Middle East

In a high-security Istanbul venue, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are set to meet on Friday, marking the first high-level contact between Washington and Tehran since a 12-day war in June 2025. The talks aim to find a de-escalation path after precision airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites and domestic unrest. The summit follows mediation by Turkey, Egypt, and Qatar, amid US demands on uranium enrichment and missiles.

February 01, 2026 Reported by AI

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned that any US military strike would ignite a regional war in the Middle East. The statement comes amid heightened tensions following President Donald Trump's threats against Iran over its crackdown on protests. Khamenei also labeled the demonstrations a coup, as Iran prepares military drills in the Strait of Hormuz.

Senator Lindsey Graham said on January 27, 2026, that he plans to introduce legislation dubbed the “Save the Kurds Act” to impose “crippling sanctions” on any government or group engaged in hostilities against Kurdish forces and communities in Syria, arguing that abandoning U.S.-aligned Kurds would damage American security and credibility.

January 26, 2026 Reported by AI Fact checked

Iranian officials and Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement have issued fresh warnings as the U.S. Navy’s USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group moves into the Middle East, a deployment President Donald Trump has described as a contingency amid Iran’s crackdown on nationwide protests and rising regional tensions.

US President Donald Trump met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, pledging to resume mediation in the Egypt-Ethiopia dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). Trump described the project as a dangerous issue blocking the Nile River, emphasizing his intent to bring the parties together for a deal. Al-Sisi thanked Trump for his support, calling it an existential issue for Egypt.

January 21, 2026 Reported by AI

U.S. President Donald Trump has initiated the Board of Peace to address global conflicts, beginning with Gaza. While numerous countries have accepted invitations, several European allies have declined. Diplomats warn that the initiative could undermine the United Nations' work.