Middle East Monitor Latest news from the Middle East and North Africa

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  Tehran says end of war in Lebanon ‘prerequisite’ for ending war with Iran

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday that an end to the war on all fronts, including the cessation of Israeli attacks in Lebanon, is a “prerequisite” for ending the war between Iran and the US-Israel, according to Iran’s state-run news agency IRNA. Lebanon and Iran fronts “became somehow connected and dependent on each other, from day one, the Islamic Republic of Iran considered ending the war in Lebanon a prerequisite for ending the war with Iran,” Araghchi told a gathering of international missions in the capital Tehran. “Now that we have reached an end to the war, the end of the war will also be in Lebanon,” he said, calling the ceasefire in Lebanon an “inseparable” part of

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  Burhan: Sudan’s political process must remain an internal matter

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council Chairman, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, said on Monday that the political process is an internal Sudanese matter that must take place inside the country and be driven by the will of the Sudanese people. He added that Sudan welcomes any support aimed at achieving stability, peace and development, provided it respects the country’s sovereignty. His remarks came during a meeting with European Union ambassadors accredited to Sudan in the capital, Khartoum, according to the Sudan News Agency (SUNA). Al-Burhan briefed the diplomats on the ongoing war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), referring to what he described as violations and atrocities committed by the RSF against civilians. He reiterated that any political

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  Iran vows continued support for Palestine, says foreign ministry adviser

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  Ali Safari, adviser to the spokesperson of Iran’s Foreign Ministry, said on Monday that the Palestinian cause remains a priority for Iran, stressing that Tehran will continue to support Palestine. In an exclusive statement to Safa news agency, Safari said Iran would continue efforts to end the war in the Gaza Strip and focus on stopping what he described as Israeli crimes and violations against Palestinians. He said support for Palestine is a “fundamental and principled” position for Iran, adding that Tehran “will continue to support the Palestinians and make use of any opportunity to assist them”. Regarding the terms of the agreement with the United States, Safari said both sides had agreed to end the war on all fronts

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  Hamas welcomes US-Iran truce deal, calls for end to Gaza and Lebanon attacks

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  Hamas on Monday welcomed the announced memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran to halt military operations on various fronts, expressing hope that the agreement would help promote stability and reduce tensions across the region. In a press statement, the Palestinian group said it hoped the agreement would have a positive impact on pressing regional issues, particularly by securing an immediate end to the ongoing Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip and stopping attacks and violations affecting Lebanon and other fronts. Hamas said that achieving security and stability in the region depends on ending what it described as a war of “genocide, starvation and displacement” against Palestinians in Gaza, as well as addressing the roots of the conflict,

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  Dutch court sentences former Syrian regime figure to 26 years in prison

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  A Dutch court has sentenced a former Syrian regime figure to 26 years in prison after finding him guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Judicial authorities in the Netherlands prosecuted Rafik al-Qatrib, a former member of the regime-linked National Defence Forces militia, before a district court in The Hague on charges related to serious violations committed against civilians in Syria. The court handed al-Qatrib a 26-year prison sentence over allegations of grave abuses carried out during recent years against Syrian citizens. The trial was part of ongoing efforts to pursue and hold accountable former regime officials accused of crimes and violations against the Syrian people. According to Syrian media reports, al-Qatrib worked as an investigator for the National

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Phyllis Bennis: The Deal Will be Signed, But at Whose Expense?

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Jeremy Corbyn: Fight for Your Principle and Pay the Price

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  Israeli settlers destroy sole water pipeline serving Umm Safa village in occupied West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  Israeli settlers on Monday damaged the only water pipeline supplying the village of Umm Safa in the central occupied West Bank. Local sources told Anadolu Agency that settlers destroyed the village’s main and only water pipeline while bulldozing Palestinian-owned land and constructing a settlement road near the village, northwest of Ramallah. The sources said the damage to the pipeline caused a complete water outage in the village. The village of Umm Safa is witnessing an escalation in settler attacks launched from surrounding settlements and outposts in all directions, preventing Palestinians from accessing their lands. The occupied West Bank has witnessed a rise in attacks by Israeli settlers and the Israeli army against Palestinian agricultural land, including arson, land clearing and

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  Ben Gvir attacks Trump-Iran deal: Israel ‘not bound by US agreement’

  by Mehdi Editor on June 16, 2026

  Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has criticised US President Donald Trump’s announcement of an agreement with Iran, saying the deal is “not binding on Israel”. The announcement by Trump early on Monday triggered angry reactions within Israeli political circles, with Ben Gvir among the most outspoken critics. According to comments carried by Hebrew-language media, Ben Gvir said: “Israel is not subordinate to the United States. It is an independent and sovereign state, and any agreement reached by Trump does not bind us. We are committed first and foremost to protecting our citizens and soldiers.” READ: Iran-US deal ‘bad for Israel,’ says Israeli finance minister The Far-right minister added that his government was not a partner to the agreement, arguing that it

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  US-Iran agreement gave region a ‘sigh of relief,’ says Turkish president

  by Mehdi Editor on June 15, 2026

  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday said that the agreement between the US and Iran marked a “very important step” to end the war that began with provocations from Israel on Feb. 28, adding that it gave the region “a sigh of relief,” Anadolu reports. “The US-Iran agreement is a very important step in the war that began with provocations from Israel on Feb. 28,” Erdogan said after the Cabinet meeting. “Our region, which has been on the brink, has breathed a sigh of relief.” Erdogan said Turkiye was greatly pleased “on behalf of our region and all humanity” with the agreement reached with Ankara’s contributions. “We hope the agreement will fully open the way toward the establishment of lasting

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  Imperial Iran in the Eighteenth Century: Identity and State Formation under Nader

  by Mehdi Editor on June 15, 2026

  In July 1732, Nader Shah Afsharid, established a religious endowment in the Afghan city of Herat shortly after conquering it. In the preface to the deed, it was written that Nader was a ‘loyal servant of Ali’s household and…the defender of Shi’i lands (belad) and of the Shi’a, Nader-Qoli Khan, viceroy of Khorasan and ruler of the realm of Iran.’ What is striking about the passage is who it doesn’t mention, the Safavid ruler Tahmasp is missing from the excerpt and more brazenly, the text asserts that the lands of Iran belong to Nader himself. Nader Shah had no rightful claim to the throne when viewed through the lens of classical kingship, he had no royal bloodline and was born

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  No lifting of Iran sanctions without behavior change: EU Commission chief

  by Mehdi Editor on June 15, 2026

  European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday that EU sanctions on Iran will not be lifted unless there is “credible and verifiable” behavioral change on human rights violations and weapons of mass destruction programs, Anadolu reports. Speaking at a joint press conference in Evian alongside European Council President Antonio Costa ahead of the G7 summit, von der Leyen said the European Union’s sanctions framework is designed to respond to specific concerns and remains in place until measurable change is observed. “The principle of sanctions is that we need real change on the ground before we can think about lifting them. Sanctions are in place to change behavior, so if behavior is changing credibly and verifiably, then you

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  US, Iran sign nuclear pact to end war, reopen Strait of Hormuz, senior US official says

  by Mehdi Editor on June 15, 2026

  A senior United States official said on Monday the US has signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran to end a four-month conflict, outlining a phased framework linking economic measures, nuclear verification and regional security commitments, Anadolu reports. The memorandum of understanding was signed by President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance on the US side and by Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on behalf of Tehran, a senior US official told reporters during a briefing. Speaking at the briefing, the official said the memorandum “provides a structure for how our negotiation, our relationship will operate in the future.” “The more that the Iranians are willing to work with us on their nuclear program, on verifying that they’re

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  Iran needs its peacemaker, not its hardliners

  by Mehdi Editor on June 15, 2026

  The world is watching a remarkable possibility emerge from one of the most dangerous geopolitical rivalries of the modern era: a potential US–Iran agreement that could ease regional tensions, reopen economic channels, reduce military escalation, and create a pathway away from perpetual confrontation. Yet as diplomats inch towards compromise, the greatest threat to the deal may not come from Washington, Tel Aviv, or any external adversary. It may come from Tehran itself. The backlash against Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reveals a timeless and tragic reality of international politics: diplomacy often collapses not because enemies refuse peace, but because domestic factions fear peace more than war. Across Tehran and Mashhad, protesters have reportedly denounced Araghchi as a traitor, demanding his

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  No deal with US will be sustainable ‘without comprehensive guarantee of Lebanon’s security’: Iran

  by Mehdi Editor on June 15, 2026

  Iran said Monday no agreement with the US will be sustainable “without the comprehensive guarantee of Lebanon’s security and territorial independence.” “The mention of the name ‘Lebanon’ three times in the recent memorandum of understanding shows the strategic position of this country in the reconciliation process,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told reporters, as cited by the semi-official news agency Tasnim. “Establishing a ceasefire and ending the war in Lebanon is an integral part of the comprehensive understanding to end the war,” he added. The spokesman stressed that the release of Iran’s frozen assets and compensation for war losses are “two important economic priorities” in the memorandum of understanding reached with Washington. “The United States is obliged to cancel all

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  Hezbollah welcomes Iran-US agreement, calls for complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon

  by Mehdi Editor on June 15, 2026

  Hezbollah on Monday welcomed a framework agreement between Iran and the US aimed at ending their military conflict, reiterating its right to “defend” Lebanon until a complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory, Anadolu reports. In its first reaction to the deal, the Lebanese group congratulated Iran on reaching a memorandum of understanding with the United States that resulted in a comprehensive ceasefire across all fronts, including Lebanon. “This great achievement is the result of the legendary steadfastness, exceptional resilience and immense sacrifices made by the Iranian people and their leadership,” Hezbollah said in a statement. The group said the agreement reflected Iran’s commitment to “preserving its dignity, sovereignty and independence” despite months of conflict and pressure. Hezbollah said the understanding

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  Israeli government plans to fund extremist occupier group in occupied West Bank with $1.89M: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on June 15, 2026

  The Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to allocate 5.5 million shekels ($1.89 million) in state funding to the extremist occupier group known as the “Hilltop Youth,” the Yedioth Ahronoth daily said Monday. The newspaper said the budget was outlined in a document issued by the Settlement and National Missions Ministry, headed by Minister Orit Strock, which will oversee the transfer of funds through regional settlement councils in the occupied West Bank. The funding plan is scheduled to run from June through the end of the year and totals 5.5 million shekels, it added. According to the newspaper, each member of the Hilltop Youth movement would receive the equivalent of approximately $550 per month to help cover food,

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  Rights groups condemn court-backed ban on Palestine Action

  by Mehdi Editor on June 15, 2026

  Amnesty International and civil liberties campaigners on Monday criticized a court ruling upholding the UK government’s decision to ban Palestine Action, arguing that the move represents an alarming expansion of counter-terrorism powers and threatens the right to protest, Anadolu reports. The UK Court of Appeal ruled Monday that the proscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist organization was lawful, overturning a previous High Court ruling that found the ban breached the right to protest. Lady Chief Justice Sue Carr said Monday that it was “not a sustainable proposition to portray Palestine Action as a non-violent organization.” Tom Southerden, legal program director at Amnesty International UK, said the ruling did not change the organization’s view that the ban amounted to a

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  Bahrain sentences 12 people to 10 years in prison over support for Iranian attacks

  by Mehdi Editor on June 15, 2026

  Bahrain’s High Criminal Court on Monday sentenced 12 people to 10 years in prison in separate cases for showing support for Iranian attacks on the Gulf country, Anadolu reports. The individuals “committed crimes of supporting, encouraging, and endorsing the heinous Iranian terrorist attacks on the Kingdom of Bahrain, obtaining and broadcasting prohibited vital data, photographing prohibited locations, as well as broadcasting false news and rumors via social media, during the brutal Iranian aggression” on Bahrain, the court said in a statement carried by the state news agency BNA. An investigation identified the individuals accused of those actions, prompting the Public Prosecution to open a case against them, the agency said. READ: Bahrain says arrested 41 members of Iran-linked group Prosecutors questioned

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  The politics of ‘toxic infotainment’: When the destiny of nations becomes a digital plaything

  by Mehdi Editor on June 15, 2026

  In a world that increasingly consumes its political catastrophes as daily blockbuster thrillers, Financial Times columnist Jemima Kelly recently provided a searing psychological autopsy of what she termed “Trump’s many unhappy returns.” Kelly argues that the Western political landscape has fallen into a state of “psychological stagnation.” Major political shocks have degenerated into a monotonous, repetitive ritual, inducing a sense of weariness and moral fatigue rather than provoking genuine public outrage or rational accountability. Yet, this chronic cycle of “unhappy returns” is no mere political anomaly; it serves the supreme interests of a predatory Big Tech capitalism. Silicon Valley has discovered that liquidating anger and recycling crises yield the highest profit margins of the twenty-first century. The danger of this

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  6 Gazans killed by Israeli fire, death toll tops 73,000

  by Mehdi Editor on June 15, 2026

  Six Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks in the last 24 hours in the Gaza Strip, taking the death toll since October 2023 to 73,003, the Health Ministry said Monday, Anadolu Agency reports. A ministry statement said that six more people were also wounded by Israeli fire since Sunday, pushing the injuries to 173,252 since the start of the Israeli war nearly three years ago. The Israeli army has continued its daily violations of a ceasefire agreement in place since Oct. 10, 2025. According to the Health Ministry, at least 992 people have been killed and 3,144 others wounded since the truth. The agreement was reached after two years of Israel’s genocidal war, which began Oct. 8, 2023, and left,

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  Iran says US ‘responsible’ for implementing draft deal, calls for Israeli attacks on Lebanon to stop

  by Mehdi Editor on June 15, 2026

  Iran’s foreign minister said Monday that the US bears the responsibility for implementing the Pakistan-mediated memorandum of understanding with Tehran, calling for the Israeli attacks on Lebanon to stop. This came during Abbas Araghchi’s separate phone calls with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, according to Iran’s state news agency IRNA. Araghchi and his counterparts also stressed the need to maintain diplomatic efforts to achieve stability and security in the region, the outlet added. US President Donald Trump declared Sunday that a peace agreement with Iran had been completed. The deal includes halting war on all fronts, including Lebanon, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the

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  Israel says its army to remain in areas it occupied in southern Lebanon despite US-Iran deal

  by Mehdi Editor on June 15, 2026

  Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Monday that the Israeli army will remain in the areas it occupied in southern Lebanon as well as in Syria, and Gaza despite a peace agreement between the US and Iran, Anadolu Agency reports. Israel opposes the withdrawal of its forces from Lebanon “despite all current and future pressures,” he said in a statement. He added that areas occupied by Israel in southern Lebanon would be “cleared” of the local population. Katz also claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had made this position clear to US President Donald Trump and other senior American officials. “I also clearly conveyed this to US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth,” Katz added. READ: Iran-US deal ‘bad for Israel,’ says

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  Iran-US deal ‘bad for Israel,’ says Israeli finance minister

  by Mehdi Editor on June 15, 2026

  The US-Iran agreement reached under Pakistani mediation is “bad for Israel and the entire free world,” claimed Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Monday, Anadolu Agency reports. “The joint campaign had many achievements in weakening Iran, and they will not go to waste,” he said on the US social media company X. “We will have to continue the campaign to topple the regime ourselves and in creative ways, and ensure that Iran will never have nuclear weapons,” he added. Claiming that Tel Aviv will be tested in Lebanon, Smotrich said he will “continue to act” to give the Israeli army “full freedom of action to continue pushing Hezbollah away.” US President Donald Trump declared Sunday that a peace agreement with

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  Indonesia’s cabinet secretary turned Palestine into a public relations campaign

  by Mehdi Editor on June 15, 2026

  There is something profoundly disturbing about the way Indonesia’s Cabinet Secretary, Teddy Indra Wijaya, chose to defend President Prabowo Subianto’s diplomacy on Palestine. The problem is not that he defended his president; that is, after all, part of his job. The problem is that in trying to elevate Prabowo into a heroic statesman, Teddy ended up revealing a far more troubling reality: the extent to which Indonesian officials have begun mistaking the management of catastrophe for the achievement of justice. Responding to criticism over Prabowo’s remarkably frequent overseas trips, Teddy offered a list of accomplishments that he apparently believed would silence critics. Indonesia had conducted humanitarian airdrops into Gaza. Indonesia had deployed a hospital ship. Indonesia had provided scholarships for

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  FIFA reportedly proposes Israel-Palestine match to open youth football festival

  by Mehdi Editor on June 15, 2026

  FIFA is reportedly considering a proposal for Israel and Palestine to play the opening match of its inaugural under-15 football festival in the United States later this year. According to The Athletic, a sports news website owned by The New York Times, FIFA is proposing that the opening match of the new youth tournament should be between the Israeli and Palestinian under-15 teams. The plan remains uncertain and it is not yet clear whether either side will agree to take part. The proposed fixture would mark a highly symbolic, and potentially contentious, move by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who failed in April to secure a handshake between Palestinian Football Association (PFA) President Jibril Rajoub and Israel Football Association Vice President

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  The Iran-US Agreement and the limits of American hegemony

  by Mehdi Editor on June 15, 2026

  After nearly half a century of hostility, sanctions, military threats and indirect confrontations, the announcement of a memorandum of understanding between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States may represent one of the most significant geopolitical developments in the Middle East since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. More than an agreement on nuclear issues, however, this development reveals something deeper: Washington’s recognition of the limits of the “maximum pressure” strategy it has pursued against Tehran for decades. Since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in February 1979, the United States has sought to contain Iran through a variety of means. Economic sanctions, diplomatic isolation, sabotage operations, hybrid warfare, targeted assassinations and the constant threat of military action have all

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  Over a thousand health professionals demand boycott of Israeli Medical Association over Gaza genocide

  by Mehdi Editor on June 15, 2026

  More than 1,150 health professionals and organisations have signed a petition calling for a boycott of the Israeli Medical Association (IMA), accusing it of failing to uphold medical ethics during Israel’s genocide in Gaza. The campaign, led by the People’s Health Movement (PHM), Artsen voor Gaza (Doctors for Gaza) and the Health Advisory Council of Jewish Voice for Peace, is demanding that the IMA be suspended from the World Medical Association (WMA).  Campaigners accuse the IMA of silence in the face of Israel’s destruction of Gaza’s health system, the killing and detention of Palestinian medical workers and torture in Israeli detention centres. According to PHM, the campaign seeks to “end medical complicity” and press the global medical community to act

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  Netherlands commemorates Palestinian children, journalists killed in Israeli attacks

  by Mehdi Editor on June 15, 2026

  A memorial event was held in the central Markt Square in Den Bosch on Sunday, to commemorate Palestinian children and journalists who were killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza, Anadolu reports. Photographs and names of journalists killed in the attacks were displayed in the square, and thousands of children’s shoes were placed across the area as part of the commemoration. The Plant an Olive Tree Foundation organized the event, during which volunteers distributed brochures and informed passersby about the situation in Gaza. Esther van der Most, director of the Plant an Olive Tree Foundation, told Anadolu that the gathering was held to advocate for Palestinians’ right to live in safety, grow old with dignity, and lead their lives freely and

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  Echoes of the Lügenpresse: Unmasking Axios and its Israeli ties

  by Mehdi Editor on June 15, 2026

  There is a well-worn playbook for seizing power over information. First, declare the existing press corrupt, dishonest and  contemptible,  then position yourself as the only clean , honest, and  ‘worthy’ alternative. Finally,  use that claimed moral high ground to attack any criticism as coming from the very rot you claim to have cured. Adolf Hitler perfected it with his   Lügenpresse ‘ The ‘lying press’. Donald Trump revived it with ‘fake news’ and ‘ enemy of the people’. And now, a  ubiquitous, sleek, bullet -pointed American news outlet quietly  adopted the same rhetorical strategy,  wrapped in a minimalist logo .  The promise to establish only what is ‘worthy’ of the reader’s time, hence the name Axios, a Greek word for ‘ worthy’.

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  Funeral procession for a number of martyrs who were killed in Israeli attacks during the past few hours

  by Mehdi Editor on June 15, 2026

  WATCH: On World Environment Day, the Gaza Municipality issues an urgent appeal to save Gaza from its worsening environmental crisis

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  UK, France, Germany and Italy ready to lift Iran sanctions after US-Iran peace deal

  by Mehdi Editor on June 15, 2026

  Italy, France, Germany and the United Kingdom said in a joint statement early on Monday that they were prepared to lift sanctions on Iran following an agreement between Tehran and Washington. The statement said: “We warmly welcome the announcement of the memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran.” It added: “Iran must never acquire nuclear weapons. We stand ready to work with the United States, Iran, and the IAEA to this end.” The four countries also said they were prepared to lift sanctions in response to “clear and verifiable” steps by Iran regarding its nuclear programme. Earlier on Monday, Iranian state television officially announced that a peace agreement had been reached with the United States. Iranian state television

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  Palestinian president amends election law

  by Mehdi Editor on June 15, 2026

  Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday issued amendments to the Palestinian General Elections Law, increasing the number of seats in the Palestinian Legislative Council, lowering the electoral threshold, and expanding the participation of women and young people in the electoral process. According to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA, the amendments increase the number of Legislative Council members to 200 and reduce the electoral threshold required to win seats to 1 per cent. The minimum number of candidates on an electoral list has also been raised from 16 to 20. The amended law strengthens women’s representation by requiring at least one woman among every three candidates on an electoral list. OPINION: Palestinian National Council elections and inseparable realities It also

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  Israeli settlers attempt to set fire to mosque in occupied West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on June 15, 2026

  Israeli settlers set fire to a vehicle and attempted to burn down a mosque in the village of Burqa, east of Ramallah, on Sunday evening. The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that a group of settlers attacked the village and set fire to a vehicle parked near Al-Nour Mosque, causing material damage. The head of Burqa Village Council said the settlers broke the mosque’s doors and set fire to its entrance in an attempt to burn it down. Residents managed to extinguish the flames before they spread inside the building, while the settlers fled the area. The attack comes shortly after another attack carried out by settlers on the town of Deir Dibwan, east of Ramallah, where two vehicles were

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  Ghannouchi says he is innocent and rejects appeals against prison sentences

  by Mehdi Editor on June 15, 2026

  Former Tunisian parliament speaker and leader of the Ennahda movement, Rached Ghannouchi, has refused to appeal prison sentences issued against him because he is convinced of his innocence, his defence team said.  The movement also condemned new prison sentences handed down to several of its leaders on conspiracy-related charges in what is known as the Baja case. In a statement posted on Facebook, the defence team commented on the life sentence imposed on Ghannouchi for allegedly attempting to replace the country’s governing institutions. The lawyers said Ghannouchi “never presented himself, either publicly or secretly, as an alternative to any ruling authority”, adding that there was no evidence in the case file to support the accusation. READ: Tunisian court sentences Ennahda Leader

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  Egypt’s new Horn of Africa moves anger Ethiopia

  by Mehdi Editor on June 15, 2026

  Ethiopia has renewed its criticism of Egypt and Eritrea, coinciding with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki’s visit to Cairo and his meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, accusing both countries of undermining regional stability. The Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) published an article on Sunday accusing Eritrea of moving closer to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the militant group Al-Shabaab in Somalia. It also said Ethiopia was concerned about Egypt’s efforts to “advance its interests in the Horn of Africa” amid the long-running dispute between the two countries over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and wider geopolitical competition in the Red Sea region.  According to the report, relations between Ethiopia and Egypt have evolved beyond a dispute over Nile

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  Ceasefire announced between Iran and United States on all fronts

  by Mehdi Editor on June 15, 2026

  Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced yesterday evening that a peace agreement had been reached between the United States and Iran following intensive negotiations, saying both sides had agreed to an immediate and permanent halt to military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon. Sharif said mediators would begin facilitating a series of meetings later this week as the agreement takes effect. The formal signing ceremony is scheduled to take place in Switzerland on 19 June. Meanwhile, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, said Tehran had approved the memorandum of understanding after its final demands were incorporated into the text. He added that Iran’s military strength and the threats issued by the country had helped bring the agreement to completion. He said

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  US claims 125 million barrels of oil escorted through Strait of Hormuz

  by Mehdi Editor on June 14, 2026

  US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth suggested on Sunday that Washington has maintained control over the Strait of Hormuz, successfully guiding millions of barrels of oil through the strategic waterway despite regional tensions, Anadolu reports. “Project Freedom never stopped, and we have run 125 million barrels of oil through the straits, and Iran could not do anything about it,” Hegseth told CBS News. He claimed that not a single Iranian vessel managed to transit the American blockade, asserting that US President Donald Trump’s administration holds “absolute leverage” in ongoing diplomatic negotiations from a position of strength. READ: Iran threatens to halt US negotiations if Israeli attacks continue in Lebanon The defense chief warned that the US military posture will remain active to

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  Trump says Israeli strike on Beirut ‘should not have happened’ amid Iran peace talks

  by Mehdi Editor on June 14, 2026

  US President Donald Trump on Sunday criticized an Israeli attack on Beirut, asserting that the strike should not have occurred while Washington is on the verge of a peace agreement with Iran, Anadolu reports. “This morning’s attack on Beirut should not have happened, particularly on a special day when we are so close to a peace deal,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. He argued that the incident Israel was responding to was “small and meaningless,” resulting in no casualties, and urged all parties to “stand down” to avoid disrupting the diplomatic process. “We are very close to a deal that will bring peace to the region, including to Lebanon,” he said, calling for an immediate halt

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  Ex-Israeli premier urges removal of Netanyahu ‘with sticks, stones’ if elections are sabotaged

  by Mehdi Editor on June 14, 2026

  Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak on Sunday called for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be removed “with sticks and stones” if he attempts to undermine the upcoming general election, Anadolu reports. Barak, who served as Israel’s prime minister from 1999 to 2001, made the remarks in an interview with Israel’s public broadcaster KAN. “I fear Netanyahu may try to sabotage the elections, and he can do it very easily,” Barak said. “If he tries, we will have no choice but to remove him with sticks and stones.” Netanyahu, 76, has led the current government since late December 2022. His coalition has been widely described as the most right-wing since Israel was established on Palestinian territories in 1948. The Knesset’s

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  Trump’s strategic mistakes in his war against Iran

  by Mehdi Editor on June 14, 2026

  In January 2026, flushed with the swift, covert removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, the Trump administration rolled the dice on a far more volatile and deeply rooted adversary. President Donald Trump operated under the seductive assumption that a high-tech, stealth excursion against the Islamic Republic of Iran would yield a parallel, cost-free triumph. Yet, months into the conflict sparked by the administration’s aggressive “Maximum Pressure 2.0” campaign and escalated via Operation Epic Fury, Washington finds itself trapped in a familiar, agonizing quagmire. Tactical brilliance has once again been mistaken for strategic victory. As Winston Churchill famously observed in the wake of early wartime triumphs, “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end.

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  Iran threatens to halt US negotiations if Israeli attacks continue in Lebanon

  by Mehdi Editor on June 14, 2026

  Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf warned on Sunday that negotiations for a peace deal with the US could be halted if Israeli attacks on Lebanon continue, Anadolu reports. In a post on US social media company X, Qalibaf explained that the ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanon reflect the US’ inability to fulfill its commitments. “The Zionist attacks on the southern suburbs of Beirut once again demonstrate the United States’ lack of will or ability to fulfill its commitments,” he added. The Israeli attacks on Lebanon “will not go unanswered,” Gen. Mohammad Jafar Asadi, deputy inspector brigadier general at Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters of the Iranian Armed Forces, said in a statement, according to Fars News Agency. Asadi added that

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  Israeli army kills 6 Palestinians, including child, in attacks across Gaza

  by Mehdi Editor on June 14, 2026

  The Israeli army killed six Palestinians, including a child, and injured several others in attacks across the Gaza Strip on Sunday as Israel continued violations of the ceasefire agreement that has been in effect since Oct. 10, 2025, Anadolu reports. Four Palestinians were killed and several others injured in an Israeli strike targeting commercial shops in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, according to medical sources and eyewitnesses who spoke to Anadolu. Since Sunday morning, the Israeli army has carried out airstrikes and opened fire on Palestinians in various parts of the Gaza Strip, causing casualties, according to medical sources and eyewitnesses. In one incident, 30-year-old Zaki Mohammed al-Qarra was killed and another person moderately injured after Israeli forces

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  3 killed as Israeli army launches airstrikes in Lebanese capital in new ceasefire violation

  by Mehdi Editor on June 14, 2026

  At least three people were killed when the Israeli army launched airstrikes on the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital Beirut on Sunday despite an ongoing ceasefire, Lebanese media said, Anadolu reports. The state news agency NNA said 15 other people were injured in the attacks. According to an Anadolu reporter, the strikes hit the Dahiyeh without prior warning. Two explosions were heard in the area, with smoke seen rising from the targeted sites, he added. The Israeli army claimed in a statement that the strikes hit a target belonging to the Lebanese group Hezbollah in the area. READ: Israeli ministers call for bombing Beirut despite ceasefire Sunday’s attack came hours after Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister

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  US envoy ‘confident’ Iran deal to be signed on Sunday

  by Mehdi Editor on June 14, 2026

  The US Ambassador to the UN expressed confidence on Sunday that an agreement with Iran would be signed within the day, despite acknowledging significant hurdles in the negotiation process, Anadolu reports. “I’m confident, the team is confident,” Mike Waltz told ABC News, asserting that US President Donald Trump has “every intent” of finalizing the deal on Sunday. While Waltz avoided sharing technical specifics or the exact format of the signing, he claimed that the American team is prepared to conclude the diplomatic effort immediately. The ambassador described the Iranian representatives as “incredibly difficult negotiators,” alleging that Tehran is struggling with internal fractures. He claimed that the Iranian side is experiencing a “very hard time getting guidance” from Supreme Leader Mojtaba

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  President of Somaliland breakaway region makes 1st visit to Israel, to open embassy in Jerusalem

  by Mehdi Editor on June 14, 2026

  The president of the Somaliland breakaway region, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, arrived in Israel on Sunday for a first visit, during which he will inaugurate the region’s embassy in Jerusalem, the daiy Israel Hayom reported. Israeli President Isaac Herzog posted photos of his meeting with Abdullahi on the US social media platform X, saying: “welcome to Israel, President of Somaliland.” “This historic visit embodies the enormous potential of the new partnership between our two countries,” he said. Abdullahi is expected to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar during his two-day visit, according to the Maariv newspaper. READ: Somali president accuses Israel of taking advantage of dispute with Somaliland He is planned to open the Somaliland embassy in

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  Red Cross warns thousands buried under Gaza rubble may never be identified

  by Mehdi Editor on June 14, 2026

  The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has warned that thousands of Palestinians believed to be buried beneath Gaza’s rubble may never be identified, as recovery efforts continue to face major obstacles, according to a report by The Guardian. The report said rescue and recovery operations remain slow despite a fragile US-brokered ceasefire that took effect in October, while the passage of time is increasing the likelihood that human remains will deteriorate beyond recognition. “There is no doubt that these bodies could soon become difficult to identify,” Pat Griffiths, the Red Cross spokesperson in Jerusalem, said. “The longer it takes for human remains to be recovered, the more difficult it can be to identify them. The longer the deceased

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  My map is not ‘half-seen’, Karam Nama; it’s focused sharply

  by Mehdi Editor on June 14, 2026

  I read Karam Nama’s commentary on my article, “The cowards’ playbook”, published by MEMO last week, with interest. While I appreciate his generous words regarding my past work and physical courage, I fear that he has missed the point of my article. Moreover, I think that he misunderstands what true journalistic and intellectual courage actually means. In my experience, it does not mean reacting to every tragedy on earth simultaneously; it means speaking truthfully about the specific matters before you, which is what I did in “The cowards’ playbook…”. Nama mistakes my focused lens for a blind eye. It’s true to say that my MEMO article was not an exhaustive encyclopaedia of global tyranny. Had that been the case, it

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  Palestinian detainee dies after 25 years in Israeli prisons

  by Mehdi Editor on June 14, 2026

  A Palestinian detainee died in Israeli custody on Sunday after 25 years in prison, prisoner advocacy groups said, Anadolu reports. Imad Rajih Sarhan, 47, breathed his last at Gilboa Prison in northern Israel, with Israeli authorities blaming a heart attack for his death, the Palestinian Commission of Detainee’s Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoner Society said in a joint statement. Israeli authorities, however, did not provide further details about the circumstances of his death or his health condition before his demise. Sarhan, from Haifa city in northern Israel, has been serving a life sentence in prison since Oct. 15, 2001. “In his first years in prison, Sarhan was subjected to harsh and lengthy interrogations and systematic torture methods, which left serious

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  Revitalizing Indonesia’s economic diplomacy engine in the Middle East

  by Mehdi Editor on June 14, 2026

  Over the past decade, Indonesia’s economic engagement with the Arab world and Turkey has remained trapped in a traditional pattern, heavily reliant on fossil energy trade and the export of domestic labor. Yet entering the 2025–2026 period, a fundamental shift is underway. Under new national leadership, Indonesia is recalibrating its strategy toward integrating into high-tech industrial supply chains, advancing the green economy, and expanding high-value digital services. This broader vision is now consolidated under a single strategic framework known as “Indonesia Incorporated.” The concept represents an inclusive collaborative platform that integrates the roles of the Danantara super-holding investment entity, the Indonesia Investment Authority (INA), state-owned enterprises, and small and medium-sized businesses into a unified command structure for trade policy. In

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  Pakistan, Egypt discuss regional developments ahead of possible US-Iran deal

  by Mehdi Editor on June 14, 2026

  Pakistan and Egypt’s top diplomats spoke for a second time in 24 hours as they discussed regional developments ahead of a possible US–Iran deal, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said on Sunday, Anadolu Agency reports. Over the phone, Ishaq Dar and his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty discussed progress toward a potential understanding between Washington and Tehran. “They expressed hope that these positive developments would contribute to lasting peace, security, and stability across the region,” the statement added. Pakistan, which mediated a ceasefire in the US-Israeli war on Iran in April, has maintained regular consultations with key regional and international stakeholders for a permanent end to the conflict that engulfed the entire Middle East. READ: Iran’s final decision on memorandum with US is ‘under