Category: Middle East
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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has warned that Tehran could face severe water shortages and may even have to be evacuated if rainfall does not occur soon. Speaking in Sanandaj on Thursday (Nov. 6), Pezeshkian said Iran was confronting “a combination of economic, environmental, and social crises.” He attributed inflation and high prices to both domestic…
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The UN Security Council voted to lift sanctions on Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Interior Minister Anas Khattab on Thursday (Nov. 6), marking a key step in Syria’s reintegration after the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. The resolution — backed by 14 members with China abstaining — follows earlier moves by the US,…
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The United States is reportedly preparing to establish a military presence at an airbase in Damascus as part of efforts to advance a security pact between Syria and Israel, according to a Reuters report citing six sources familiar with the discussions. The move marks a potential strategic realignment of Syria following the fall of former…
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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Monday (3 November) that Türkiye and six partner nations agreed Israel is “regularly violating” the ceasefire and obstructing humanitarian aid to Gaza. The meeting in Istanbul included ministers from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Pakistan, and Indonesia. Fidan warned the situation had reached “a very critical stage,”…
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Iran’s capital Tehran could run out of drinking water within two weeks, officials have warned, as the Amir Kabir Dam — one of five key reservoirs — falls to just 8% capacity. Behzad Parsa, head of the Tehran Water Company, told IRNA that the dam now holds only 14 million cubic metres of water, compared…
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Israel has warned it will escalate attacks against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, a day after Beirut’s Health Ministry reported four deaths from an Israeli airstrike in Kfar Reman. Despite the November 2024 US-brokered ceasefire, Israel retains troops in five southern areas and continues regular strikes. Defence Minister Israel Katz accused President Joseph Aoun’s government of…
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Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran will rebuild its damaged nuclear facilities “with greater strength”, following US strikes earlier this year. He reiterated that Iran does not seek nuclear weapons. Speaking during a visit to the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Pezeshkian said the facilities targeted in June would be restored and strengthened. “Destroying buildings…
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Iraq will hold parliamentary elections on 11 November, but despite years of relative stability and infrastructure growth, voter enthusiasm remains low. • Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, in power since 2022, is credited for improved public services and investment. Yet analysts warn elections remain dominated by political elites rather than voter choice. • Gallup data…
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Iraq and Türkiye have signed a new accord that will see water infrastructure projects in Iraq financed through revenue from Iraqi oil sales to Türkiye, officials confirmed on Sunday (Nov. 2). • The deal implements a 2024 water cooperation framework signed during President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Baghdad. • A joint committee will manage…
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Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has instructed the Lebanese Armed Forces to confront any Israeli incursions into southern Lebanon after an overnight cross-border raid killed a municipal employee in Blida, despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire. The order marks the first direct engagement directive by Aoun since taking office in January, as tensions rise over alleged Israeli ceasefire…
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