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Through Riyadh and Cairo’s Gateway, Turkey Repositions Itself in the Arab World
The visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Saudi Arabia and Egypt was much more significant and substantive than a mere traditional visit. It rather signaled Ankara’s return to Arab heartland. In addition to closing the chapter on years of strained relations, the visit, according to observers, laid the foundations for a partnership based…
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“Enemy State”: A New Israeli Escalation Against Doha
Discussion has intensified in Israeli political and media circles about classifying Qatar as an “enemy state,” following an announcement by opposition leader and Knesset member Yair Lapid that he intends to submit a bill to formally add Qatar to Israel’s list of enemy states. The issue itself is not new in Israel. It has surfaced…
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What Happened in Muscat?
A senior U.S. State Department official, who requested anonymity, told Alhurra that the Muscat talks were not originally designed to produce an agreement. “What happened was a test of intentions,” the official said. “We wanted to see whether the Iranians were prepared to engage seriously, continue negotiations, and avoid escalation as long as this track…
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Oman Talks: What Does Trump Want from Iran?
The United States and Iran are preparing to engage in talks on Friday in the Sultanate of Oman, amid conflicting statements about the agenda. The anticipated meeting comes against a backdrop of pressure, threats, deep mistrust, and disputes over the issues to be addressed in the negotiations. Washington insists that the talks must include Iran’s…
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Swapping the Suez Canal for Debt… A Controversial “Financial Engineering” Proposal
The Egyptian government is making strenuous efforts to change an economic reality shaped by years of borrowing and rising debt-servicing costs, amid a period of relative economic stability supported by the recent steadiness of the exchange rate. In this context, World Bank data revealed that Egypt’s external debt rose by about $2.48 billion during the…
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Kurds Intercede as Iraq’s Government Formation Stalls
The process of forming a government in Iraq has reached a near dead end, after parliament failed for a second time to convene a session dedicated to electing a new president of the republic and tasking a prime minister. This comes amid continuing disputes within the ruling Shiite alliance following Washington’s rejection of the re-nomination…
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Arms Crossings Between Syria and Lebanon
From time to time, Syrian authorities announce the foiling of attempts to smuggle weapons shipments into Lebanon, the most recent of which occurred in the al-Brij area of Syria’s Qalamoun region. According to details of the incident, Syrian security forces intercepted, at the beginning of 2026, a large shipment of rifles, rocket launchers, and anti-armor…
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Will a New Alliance Be Born in the Middle East Tomorrow?
As part of efforts to expand and deepen regional cooperation, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is set to arrive in Saudi Arabia tomorrow, before heading to Egypt on Wednesday. While the region’s pressing crises have heightened the significance of Erdoğan’s first foreign trip of the year, attention has turned to whether the visit could open…
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U.S. Veto of Maliki Deepens Iraq’s Government Deadlock
Iraq’s effort to form a new government stalled again this week, and this time the deadlock centered squarely on Washington. For the second time, parliament failed to convene a session to elect a new president and task a prime minister, as divisions widened over former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s bid to return to office following an explicit veto…
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Turkey’s Iran Dilemma
Turkey’s preparation for an Iran crisis is not only military. It is also geopolitical. Ankara is now operating on the assumption that a U.S. military strike on Iran is a real possibility. It is moving before anything happens. Turkish officials believe refugee flows begin before bombs fall, not after. A retired Turkish ambassador told MBN that Turkey’s overriding fear is…