Russia in contact with Iranian officials after recent escalations Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Russia was in contact with Iranian officials as the recent round of "destabilisation" took place, Reuters reported. While not sharing any details about the nature of the contacts, Peskov said that Iran had not requested a phone call with Putin.
Netanyahu cancels trip to the US scheduled for next week Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has cancelled a trip to the US which was scheduled for next week. He will not travel due to the postponement of the funeral of Senator Lindsay Graham, his office said. A day prior to the cancellation, a senior Israeli official said that Netanyahu wanted to meet Trump during the visit, but it was not yet clear if he would be able to, according to Reuters.
Pakistan urges Iran, US to 'end violence' and resume talks Mediator Pakistan on Thursday urged the US and Iran to put an end to the violence and resume talks under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) it helped mediate last month. "While the implementation of the MoU is facing challenges, Pakistan will continue to encourage all sides to end violence and resume technical-level talks in accordance with the MoU," Tahir Andrabi, Pakistan's foreign office spokesman, told reporters in Islamabad.
Trump says Iran 'wants to settle so badly' US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Iran "wants to settle so badly," adding that he would decide whether or not to take that step. “They don't like what we're doing, and they do want to settle. " US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Iran "wants to settle so badly," adding that he would decide whether or not to take that step pic.
Trump says US 'appreciates' Iran for releasing American citizen Donald Trump said that the US "appreciates" Iran after it allowed an American who was "wrongfully detained" in 2024 to leave the country. "Iran has allowed an American Citizen, who was wrongfully detained in December of 2024 under the 'presidency' of Sleepy Joe Biden, to leave the Country," the US president wrote on his Truth Social platform. "She is now safely outside of Iran, and in good condition," Trump added.
US: Democrats stall crucial defence budget in protest against Trump policies Submitted by MEE staff on Wed, 07/15/2026 - 21:07 While different lawmakers had different motivations, the president's approach to Iran and Israel is proving increasingly unpopular A view of the US Capitol dome in Washington, DC on 13 July 2026 (Al Drago/Reuters) Off In rare pushback against a must-pass annual defence budget bill, Democrats in the US Senate on Tuesday collectively voted not to advance the legislation, largely in protest the Trump administration's approaches to Iran and Israel. The bill includes a $1. 1 trillion request for the Pentagon, $41b for the Department of Energy's nuclear arms management, and $11b for other defence-related issues.
Lebanon and Israel conclude talks in Rome over 'pilot zones' Lebanon and Israel concluded talks in Rome with agreements over the “pilot zones” project, according to a US official. The sixth-round of the talks was held under the US-brokered 26 June framework deal and took place at the US Embassy in Rome. The pilot zones project refers to the withdrawal of Israeli forces from parts of southern Lebanon and the deployment of the Lebanese army.
Corbyn slams Starmer for again claiming Labour was 'institutionally antisemitic' Submitted by Oscar Rickett on Wed, 07/15/2026 - 15:37 'Misrepresentations and broken undertakings are unfortunately part of a pattern under his leadership,' Corbyn tells MEE Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn speaks outside Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on 1 April 2026 (Henry Nicholls/AFP) Off Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has condemned his successor, outgoing UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, for once again falsely stating that the party was “institutionally antisemitic” under his leadership. At his last prime minister’s questions on Wednesday, Starmer recalled his time in the House of Commons as opposition leader. “We had just lost the 2019 general election, which nearly broke my party,” he said.
Israel approves over $400m to fund 34 settlements in occupied West Bank The Israeli government announced on Tuesday that it had approved a budget of approximately 1. 3bn shekels ($434m) to fund the establishment of 34 new settlements in the occupied West Bank. According to Israeli news outlet Ynet , the decision was made by the security cabinet in June but kept under wraps over concerns about the US response.
Lebanon’s Mitri says divisive Israel framework still lacks government approval Submitted by Daniel Hilton on Wed, 07/15/2026 - 12:35 Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri tells MEE any deal with Israel to stop its war with Hezbollah must honour his country's demands and not deepen Lebanese divisions Deputy Premier Tarek Mitri arrives at the first meeting of Lebanon's new government at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut, on 11 February 2025 (AFP) Off The Israel - Lebanon framework is not workable in its current form and cannot become a binding agreement without approval from the Lebanese government, Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri has told Middle East Eye. Mitri drew the distinction between the president's constitutional role in negotiating on behalf of Lebanon and the Council of Ministers' role in approving any final agreement, describing the framework as the beginning of a process. Under Lebanon's constitution, he said, the president has the right to negotiate, but any proposed agreement must be brought before the cabinet.
Israel approves over $400m to fund 34 settlements in occupied West Bank Submitted by Nadav Rapaport on Wed, 07/15/2026 - 13:45 Bezalel Smotrich says the settlement expansion is intended to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state Israeli settlers stand near al-Tireh neighbourhood at the western entrance of the city of Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, on 14 July 2026 (Zain Jaafar/AFP) Off The Israeli government announced on Tuesday that it had approved a budget of approximately 1. 3bn shekels ($434m) to fund the establishment of 34 new settlements in the occupied West Bank. According to Israeli news outlet Ynet , the decision was made by the security cabinet in June but kept under wraps over concerns about the US response.
Iran's Araghchi visits Doha to pay tribute to former emir, days after attack in Qatar Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi travelled to Doha to offer condolences to Qatari officials over the death of Hamad bin Khalifa, the former emir and father of the current ruler Tamim al-Thani. Sheikh Hamad’s death was announced on Sunday, the same day in which Iran attacked what it said were US targets in Qatar. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had targeted Qatar's Al Udeid, the biggest US base in the Middle East, with ballistic missiles.
After his Iran war debacle, Netanyahu turns fire on state institutions Submitted by Abed Abou Shhadeh on Tue, 07/14/2026 - 19:06 The Iran fiasco has collapsed the Israeli leader's carefully constructed security paradigm - and voters will soon have a chance to respond Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks in Jerusalem on 15 June 2026 (Ronen Zvulun/AFP) On If there is one thing that has long defined the political career of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, it is Iran . Retired general Isaac Ben Israel once described Netanyahu’s efforts to persuade the US to exit the nuclear deal as “the worst strategic mistake in Israel’s history” - one that has served only to push Iran closer towards seeking a nuclear weapon as a deterrent. For decades, Netanyahu has framed Iran as an existential threat to the Jewish people, suggesting that the moment Iran acquires nuclear military capabilities, it will immediately attack Israel.
US influencer Clavicular’s ‘Israelmaxxing’ propaganda trip ends in national scandal Submitted by Elis Gjevori on Wed, 07/15/2026 - 11:13 The visit exposed disorder inside Israel’s propaganda machine, as Israelis turned on the 'looksmaxxer' for his past antisemitic remarks Rabbi Yossi Farro from New York who brought Braden Eric Peters, also known as Clavicular, to Israel (Screengrab/Instagram) Off An attempt to turn controversial American influencer Clavicular into an unlikely ambassador for Israel has ended in embarrassment, with an Israeli soldier working for the military's propaganda unit removed from her position after appearing in his livestreams. The trip served two purposes, including securing favourable content for Israel as the Gaza genocide shreds its international standing, and to rehabilite the reputation of an online influencer accused of antisemitism. Clavicular, whose real name is Braden Eric Peters, is a leading figure in the “looksmaxxing” movement, an online male subculture built around the extreme pursuit of physical attractiveness.
Netanyahu will travel to US on Saturday, senior Israeli official says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to the US on Saturday, a senior Israeli official has told Reuters. Netanyahu wants to meet US President Donald Trump, but it is not clear if he will, the official added.
Iran accuses US of violating MoU in letter to UN Iran sent a letter to the UN accusing the US of violating the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at ending the war in the region. Iran’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Amir Saeid Iravani, wrote in a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the president of the UN Security Council that US has "not only failed to honor its commitments but has actively and systematically undermined the very foundations" of the MoU "These deliberate, calculated, and sustained actions constitute a grave threat to international peace and security and further demonstrate the United States' complete disregard for its international legal obligations," the statement read.
Iran will 'never' request talks with US, deputy foreign minister says Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister stressed that Iran "will never request negotiations with the United States. ," state TV IRIB quoted him as saying. "Talking about international law during wartime is a #joke," Kazem Gharibabadi said.
Senate Democrats block defence bill over Iran war, Israel military integration Senate Democrats have voted to block the debate on annual defence policy, objecting to Trump’s war on Iran as well as provisions that would more closely integrate the US and Israeli militaries. The Senate voted 50-46 against the opening debate on the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA), with lawmakers almost entirely divided along party lines.
'The Middle East is coming together': Trump hosts handpicked Iraqi leader in Washington Two months to the day since he was appointed prime minister of Iraq, Ali al-Zaidi, a political novice, found himself in the Oval Office of the White House on Tuesday, basking in the praise of the US president who put him there. "I've watched what was happening in Iraq with the elections, and I put a very strong endorsement out because I was very unhappy with the man that was supposed to win the election. And this great gentleman, I think he's going to end up being a great leader," Trump told reporters gathered in the room.
'The Middle East is coming together': Trump hosts handpicked Iraqi leader in Washington Submitted by Yasmine El-Sabawi on Tue, 07/14/2026 - 16:41 The meeting is largely an opportunity for the US president to lay out his agenda for Baghdad US President Donald Trump shouts to reporters as he greets Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington, DC, on 14 July 2026 (Evan Vucci/Reuters) Off Two months to the day since he was appointed prime minister of Iraq, Ali al-Zaidi, a political novice, found himself in the Oval Office of the White House on Tuesday, basking in the praise of the US president who put him there. "I've watched what was happening in Iraq with the elections, and I put a very strong endorsement out because I was very unhappy with the man that was supposed to win the election. And this great gentleman, I think he's going to end up being a great leader," Trump told reporters gathered in the room.
