All Middle East
First LookVerbal sparring continues as Iran calls US sanctions 'idiotic'Responding to new U.S. sanctions against Iran's top leadership, Tehran says the measures signaled a “permanent closure” for future diplomacy. As tensions rise, members of the White House maintain the door to a diplomatic solution is still open.
US-Iran standoff: Mutual provocations, and moves to de-escalateIran has shot down a U.S. drone. The U.S. is adding sanctions. But both sides show interest in pulling back from the risk of an unintentional war.
Why an opposition win in Istanbul weakens Erdoğan’s gripTurkey’s ruling party lost a rerun of Istanbul’s mayoral election, giving opponents a platform to challenge President Erdoğan’s grip on power.
First LookIranians stuck between US sanctions and Tehran's hardline stanceIran’s 80 million residents struggle to cope with devaluation, inflation, and unemployment made worse by U.S. sanctions. Iranians blame their own government as well as Washington.
First LookIran shoots down info-gathering US droneIran launched its first acknowledged attack against the U.S. in the two countries' current standoff, downing an American drone. Washington and Tehran dispute the circumstances, but the episode is intensifying a growing conflict.
First LookIran: Europe has until July 8 to save nuclear dealIran wants European powers to save its economy by buying Iranian oil to counteract U.S. sanctions. It threatened to enrich uranium to a higher level than allowed by its 2015 nuclear deal if Europe does not step in.
Mohamed Morsi and the fall of Egypt’s ‘honorable’ revolutionMohamed Morsi was not Egypt’s George Washington. But his faults showed the Muslim Brotherhood political pitfalls to avoid elsewhere in the region.
The ExplainerCan the US protect the Persian Gulf if Iran wants to target tankers?Tensions between the U.S. and Iran are high after a half-dozen oil tankers were attacked in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.
In Trump peace conference, a perilous balancing act for JordanPhase One of President Trump’s Middle East peace plan, an economic summit in Bahrain, has put Jordan and Egypt in a delicate position.
First LookIran to exceed uranium stockpile limit as nuclear deal continues to stumbleIran will soon exceed the stockpile limit set by the 2015 nuclear deal, and is nearing weapons-grade enrichment. World leaders are striving to find improved terms for the deal, which unraveled after the U.S. pulled out to pursue sanctions.
Difference MakerFor Afghan midwife, saving women’s lives is a lifelong passionWomen’s health, education, and power are still advancing in Afghanistan. This midwife has opened doors to play a valuable role.
First LookOil tanker incident stokes concerns over US-Iran relationsThe U.S. Navy believes two tankers were targeted in a suspected June 13 attack near a key oil trade route. The incident comes a month after the U.S. alleged Iran perpetrated a similar attack, and some fear escalating tensions in the region.
How horrors in Sudan undermined US trust in its top Arab alliesAmerica’s Gulf Arab allies back Sudan’s military. But after a horrifying massacre, the U.S. has had to dispatch a top diplomat to ‘clean up their mess.’
FocusCan religious tolerance help an aspiring Muslim power?As the United Arab Emirates asserts itself as a rising Gulf power, its tradition of religious tolerance toward non-Muslims is emerging as an asset.
First LookIran frees detained US residentNizar Zakka, an internet freedom advocate, was detained in Tehran in 2015. Mr. Zakka, who has been released to his native Lebanon, was accused of being an American spy and sentenced to 10 years in prison. Motivations behind his release remain unclear.
American University in Kabul: Wielding soft power, in an age of warIn Kabul, a U.S.-funded university offers students a perspective-changing liberal arts education, a counterpoint to the destructive Afghanistan War.
Finding humanity in dangerous places – a reporter's storyIf you’ve been a Monitor reader for a while, you are probably aware that spinning through the heart of this organization is the pursuit of stories that find hope and humanity even in seemingly hopeless places – such as war-torn Syria where Dominique Soguel has found ways to penetrate the violence to discover people who possess boundless resilience and strength of spirit.
In Netanyahu’s Israel, concern for a democracy pushed to its limitsBenjamin Netanyahu’s efforts to preserve his position in the face of corruption charges have heightened concerns for Israel’s democracy.
Ramadan culture takes a fashionable turn, straining budgetsAround the Arab world, a steady rise in Ramadan consumerism is putting a premium on appearances, straining many budgets.
First LookIraq's controversial Green Zone will soon be open to the publicU.S. soldiers and Iraqi officials have protected a 4-square-mile zone as an oasis from conflict, but Iraq's prime minister plans to open it to the public.
