Georgia declines to join new EU sanctions against Iran Georgia has declined to join the European Unions latest sanctions against Iran, saying its foreign policy decisions are guided by national interests, Irans state news agency, IRNA, reported. Tengiz Sharmanashvili, a representative of Georgias ruling Georgian Dream party in parliament, said Tbilisi decides whether to back international measures based on whether they serve Georgias interests at a particular time. If a decision conflicts with ..

Centcom says 68 vessels redirected so far in Iran naval blockade The US forces have redirected 68 commercial vessels, disabled three and boarded two others to enforce the ongoing naval blockade against Iran, US Central Command (Centcom) said. In a post on X, Centcom said more than 20 warships have been supporting the blockade, which continues amid US threats to impose toughest sanctions in history on Iran. U.S. Sailors observe an MH-60R Sea Hawk landing on the flight deck aboard USS Ross (DDG ..

Pro-Gaza flotilla arrives in Albania in support of 'Flamingo Revolution' Several Italian and Albanian pro-Palestinian activists Albania have arrived in Albania's Vlore in support of the Flamingo Revolution protest movement opposing a planned luxury resort linked to US president Donald Trumps son-in- law Jared Kushner. They travelled from the Italian port of Brindisi to Vlore aboard several boats from the Global Sumud Flotilla, which were damaged and left adrift by the Israeli military during the ..

Lebanon death toll rises to 4,348 Israeli attacks have killed at least 4,348 people in Lebanon since 2 March and injured more than 12,300, according to the latest figures published by the Lebanese ministry of health. The ministry also said at least 8,915 people had been killed than 30,540 injured since the war began on October 2023.

Turkey denounces Netanyahu's 'petty political tactics' Turkey on Friday denounced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's "petty political tactics" in a statement from the president's office. In a statement posted on X, it condemned what it called the Netanyahu government's attempt "to present Turkey as a new threat".

Trump says Iran not ready to make the 'right deal' US President Donald Trump said on Friday he did not think that Iran was ready make the "right deal," and that Washington was observing "what happens" in the war. "It just means that we're seeing what happens," Trump told reporters when asked if US military options with Iran were limited. "We have total control of that entire region having to do with the Strait of Hormuz, and that means well into it, the land areas. So, they would love to make a ..

Irans Ghalibaf: We stay out of Iraqs affairs Irans parliament speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Friday Iran does not interfere in Iraqi internal affairs and will support any agreement between the factions and the Iraqi government. Ghalibaf's statement follows Baghdad's 30 September deadline for all paramilitary factions to integrate into formal state security structures.

US elections: Aisha Wahab becomes first Afghan-American in Congress Submitted by MEE staff on Fri, 08/21/2026 - 18:19 Wahab will assume the seat of Eric Swalwell, who resigned in April, but she will still compete in the November midterms California State Senator Aisha Wahab speaks to reporters during an election night watch party at Firefighters Local 1909 in Hayward, California on 18 August 2026 (Heather Diehl/Getty Images via AFP) Off The first Afghan- American to take a seat in the US ..

Iran president says time to end war while in position of strength Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Friday it was time to end the months-long war with the United States because Tehran appeared to be in a stronger position than Washington. Talks between the longtime foes remain on hold, and the war started by the US and Israel in February has been locked in a stalemate. Tehran is keeping the key Strait of Hormuz partially shut and Washington is persisting with a naval counter-blockade ..

FM Araghchi says US economic pressure campaign is doomed to fail Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said US President Donald Trumps threat to launch the most crushing economic operation ever against Iran was doomed to failure. Weve seen this movie before; the same old story, just with different bullies, Araghchi said, adding that US threats to impose the most crippling sanctions in history 14 years ago had failed. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks during a joint press ..

Turkey to seek Interpol notice for Netanyahu in Gaza flotilla case Turkey said on Friday it would seek an Interpol red notice for the arrest ofIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as part of a domestic criminal case linked to an attack on activists seeking to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. Nato member Turkey has been one of the fiercest critics ofIsrael's war on Gaza and has previously issued domestic arrest warrants for Netanyahu over the war there. It has repeatedly called for ..

Iran and Oman discuss resuming talks over Strait of Hormuz The Omani and Iranian foreign ministers discussed in a phone call ways to create suitable conditions for resuming dialogue and negotiations, and developments affecting navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, Oman's state news agency said on Friday.

'Bloodline punishment': Iranian family faces ongoing punitive ICE detention A Los Angeles-based Iranian family has spent over 130 days in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention to date due to their relatives political activity nearly 50 years ago. In a letter published in The Nation, Iranian academic Maryam Tahmasebi described the arrest and detention of her husband, Eissa Hashemi, their 16-year-old son and herself, as "bloodline punishment" as the three permanent residents were ..

Watch: Netanyahu warns Turkey over presence in Syria Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Israel would not tolerate a Turkish military presence expanding southwards in Syria, saying it would pose a threat to Israel. We will not tolerate Turkish military presence establishing itself as it moves south. It threatens us. We conveyed that clearly, Netanyahu said. His comments came after Israel struck Syrias Abu al-Duhur airbase on Tuesday, warning that the deployment of ..

Nearly everyone in Gaza in need of shelter aid, NRC says An estimated 1.98 million Palestinians in Gaza, 94 per cent of the population, need shelter and basic household assistance, according to a new report by the Shelter Cluster, led by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). Jan Egeland, Secretary General of NRC, said in a post on X that only 10 percent of families reported receiving shelter aid in the month before the assessment and stocks of shelter materials and basic household assistance are ..

Opinion: Amid genocide in Gaza, why must Palestinian journalists uphold the illusion of neutrality? On 20 June 2026, the Israeli army killed Al Jazeera Mubasher cameraman Ahmed Wishah in a drone strike, less than two and a half months after the killing of his brother, Al Jazeera Mubasher correspondent Mohammed Wishah, who was targeted by the same army on 8 April. After Mohammed's death, Ahmed appeared on Al Jazeera pleading: "Let Mohammed be the last journalist Israel kills. We don't want any ..

US Treasury chief urges China to back proposed Iran sanctions US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged China to get with the programme over proposed sanctions on Iran, saying Beijing would benefit from the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and lower energy prices. Asked in a CNBC interview whether Washington could target China for doing business with Iran, Bessent said such discussions were best held in private but that the United States was confident everyone wanted the strait reopened and ..

US vows to 'collapse' Iran with new sanctions as energy prices spike Submitted by MEE staff on Thu, 08/20/2026 - 19:32 Soaring commodity and shipping prices underscore the risks of inflation as US readies 'economic D-Day' US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent speaks to members of the press outside the White House on 20 August 2026, in Washington, DC (Alex Wong/Getty Images/AFP) Off The US will impose "the toughest sanctions in history on Iran , Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent said ..

Yemeni government forces carry out dozens of operations against Houthis Yemeni government forces said they have carried out 81 qualitative military operations against Houthis in the past 24 hours, Al Jazeera reported. Armed forces spokesman Colonel Majid Abdullah al-Nuzaili said the operations are part of a series of retaliatory measures against Houthi attacks, resulting in the neutralisation of a number of field commanders as well as the destruction of equipment and vehicles.

US targets Hezbollah with fresh sanctions The United States will on Thursday issue fresh sanctions targeting Lebanon's Hezbollah, including re-designating it under a terrorism authority,according to a statement seen by Reuters, in a move aimed at emphasizing its links to theIranian government. While Hezbollah is not being designated under any new authority, the Treasury Department is re-designating it as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist "for service to theIranian regime under the command ..

Exclusive: UK condemns 'abhorrent' Ben Gvir comments on killing Palestinians The British government has condemned recent remarks made by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir calling for the killing of "30-40" Palestinians in Gaza every night as "abhorrent" and "dehumanising", in comments to Middle East Eye. Ben Gvir said earlier this week that "I think we should carry out targeted assassinations in Gaza, taking down 30 to 40 every night," adding "not just those who pose an ..

British activist Anas Altikriti questions UAE surveillance operation Submitted by Areeb Ullah on Thu, 08/20/2026 - 16:17 The veteran activist said the police refused to tell him who threatened his life ten years ago Anas Altikriti was served with an Osman notice by the London Metropolitan Police - a notice given to individuals whose life is at imminent risk (Screengrab) Off It was a cold winter morning when British police knocked on Anas Altikriti's family home in London. The veteran anti-war ..

Iran condemns new US sanctions, calls them 'economic terrorism' Iran's foreign ministry condemned newly announced US economic and trade sanctions on Thursday, saying they targeted ordinaryIranians and amounted to "economic terrorism" and crimes against humanity. US President Donald Trump warned on Wednesday of sweeping economic consequencesfor any country that provided what he called "any type of lifeline toIran", threatening economic warfare and isolation on an unprecedented scale. TheIranian ..

We are starving: Palestinians besieged by settlers in West Bank homes run out of food Palestinians trapped in their homes by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank town of Qusra are running out of food as the siege enters its 12th day. Aisha Hassan, who is sheltering in one of three surrounded homes south of Nablus with her mother and brother, said they were starving. Israeli soldiers arrived last week, ostensibly to remove the settlers, but have since effectively contributed to the siege ..

France: Mosque closure fuels fear of state overreach on Muslim worship Submitted by Tassa Adidi on Thu, 08/20/2026 - 09:06 Latest shutdown decision, which was accused of incriminating Islamic texts, reignites debate about French government's attempts to control the practice of Islam A man reads the Quran as Muslims wait to break their fast at a mosque during the month of Ramadan in Calais, northern France, on 10 March 2026 (Sameer al-Doumy/AFP) Off In Aulnay-sous-Bois, in the northeastern ..

After Gaza, can Muslims defend Al-Aqsa Mosque? Submitted by Amina Shareef on Wed, 08/19/2026 - 15:14 Islam's third holiest site has reached a perilous crossroads, as Israel works tirelessly to change the status quo A Palestinian woman offers Friday prayers against the backdrop of the Old City of Jerusalem and the Aqsa Mosque on 3 April, 2026 (AFP) On Al-Aqsa Mosque is in peril. For decades, Muslims have been warned that the status quo surrounding Islams third holiest site was becoming ..