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FRANCE 24’s coverage and analyses of political and social issues across the Middle East, including Egypt, the Gulf states, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Yemen and beyond.
Site URL: www.france24.com/en/middle-east/
Feed URL: www.france24.com/en/middle-east/rss
Posts: 76
Followers: 1
Despite everything, 'the Palestinians have not given up': Historian Rashid Khalidi
Published: April 29, 2026 11:14
One of the world's leading historians on the Palestinian people has told FRANCE 24 about how there is a future basis for peace in the region. Rashid Khalidi has spent years writing a series of books on the region and its conflicts, often through the eyes…
Middle East war live: Trump says Iran has been 'militarily defeated' at state dinner
Published: April 29, 2026 02:27
US President Donald Trump told Britain's King Charles III and other guests at a state dinner Tuesday that Iran has been "militarily defeated", in his first public comments on the sensitive topic during the ongoing royal visit. Follow our liveblog for the…
Iran talks stall amid Hormuz tensions and ceasefire violations in Lebanon
Published: April 28, 2026 23:28
Efforts to revive talks over the Middle East war have stalled as the US weighs Iran’s latest proposal on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil route. Tensions in Lebanon continue to escalate despite a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
UAE OPEC departure 'a manifestation of dissatisfaction vis à vis Saudi Arabia', expert says
Published: April 28, 2026 21:54
Speaking with FRANCE 24's Sharon Gaffney, expert in the geopolitics of energy Giacomo Luciani, Adjunct Professor at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, says that the departure of the UAE from the OPEC cartels is a…
Continuing hostilities in Lebanon as 1.2 million displaced sink into despair
Published: April 28, 2026 21:25
Despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire, Israel has continued striking Lebanon and its troops are occupying a strip of the south, destroying homes they describe as Hezbollah infrastructure. Hezbollah, meanwhile, has kept up attacks against Israeli troops in…
UAE pulls out of OPEC oil cartels citing 'national interests'
https://www.france24.com/en/uae-pulls-out-of-opec-oil-cartels-citing-national-interests
Published: April 28, 2026 20:18
The United Arab Emirates will withdraw from the OPEC and OPEC+ oil cartels to focus on "national interests", it announced on Tuesday, causing fresh shockwaves as energy prices soar over the Middle East war. The UAE, one of the world's top oil producers,…
UAE to quit global oil cartel OPEC, citing 'national interests'
Published: April 28, 2026 13:37
The United Arab Emirates announced on Tuesday it will quit the global oil cartel OPEC and OPEC+ to focus on "national interests" as energy prices continue to climb amid the ongoing Iran conflict.
'Israel destroyed houses, roads, even trees': People return to destruction in southern Lebanon
Published: April 28, 2026 12:12
Many videos document the Israeli army’s destruction of houses and infrastructure in southern Lebanon, where it is creating a buffer zone along the border. Our Observers, many of whom wanted to return home after a ceasefire was announced, describe empty…
Life in Tehran since the ceasefire: How Iranian society is evolving
Published: April 28, 2026 12:06
As the stalemate continues in the Strait of Hormuz and peace talks between Washington and Tehran appear to be stalled, life in Iran seems to have returned to normal since the ceasefire. Society is even undergoing a major transformation, a process that…
'Collective punishment': MSF says Israel is weaponising water access in Gaza
Published: April 28, 2026 07:23
Israeli authorities are systematically depriving Palestinians in Gaza of access to clean water, medical charity Medeçins sans Frontières (MSF, Doctors without Borders) said in a report issued Tuesday, accusing Israel of carrying out a campaign of…
Middle East war live: Trump not happy with Iran's latest peace proposal, US official says
Published: April 28, 2026 05:02
US President Donald Trump is unhappy with the latest Iranian proposal on ending the US-Israeli war against Iran, a US official told Reuters. Iran's latest proposal would reportedly set aside discussion of Iran's nuclear programme until the war is ended…
Iraq’s president ask PM-designate Ali al-Zaidi to form government
Published: April 27, 2026 20:11
Iraq’s president on Monday tasked businessman Ali al-Zaidi with forming a government after he was nominated prime minister by the country’s dominant parliamentary bloc. Zaidi is a political newcomer and has never before held a government post.
Syria tries prominent Assad-era security official
https://www.france24.com/en/video/20260427-syria-tries-prominent-assad-era-security-official
Published: April 27, 2026 15:34
A Syrian court conducted the first hearing Sunday in the trial of ousted ruler Bashar al-Assad and senior figures from his government, one of whom appeared in person. Former security official Atif Najib was in the dock in handcuffs.
Palestinians in Gaza’s Deir al-Balah elect local leaders in first election in two decades
Published: April 27, 2026 14:56
Palestinians living in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Gazan community of Deir al-Balah this weekend headed to the ballots to elect their local leaders. For the Gazans who participated, it was their first local vote in more than two decades.…
Middle East war live: Putin receives Iran’s foreign minister amid stalled US-Iran talks
Published: April 27, 2026 02:45
Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday, Russian state media reported. Russia and Tehran, who are both subject to fierce Western sanctions, have developed an increasingly close relationship in…
Syria begins first trial of Bashar al-Assad and allies after his ouster
https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20260426-syria-first-trial-bashar-al-assad-allies-ouster
Published: April 26, 2026 21:52
A Syrian court held its first hearing on Sunday in the trial of ousted president Bashar al-Assad and senior officials from his former government, state media said. Assad and his brother Maher al-Assad, who fled Syria, are being tried in absentia, while…
Iran’s top diplomat leaves Pakistan for Russia, Trump says Tehran can talk by phone
Published: April 26, 2026 19:32
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday squeezed in a trip to Oman before returning to Pakistan and then heading to Moscow for talks in a frantic diplomatic shuffle as mediators pressed to reignite talks between Tehran and the US. But President…
Deadly Israeli strikes hit Lebanon despite ceasefire extension
https://www.france24.com/en/deadly-israeli-strikes-hit-lebanon-despite-ceasefire-extension
Published: April 26, 2026 10:07
Lebanese state media reported a series of new Israeli strikes in at least four different locations in the country's south late Saturday, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered his military to attack Hezbollah following alleged ceasefire…
Middle East war live: Iran's FM to return to Pakistan for talks as US envoys cancel visit
Published: April 26, 2026 05:13
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to return to Pakistan on Sunday for more peace negotiations, state media reported, having just left Islamabad the previous day. US envoys did not arrive in Islamabad as expected on Saturday after Iran…
Festive mood in West Bank as local elections underway
https://www.france24.com/en/festive-mood-in-west-bank-as-local-elections-underway
Published: April 25, 2026 15:36
A festive and cheerful mood has taken hold of the West Bank as the Palestinian Authority holds local elections, FRANCE 24's Noga Tarnopolsky said, reporting from Bethlehem. Most electoral lists are aligned with president Mahmud Abbas's secular-nationalist…
Low voter turnout in Gaza as West Bank holds local elections
https://www.france24.com/en/low-voter-turnout-in-gaza-as-west-bank-holds-local-elections
Published: April 25, 2026 14:46
Palestinians in the West Bank and central Gaza voted Saturday in municipal elections, the first since the war in Gaza erupted, with low turnout and a limited political field. Nearly 1.5 million people are registered to vote in the Israeli-occupied West…
Iran rules out talks with US unless blockade of ports lifted
https://www.france24.com/en/iran-rules-out-talks-with-us-unless-blockade-of-ports-lifted
Published: April 25, 2026 14:02
US envoys were expected in the Pakistani capital on Saturday to kickstart a new round of peace negotiations with Iran, although Iranian state media said Tehran's representatives had no immediate plans to hold face-to-face talks. "According to Tehran, until…
Elections in West Bank provide 'credibility to Palestinian sovereignty', expert says
Published: April 25, 2026 12:47
Local elections are being held in the West Bank and parts of Gaza on Saturday. The vote will determine the makeup of local councils tasked with overseeing water, roads, and electricity. Bertrand Besancenot, former French ambassador to Qatar and Saudi…
Elections in West Bank: ‘Barometer’ on Palestinian public opinion
https://www.france24.com/en/elections-in-west-bank-barometer-on-palestinian-public-opinion
Published: April 25, 2026 11:38
Palestinians on Saturday cast ballots in tents and damaged buildings in Deir al-Balah, marking the first local election in part of Gaza Strip in over 20 years. With Hamas affiliated candidates on the list of candidates, the vote serves as a "barometer" on…
Displaced Lebanese remain skeptical despite extended truce
https://www.france24.com/en/displaced-lebanese-remain-skeptical-despite-extended-truce
Published: April 25, 2026 09:39
In the coastal city of Sidon, displaced families sheltering from months of conflict express little relief at the extension of a fragile truce between Lebanon and Israel. While Donald Trump voiced optimism about a path toward peace, many civilians –…
US envoys to travel to Islamabad despite Iran ruling out direct negotiations with US
Published: April 25, 2026 09:35
US envoys are expected to travel to Pakistan on Saturday in a new bid to salvage ceasefire talks with Tehran, even as Iran ruled out direct negotiations with US representatives as its top diplomat arrived in Islamabad. The latest effort to broker a deal…
Spain PM brushes of reported Pentagon email on punishing NATO members
Published: April 25, 2026 09:21
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday refused to be drawn into a dispute with the United States over reports that the Pentagon is weighing whether to punish members of NATO that fail to support American operations in the Iran war. Among those in…
Mojtaba Khamenei remains out of the spotlight in Iran
https://www.france24.com/en/mojtaba-khamenei-remains-out-of-the-spotlight-in-iran
Published: April 25, 2026 09:03
Mojtaba Khamenei has remained out of the spotlight since being named Supreme leader of Iran, fuelling speculation that he was seriously injured in the strike that killed his father almost two months ago. According the a New York Times report, Khamenei…
Middle East war live: US envoys expected in Islamabad as Iran rules out direct talks
Published: April 25, 2026 05:13
US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to arrive in Islamabad on Saturday for peace talks with Iran in the latest attempt by the US to broker a peace deal. Although Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Pakistan on Friday,…
Palestinians vote in local elections as polls open for the first time since Gaza war
Published: April 25, 2026 01:25
Palestinians take to the polls on Saturday, for the first time since the Gaza war, to vote in municipal elections. There are no Hamas candidates on electoral lists, which are mostly aligned with president Mahmud Abbas's secular-nationalist Fatah party or…
Iran's FM Araghchi arrives in Pakistan ahead of planned US ceasefire talks
Published: April 24, 2026 21:01
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Friday to discuss proposals for restarting peace talks with the United States, amid conflicting signals on whether he would meet with US negotiators there. The White…
Iran: Neither war nor Peace, Ukraine’s Lifeline, Starmer: “Just a Scratch”?
Published: April 24, 2026 18:22
In a week where a stalemate appears to have developed after nearly two months of asymmetric conflict between the US and Iran, President Trump’s Truth Social posts have swung between belligerent maximalism and breezy deal-making—one minute suggesting a…
Retired US Army Colonel discusses naval strategy in Hormuz
Published: April 24, 2026 17:40
Joe Buccino is the former communications director of US Central Command, CentCom, which directs and commands American military operations in the Middle East, Central and Sout Asia.
Trump's favourite field marshall: A profile of Asim Munir
Published: April 24, 2026 17:07
One of the notable aspects of Pakistan being the centre of peace talks is just how the country positioned itself as the mediator, or facilitator, between the US and Iran.
US Defense Secretary Hegseth: 'US blockade has gone global'
https://www.france24.com/en/us-defense-secretary-hegseth-us-blockade-has-gone-global
Published: April 24, 2026 13:20
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Operation Epic Fury has achieved a decisive result in just weeks, focused on preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons. He noted the mission is entering a new phase, giving Iran the chance to pursue a “good and…
REPLAY: Press briefing by US Defense Secretary
https://www.france24.com/en/video/20260424-replay-press-briefing-by-us-defense-secretary-1
Published: April 24, 2026 13:17
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Operation Epic Fury has achieved a decisive result in just weeks, focused on preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons. He noted the mission is entering a new phase, giving Iran the chance to pursue a “good and…
UN peacekeeper dies of wounds in Lebanon
https://www.france24.com/en/un-peacekeeper-dies-of-wounds-in-lebanon
Published: April 24, 2026 13:17
The UN mission in Lebanon said Friday that an Indonesian peacekeeper has died from wounds sustained in a March 29 attack on his base. Arriving at an EU summit in Cyprus, French President Emmanuel Macron urged the European Union to “intensify its efforts”…
'The world bailed out the banks, no one is bailing out the children,' UNICEF says
Published: April 24, 2026 13:10
In an interview with FRANCE 24, UNICEF global spokesperson James Elder discussed the situation in Lebanon, where "critical infrastructure that girls and boys rely on" have been targeted, giving Lebanese people "a sense that there really is nowhere safe".…
UN peacekeeper dies of wounds suffered in Lebanon
https://www.france24.com/en/un-peacekeeper-dies-of-wounds-suffered-in-lebanon
Published: April 24, 2026 11:43
The UN mission in Lebanon said Friday that an Indonesian peacekeeper has died from wounds sustained in a March 29 attack on his base. Arriving at an EU summit in Cyprus, French President Emmanuel Macron urged the European Union to “intensify its efforts”…
Hormuz standoff chokes 20% of oil supply
https://www.france24.com/en/hormuz-standoff-chokes-20-of-oil-supply
Published: April 24, 2026 09:59
In the Strait of Hormuz, the United States and Iran are locked in a struggle for influence over one of the world’s most strategic waterways, with Washington emphasizing ship seizures to demonstrate its ability to disrupt maritime traffic, while a parallel…
Trump orders navy to shoot Iranian boats
https://www.france24.com/en/trump-orders-navy-to-shoot-iranian-boats
Published: April 24, 2026 09:55
The standoff between the United States and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz appears to be edging closer to renewed conflict than a peace deal, with President Donald Trump ordering the Navy to target Iranian boats laying mines and Israel signaling it is ready…
Lebanon - Israel: Truce extended by three weeks
https://www.france24.com/en/lebanon-israel-truce-extended-by-three-weeks
Published: April 24, 2026 08:13
Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend a ceasefire for three weeks, according to the White House, which hosted ambassadors from both countries, but fighting persists as Hezbollah, absent from the talks, has launched new waves of rockets and drones, while…
Israeli fire kills five in Gaza
https://www.france24.com/en/israeli-fire-kills-five-in-gaza
Published: April 24, 2026 08:12
Israeli airstrikes killed at least four Palestinians in Gaza on Thursday, while in a separate incident in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, a 15-year-old was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers during an army raid, according to Palestinian health officials.…
Strait of Hormuz: Iran, US seize ships
https://www.france24.com/en/strait-of-hormuz-iran-us-seize-ships
Published: April 24, 2026 08:11
US President Donald Trump says he is not rushing into a peace agreement with Iran, downplaying concerns over Iranian small boats even after they seized two container ships in the Strait of Hormuz, and arguing that Tehran is unable to strike a deal due to…
Israel, Lebanon extend ceasefire as Trump says ‘great chance’ for peace deal
Published: April 24, 2026 08:10
Israel and Lebanon extended their ceasefire by three weeks on Thursday following a meeting of officials from both sides at the White House. US President Donald Trump said he believed there was a "great chance" the two countries would agree on a peace deal,…
Israel, Lebanon extend ceasefire as Trump says ‘great chance’ for peace deal
Published: April 24, 2026 05:52
Israel and Lebanon extended their ceasefire by three weeks on Thursday following a meeting of officials from both sides at the White House. US President Donald Trump said he believed there was a "great chance" the two countries would agree on a peace deal,…
Middle East war live: Israel-Lebanon ceasefire continues as Trump hopes for peace deal
Published: April 24, 2026 01:38
President Donald Trump on Thursday announced a three-week extension of the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. This comes after Trump ordered the US Navy "to shoot and kill any boat" that is laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, and announced that…
Both Trump and Iran share false information about 8 women facing execution by the regime
Published: April 23, 2026 19:48
This Wednesday Donald Trump claimed that out of respect for him, Iran had agreed to spare the lives of 8 young Iranian women facing execution. But he was quickly struck with accusations that the women were AI-generated. Iran gave conflicting information,…
Lebanon leaders accuse Israel of war crime after journalist killed
https://www.france24.com/en/lebanon-leaders-accuse-israel-of-war-crime-after-journalist-killed
Published: April 23, 2026 18:39
Lebanon's president and prime minister accused Israel on Thursday of a war crime, after an airstrike killed a Lebanese journalist in the country's south, where Israeli forces occupy several areas. Rescuers and the reporter's employer on Wednesday confirmed…
Israel defense minister says awaiting US green light to 'return Iran to Stone Age'
Published: April 23, 2026 18:36
Defence minister Israel Katz said on Thursday that Israel was "prepared to resume the war against Iran", adding that his country was awaiting a green light from the United States to return Iran to "the Stone Age". FRANCE 24's Noga Tarnopolsky reports from…
Iran flaunts its grip over the Strait of Hormuz with commandos storming cargo ship
Published: April 23, 2026 18:33
Reporting from Tehran, FRANCE 24's correspondent Reza Sayah explains that "the arena has shifted from Iran, from the Gulf States, from Israel to the Persian Gulf, to the Strait of Hormuz" adding that "the greater strategy, the greater objective seems to be…
Trump orders Iran mine-layers sunk, as Iran tolls tankers
https://www.france24.com/en/trump-orders-iran-mine-layers-sunk-as-iran-tolls-tankers
Published: April 23, 2026 18:15
President Donald Trump ordered the US Navy on Thursday to destroy any Iranian boat caught laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, putting more pressure on a fraying ceasefire as disruption from the Gulf stand-off battered the world economy. FRANCE 24's Carys…
Truce without talks: What room for diplomacy between US and Iran?
Published: April 23, 2026 18:12
How to mediate between Iran and the United States when one side wants revenge for the killing of its leader and the other’s erratic messaging seems ratings driven?Donald Trump’s unilateral ceasefire declaration bringing neither side back to the bargaining…
'The future is peace': A story of brotherhood across a divided land
Published: April 23, 2026 16:48
While the events of October 7, 2023, may have pushed some Israelis and Palestinians apart, Maoz Inon and Aziz Abu Sarah say they've become like brothers. When Maoz lost his parents in the attacks, Aziz, who himself lost a brother during the first intifada,…
'The future is peace': A story of brotherhood across a divided land
https://www.france24.com/en/the-future-is-peace-a-story-of-brotherhood-across-a-divided-land
Published: April 23, 2026 16:38
While the events of 7th October, 2023, may have pushed some Israelis and Palestinians apart, Maoz Inon and Aziz Abu Sarah say they've become like brothers. When Maoz lost his parents in the attacks, Aziz, who himself lost a brother during the first…
Shadow of failed 1983 agreement haunts new Israeli-Lebanon talks
Published: April 23, 2026 15:10
As Lebanon prepares to resume direct discussions with Israel, the ghost of the May 17 Agreement of 1983 – a deal that was signed but never implemented – is haunting the new round of negotiations. President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam are…
War in Lebanon: Most people 'are severely traumatised', CARE country director says
Published: April 23, 2026 12:57
Lebanon's country director for the charity CARE has told FRANCE 24 that life for the Lebanese is a perpetual challenge that people have to overcome. Michael Adams says the ceasefire there is very fragile, and the constant infractions mean people don't have…
Washington uses Iraq's own oil money to bend Baghdad to its will
Published: April 23, 2026 11:28
The Trump administration has blocked a shipment of nearly $500 million in cash to Iraq, pressing Baghdad to dismantle powerful Iranian-backed armed groups. Analysts say the blockage risks destabilising an already fragile economy.
EU 'must' shift to renewables to end fossil fuel 'blackmail from war-driving authoritarian regimes'
Published: April 23, 2026 07:07
François Picard is pleased to welcome Hannah Neumann, German MEP, Greens/EFA and Chair of EU Parliament's Delegation for Iran. She offers analysis on the growing geopolitical instability surrounding Iran, energy security, and the EU’s strategic position in…
Middle East war live: Lebanon meets Israel in Washington to request truce extension
Published: April 23, 2026 02:55
Israel and Lebanon hold a new round of talks in Washington on Thursday, during which Beirut plans to request a one-month extension of a ceasefire due to expire within days. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.
Gulf allies have requested financial support, US Treasury Secretary says
Published: April 22, 2026 21:04
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday that a number of allies in the Gulf region and in Asia have requested currency swap lines from the United States to help deal with energy shocks and other fallout from the Middle East war. FRANCE…
'Right now both sides are testing each other', analyst says as Iran truce extended
Published: April 22, 2026 19:27
FRANCE 24's Mark Owen speaks with Negah Angha, Former National Security Advisor under US President Joe Biden, about the ongoing standoff between Iran and the United States, which has choked off all traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. She says that "right…
French soldier dies of wounds after attack on UN force in Lebanon
https://www.france24.com/en/french-soldier-dies-of-wounds-after-attack-on-un-force-in-lebanon
Published: April 22, 2026 18:52
President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that a second French soldier had died following an attack on United Nations peacekeepers in Lebanon last week, which he said was carried out by Iran-backed Hezbollah. FRANCE 24's Mark Owen speaks with the…
Three ships targeted in Hormuz, Iran seizes two
https://www.france24.com/en/three-ships-targeted-in-hormuz-iran-seizes-two
Published: April 22, 2026 18:24
Iranian forces targeted three container ships on Wednesday, seizing two, the latest incidents to threaten a crucial trade route in the Middle East war. Iran's parliament speaker said on Wednesday that the Islamic republic would not reopen the Strait of…
Second French peacekeeper dies after ambush blamed on Hezbollah
https://www.france24.com/en/second-french-peacekeeper-dies-after-ambush-blamed-on-hezbollah
Published: April 22, 2026 18:12
A second French soldier died on Wednesday from wounds suffered in a weekend ambush against UN peacekeepers in Lebanon blamed on Hezbollah, President Emmanuel Macron said. A first soldier, staff sergeant Florian Montorio, was shot dead in the Saturday…
World's worst energy crisis? Iran war sparks scramble for alternatives to Gulf oil
Published: April 22, 2026 18:10
Will the world have enough fuel to fill the tank and fertilize the crops? The seizure of ships by Iran adding to global jitters as the extension of a ceasefire offers zero visibility on prospects for the planet’s biggest choke point for oil and gas. Nearly…
Mapping the environmental toll of the Middle East war
Published: April 22, 2026 15:59
Oil refineries set ablaze, missiles hitting pesticide factories, an oil slick in the Strait of Hormuz... In under two months, the US and Israel’s war on Iran has inflicted a heavy toll on the environment, fuelling concerns over the public health impact on…
Food security: Why Guterres’s UN plan to get fertiliser flowing in Hormuz is stalling
Published: April 22, 2026 15:00
The United Nations is pushing its proposal for a humanitarian corridor to get fertiliser and other essential goods through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively blocked since the start of the Iran war. This plan, which FRANCE 24 has seen, has…
'Trump's high-stakes political theatre: US winning conventional war, Iran winning asymmetrical war'
Published: April 22, 2026 14:15
Delano D'Souza is pleased to welcome Dr. William Lawrence, Senior Academic and Research Fellow-in-Residence and the Director of the North African Area Studies Program at the National Council on US-Arab Relations. As a former US diplomat in the Muslim…
Residents pay the price as Afghanistan-Pakistan border remains closed
Published: April 22, 2026 13:20
The border between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been completely closed for six months, a direct consequence of the conflict between Kabul and Islamabad. Despite several mediation attempts, negotiations have failed, and the two countries remain at a…
Iran: 'Going back to war is not in anyone's interest,' risk analyst says
Published: April 22, 2026 12:42
A risk management analyst has spoken to FRANCE 24 about what it means, amid the ceasefire, if the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed. Paymon Azmoudeh is a senior consultant with the risk and compliance practice at Forward Global. He says he thinks…
Rabbi who bulldozed Palestinian homes selected for Israel's national celebration
Published: April 22, 2026 11:20
PRESS REVIEW – Wednesday, April 22: An extremist rabbi accused of war crimes has been selected to participate in Israeli Independence Day celebrations. Next: papers look at LGBTQ laws in Hungary and Russia. Also: did someone manipulate France's official…
‘We cannot let Iran be our spokesperson’: Lebanon charts own path in talks with Israel
Published: April 22, 2026 08:35
François Picard is pleased to welcome Jad Shahrour. Communications Manager at Samir Kassir Foundation. Lebanon is at a geopolitical crossroads, where sovereignty, regional rivalries, and international diplomacy collide. Joining us from Beirut amid ongoing…
‘We cannot let Iran be our spokesperson’: Lebanon charts own path in talks with Israel
Published: April 22, 2026 08:28
François Picard is pleased to welcome Jad Shahrour. Communications Manager at Samir Kassir Foundation. Lebanon is at a geopolitical crossroads, where sovereignty, regional rivalries, and international diplomacy collide. Joining us from Beirut amid ongoing…
IRGC asserting themselves as Iran 'responds to Trump’s method of conducting diplomacy in kind'
Published: April 22, 2026 08:01
Carys Garland is pleased to welcome Dr Burcu Ozcelik, Senior Research Fellow for Middle East Security within the Int'l Security Dept at RUSI. Dr. Ozcelik argues that Iran is simultaneously responding to external pressures: particularly the performative…
Live: US will prolong ceasefire, unclear if Iran agrees
Published: April 22, 2026 03:27
US President Donald Trump said he would indefinitely extend the ceasefire with Iran to allow for further peace talks, although it was not clear on Wednesday if Iran or Israel, the US ally in the two-month war, would agree. Follow our liveblog for the…