east

Iran’s Rouhani in rare public row with judiciary Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has clashed with the country’s powerful and conservative judiciary, in a rare public row as tensions rise ahead […]

Al-Qaeda chief calls IS leader Baghdadi ‘liar’ Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri has denounced what he said was a dishonest propaganda campaign by rival jihadist group the Islamic State against his […]

Iraq forces launch offensive to liberate western area Iraqi forces on Thursday launched an offensive aimed at retaking towns still under the control of the Islamic State group in western […]

Coalition jets back Turkish army op in Syria Jets with the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group backed a Turkish army operation near Al-Bab in Syria last week but […]

Iran approves 29 firms for oil, gas projects Iran has published a list of 29 major companies from Europe and Asia approved to bid for oil and gas projects after […]

OPEC agrees deal to cut oil output OPEC shocked markets with a deal to cut oil output after kingpin Saudi Arabia allowed bitter rival Iran to be exempted, but analysts […]

Saudi king unveils austerity drive Saudi Arabia Monday cut the salaries of cabinet ministers by 20 percent and froze the wages of lower-ranking civil servants in an intensified austerity drive […]

Yemeni forces kill suspected Qaeda chief Yemeni forces killed a suspected local Al-Qaeda chief Monday in a clash at his house in the southern province of Abyan, security officials said. […]

Obama vetoes bill allowing 9/11 families to sue Saudi Arabia President Barack Obama on Friday vetoed a bill allowing 9/11 families to sue Saudi Arabia, risking a fierce public backlash […]

Push for Iraq’s Mosul faces myriad challenges Iraq has promised to recapture Mosul by year’s end and US top brass have hinted an operation could start next month, but the […]

Iraq MPs vote to sack finance minister after graft allegations Iraq’s parliament voted on Wednesday to remove the country’s finance minister, who was questioned over corruption allegations last month, lawmakers […]

Violence resumes in Syria after regime declares truce end Air raids and shelling pounded key battlefronts in Syria on Tuesday, as outrage mounted over a strike on an aid convoy […]

Assad accuses US of supporting ISIS in Syria President Bashar al-Assad on Monday described the deadly US-led coalition raid on his forces in eastern Syria at the weekend as “flagrant […]

Sadr supporters rally for reform Several thousand supporters of populist Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr demonstrated in central Baghdad on Friday, calling for reforms that politicians have been quick to promise […]

USA gives Israel $38 billion for its military The United States and Israel put aside the antagonism between their leaders and reaffirmed their strategic bond on Wednesday, when Washington promised […]

Syria ceasefire to begin at sundown as opposition seeks ‘guarantees’ An internationally brokered ceasefire in Syria was due to begin at sundown on Monday but, with only hours to go, […]

Top jihadist commander killed in Syria air strike An air strike near Syria’s battleground second city Aleppo killed the military leader of the largest rebel alliance and at least one […]

400 additional US troops deploy to Iraq More than 400 additional US troops have deployed to Iraq in recent days, a defense official said Thursday, as local forces prepare for […]

UK calls for mistakes in Iraq war to be avoided in Syria British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday called for the mistakes of the Iraq war to be avoided […]

Erdogan proposes Syria ‘no-fly zone’ to US, Russia Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday he proposed, to the US and Russia, the setting up of a no-fly zone in […]

Top US, Russia diplomats fail to reach Syria deal Top diplomats from the United States and Russia on Monday failed to reach a deal to ease fighting in Syria, US […]

US, Russia come up short on Syria deal The US said Sunday it had not yet struck a hoped-for deal with Russia on stemming the violence in Syria’s brutal civil […]

Erdogan rejects claims Kurdish militia has retreated Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday dismissed claims that a US-backed Syrian Kurdish militia had retreated east of the Euphrates River in […]

Who killed ISIS top strategist: US Predator drone or Russian Su-34? Russia’s claim that it killed Islamic State group spokesman and top strategist Abu Mohamed al-Adnani is a “joke,” and […]

US-backed rebels advance on ISIS bastion in Syria US-backed Syrian rebels advancing on Islamic State group fighters in the strategic northern town of Manbij have progressed to within five kilometres […]

Iran says Airbus deal awaiting US authorization A $10 billion deal between Iran and European aircraft manufacturer Airbus for 118 aircraft is still pending authorisation from the United States, Deputy […]