Middle East

The blast happened as Iran and U.S. officials met in Oman for negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear program.

Reza Pahlavi, the son of the last shah, tells POLITICO the West must create a “strike fund” to support civil resistance and paralyze the government.

Will the Italians get the papacy back? Or is it time for the first African in the modern era? A conclave will gather in the weeks ahead to elect a new pontiff.

The withdrawal of aid by the U.S. and Europe could feed extremism and lead to a surge in emigration, experts warn.

Sébastien Lecornu will brief his American counterpart about military planning on security guarantees for Ukraine.

The U.K. wants to use an energy security summit next week to showcase its net zero push. Trump’s America just wants to sell fossil fuels.

Israeli prime minister delivers warning to French president.

Dominique de Villepin is enjoying unprecedented popularity, more than a decade after he was last in power.

Filmmaker Basel Adra also says Brussels should impose fresh sanctions on Israeli settlers violating international law.

U.S. and Israel insist Tehran can’t obtain nuclear weapons.

The Israeli prime minister is set to meet Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán on Thursday.

National security adviser Mike Waltz’s team regularly set up chats on Signal to coordinate official work on issues including Ukraine, China, Gaza, Middle East policy, Africa and …

The Israeli prime minister is the target of an arrest warrant charging him with war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip.

Some military and government officials have expressed concern about the contents of Hegseth’s messages saying he leaked sensitive attack details that were “reckless and dangerous.”

Ankara is too important an ally to alienate, no matter what happens on the streets of Istanbul, politicians and officials tell POLITICO.

British forces already took part in strikes against Houthis, so don’t call us “freeloaders,” former defense secretary says.

The region’s shipping safety has vexed the international community amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Key security fund — whose schemes range from stopping ISIS recruitment to clearing deadly mines in Sri Lanka — faces uncertain future after cut to aid spending.

Vice President JD Vance suggested the president doesn’t understand the stakes of the Houthi strikes and other takeaways from the messages inadvertently shared with a journalist.

Popular opposition leader Ekrem İmamoğlu calls for mass protests as he is thrown in jail and booted out as Istanbul mayor.

A new war “would be devastating for Lebanon,” Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said.