Russian President Vladimir Putin said when asked about the US's provocations in Syria.

UN says forced to cut food aid to millions globally over funding crisis

The United Nations has been forced to cut food, cash payments and assistance to millions of people in several countries — including Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen — because of “a crippling funding crisis” that has seen its donations plummet by about half as acute hunger is hitting record levels, a top official has confirmed.

Deal may be in offing between Saudi Arabia and Israel: Biden

US President Joe Biden has stated that an agreement may be on the way with Riyadh after talks that his national security adviser had with Saudi officials in Jeddah aimed at reaching a normalization in relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

US lawmakers, rights groups urge Biden to withhold military aid to Egypt

A group of US senators and rights activists has urged the Biden administration to withhold a larger portion of US military aid to Egypt, saying the North African country’s human rights record “has continued to deteriorate” over the past year under President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

Iran’s UN envoy announces Tehran’s commitment to supporting Syria’s anti-terror fight

Iran’s permanent ambassador to the United Nations Amir Saeid Iravani has reiterated Tehran's commitment to supporting Syria in its fight against threats posed by terror groups, and preserving its territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Egyptians struggle with soaring temperatures amid ongoing energy crisis

People across Egypt have been left frustrated while struggling to complete daily tasks in the heat because of constant power cuts. The outages, which are primarily affecting villages in Upper Egypt, as well as the Delta region and the capital Cairo, come amidst soaring temperatures of 40C to 50C this year.

Iraq says OIC to hold emergency meeting over Quran sacrilege in Europe

Iraq’s Foreign Ministry has announced that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) plans to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the desecration of the Holy Quran in Europe. However, it did not specify the exact time and venue of the OIC’s emergency meeting.

Turkey to give in to EU demands over immigration rules: Report

Turkey will amend its immigration policy to make it more difficult for asylum seekers to gain Turkish citizenship, as Ankara seeks to meet European Union requirements and boost its bids to join the bloc, Turkish newspaper Hurriyet has reported.

Islamic countries should cut diplomatic, economic relations with Sweden: Hezbollah leader

Leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah movement Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has called on Muslim countries to sever their relations with Sweden in reaction to the desecration of the Holy Quran in the European country.

Pentagon files reveal flaws in US claims about Syrian casualties in Daesh leader raid

Confidential documents provided new details about one of the most celebrated US military operations in recent history — and revealed flaws in the Pentagon's claim that deadly airstrikes on the Daesh leader in Syria did not hit civilians.

US Senate introduces new legislation to boost normalisation with Israel

The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee has introduced new bill aimed at strengthening normalisation with Israel through proposals with nearly $120m in funding, naming Saudi Arabia as a "key regional partner" that would be eligible for many of those programmes.

Hezbollah chief calls on Muslims to expel Swedish ambassadors after Quran desecration

The leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah has urged all Arab and Muslim countries to expel the Swedish envoys from their capitals in reaction to a fresh desecration of the holy Quran in the European country.

Footage: Iranian Navy aircraft monitor extra-regional warships in Persian Gulf

Iran’s national television shows footage of Navy aircraft conducting surveillance patrols over extra-regional warships sailing in the Persian Gulf.

Iraq expels Sweden envoy over Quran burning

Iraq has expelled the Swedish ambassador hours after protesters angered by the burning of copies of the holy Quran in the European country, stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad, scaling the walls of the compound and setting it on fire.

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