Tehran's foreign ministry slams Canada for backing US war on Iran Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei criticised Canada over its participation in the US war on Iran. "Washington calls Canada its 51st state; Washington imposes tariffs on Canadian goods; Washington insults Canada and threatens to punish it over wildfire smoke; Ottawa’s response: Understood, Sir! Meanwhile, Ottawa participates in the U.
Kushner meets Sisi in Egypt to discuss regional issues Jared Kushner and Egyptian President Sisi met in Egypt for talks on the war on Gaza and other regional issues on Sunday, according to a press release by the Egyptian Presidency. Trump's son-in-law and envoy also held a rare meeting with Hamas' political chief, Khalil al-Hayya. Jared Kushner and Egyptian President Sisi met in Egypt for talks on the war on Gaza and other regional issues on Sunday, according to a press release by the Egyptian Presidency.
Jared Kushner lands in Israel after meeting Hamas officials US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner arrived in Israel after meeting Hamas leaders and Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish officials in Cairo, a Palestinian source told Al Jazeera. Kushner and Nickolay Mladenov, Trump’s Board of Peace envoy for Gaza, held talks with Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish mediators on Sunday in an effort to advance Trump’s Gaza peace plan, a diplomatic source said. Hamas officials attended some of the meetings.
Copy the link Jared Kushner lands in Israel after meeting Hamas officials US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner arrived in Israel after meeting Hamas leaders and Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish officials in Cairo, Al Jazeera reported, citing a Palestinian source. Kushner and Nickolay Mladenov, Trump’s Board of Peace envoy for Gaza, held talks with Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish mediators on Sunday in an effort to advance Trump’s Gaza peace plan, a diplomatic source said. Hamas officials attended some of the meetings.
Trump: South Korea says ‘no thanks’ to his request to help denuclearise Iran US President Donald Trump said he had asked his South Korean counterpart whether Seoul wanted to join US efforts to disarm Iran of its nuclear weapons but received a negative response. "While somewhat unrelated (? ), I recently asked the President of South Korea if they would like to join us in the Denuclearization of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and they said, 'No thanks!
Trump hails Saudi-Turkiye-Pakistan defence pact US President Trump said in a post on Truth Social that he is "Very happy to see that Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have recently, and finally, signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement. " He said the deal “shows how the Middle East is coming together, and how Countries will finally be able to defend themselves in a more meaningful way. Congratulations to the Great Leadership of the three Nations mentioned.
Report: US envoy Kushner meets Hamas leaders in Egypt Hamas leaders met on Sunday in Egypt with President Donald Trump's son-in-law and envoy Jared Kushner, who is seeking to push a Gaza plan rejected by Israel, sources with knowledge of the talks told AFP. Hamas in the meeting reiterated its commitment to the deal while Kushner pushed for strong disarmament and an end to any future Hamas role in running Gaza, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the diplomatic sensitivities.
Iranian parliament advances bill to curb foreign influence Iran's parliament approved on Sunday the general principles of a bill that would criminalise interviews and other communications with media deemed hostile to the Islamic Republic, including US or Israeli media and outlets financed by either country, Iran's Shargh newspaper reported. Osman Salari, a member of parliament's judicial and legal commission, said the individual provisions of the bill, which is aimed at countering foreign intelligence influence, have yet to be debated and approved. Reports about the bill's details should not yet be considered final, Salari told the Mizan news agency.
Hamas leader meets Egyptian intelligence chief A Hamas delegation has met Egypt's intelligence chief, Hassan Rashad, in the Egyptian city of El-Alamein to discuss the implementation of the US-backed post-war plan for Gaza. The delegation, led by Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya, expressed a commitment to the US-backed plan, according to Egyptian state media. AFP quoted a Hamas official saying: "The delegation will brief Egyptian officials on Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement, and al-Hayya will emphasise the movement’s commitment and readiness to implement the agreement as soon as Israel announces its commitment to it.
Germany has chosen Israel over international law Submitted by Jurgen Mackert on Wed, 08/05/2026 - 20:39 The state's commitment to the murderous Netanyahu regime outstrips its dedication to preserving democracy at home Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz are pictured in Jerusalem on 7 December 2025 (Ariel Schalit/AFP) Off Two events in Germany last month shed light on the country’s stance on international law and its own democracy. On 20 July, the anniversary of a failed assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler, new German recruits were sworn in at the Bendlerblock , which housed army headquarters during the Nazi period and was simultaneously the centre of a resistance group led by Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg, whose members were executed at the site after their failed coup. In recent years, during speeches at the ceremonies for new recruits, top German government officials have praised democracy and emphasised the importance of the rule of law for world peace and freedom.
Emirati academic's barbed tweet on Pakistan exposes UAE unease over Mecca pact Submitted by MEE staff on Sun, 08/16/2026 - 06:02 Disparaging remarks by Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, a former aide to UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed, on Pakistan's ‘poverty, illiteracy’ and nuclear arsenal spark online backlash. Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shakes hands with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman looks on after signing a joint defence agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on 7 August 2026 (Handout/Turkish presidency's press office/AFP) Off Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, a prominent Emirati political analyst and former aide to UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed, has mocked Pakistan for its “poor” economic and social indicators and yet “opportunistically posturing itself to defend a country among the 20 largest economies in the world”. On 15 August, Abdulla wrote on X: “It is one of the paradoxes of time that a country where a quarter of its population is poor, a third of its population is illiterate, its national income is $400 billion, and it has suffered from corrupt military rule since its founding, chronic internal unrest, and wars with its closest neighbors—yet all its qualifications are 170 nuclear bombs—opportunistically postures itself to defend a country among the 20 largest economies in the world.
Morning recap Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, has reiterated that talks with Oman and reopening of Hormuz were “two separate issues” and the two countries “may reach an outcome soon”. “The routes that existed previously are no longer functional, so a new route needs to be defined,” he said. Israel, meanwhile, launched more strikes in southern Lebanon.
Iran and Oman defining a temporary route for now, Araghchi says Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi has reiterated that talks with Oman and reopening of Hormuz were “two separate issues”. In his comments carried by Shahrara News, he said: “Our negotiations with Oman are ongoing. That is a completely separate matter.
Opinion: How a pragmatic axis could reshape the Middle East Nearly three years after the 7 October Hamas attack shattered the illusion of a manageable status quo - one serving US - Israeli interests, while harming Palestinian rights - and midway through President Donald Trump’s second term, the Middle East no longer maps neatly onto the two axes that have defined it for decades. The region’s fault line long ran between Iran ’s “Axis of Resistance” - comprising Hezbollah, the Houthis, Iraqi armed groups, and a battered but defiant Syria under the Assad regime - and the Israeli-inspired “Pax Americana”: an informal architecture of deterrence, normalisation, and military primacy that Washington and Tel Aviv sought to impose through the Abraham Accords, blatant double standards, international law violations and overwhelming force. Today, a third pole could be emerging: an increasingly institutionalised “Sunni axis” anchored in Riyadh, Ankara and Islamabad - with Doha, Cairo, and to a lesser extent Abu Dhabi at its edges.
Hamas chief heads to Cairo for talks ahead of Kushner visit Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya is set to travel to Cairo for talks with Egyptian officials, a Hamas source tells AFP, ahead of a visit by US President Donald Trump’s envoy Jared Kushner to the region. Hayya, who will be visiting Egypt for the first time since assuming leadership of Hamas in late July, is due to meet with Egypt’s intelligence chief Hassan Rashad this morning, the source says. Kushner will visit Israel and Egypt next week in hopes of bridging gaps on a Gaza plan rejected by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and will be accompanied by Nickolay Mladenov, the high representative for Gaza of Trump’s so-called 'Board of Peace' tasked with implementing the deal.
Iran says route through Hormuz agreed with Oman, but deal yet to be finalised Iran has reached an agreement with Oman on a shipping route map for the Strait of Hormuz after weeks of technical negotiations, Defa Press reported, citing Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei. “Despite US obstruction, the talks have made positive progress over the past three weeks and an agreement has been reached on the shipping route map. ” Baghaei added that both sides were still negotiating outstanding issues, including a statement to be issued by Tehran and Muscat.
Iran accuses French diplomats of 'infiltration' The Iranian government has accused two French diplomats of conducting an "infiltration and interference" operation inside Iran. Iran's intelligence ministry alleged in a statement that the diplomats were discovered at a secret meeting place, and that documents found there pointed to efforts to establish contacts and build networks elsewhere. It further said that contracts linked to the project carried the signature of a former French ambassador to Iran.
How a pragmatic axis could reshape the Middle East Submitted by Marco Carnelos on Tue, 08/11/2026 - 16:51 The Mecca agreement could do more to determine the region's trajectory than anything decided in Washington, Tel Aviv or Tehran Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman welcomes Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Riyadh, on 17 September 2025 (Saudi Press Agency/AFP) On Nearly three years after the 7 October Hamas attack shattered the illusion of a manageable status quo - one serving US - Israeli interests, while harming Palestinian rights - and midway through President Donald Trump’s second term, the Middle East no longer maps neatly onto the two axes that have defined it for decades. The region’s fault line long ran between Iran ’s “Axis of Resistance” - comprising Hezbollah, the Houthis, Iraqi armed groups, and a battered but defiant Syria under the Assad regime - and the Israeli-inspired “Pax Americana”: an informal architecture of deterrence, normalisation, and military primacy that Washington and Tel Aviv sought to impose through the Abraham Accords, blatant double standards, international law violations and overwhelming force. Today, a third pole could be emerging: an increasingly institutionalised “Sunni axis” anchored in Riyadh, Ankara and Islamabad - with Doha, Cairo, and to a lesser extent Abu Dhabi at its edges.
Morning recap Good morning Middle East Eye readers, President Donald Trump said he would "soon" declare the Strait of Hormuz part of US territory after defeating Iran. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi retorted that Tehran would not be intimidated by threats or a show of force by Washington. Trump’s remarks came as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said no decision has yet been made to resume negotiations with the United States.
Rashida Tlaib rally cancelled after Florida lawmaker calls its 'anti-jew' A South Florida site backed out of hosting a rally with Democratic US Representative Rashida Tlaib, a vocal critic of Israel's government, after complaints by a Democratic state lawmaker in the party's latest flashpoint over its stance on Israel. Tlaib, the first Palestinian American member of Congress, was scheduled to appear on Friday at a rally for three candidates in Florida's upcoming Democratic Party primary. However, The Venue Fort Lauderdale, which was scheduled to host the event, suddenly cancelled it after State Representative Michael Gottlieb, chairman of the Florida Legislative Jewish Caucus, posted a statement on Thursday calling the planned rally an "anti-Jew" gathering.
