The Road Map That Egypt Needs A number of conditions could break the deadly stalemate in Egypt and produce a smooth transition. By Nassif Hitti
Referendums to Put Pressure On Palestinian, Israeli Negotiators The decision by Israel and the Palestinians to put any final deal to referendums will have a profound influence on the negotiation process. By Daoud Kuttab In Amman, reporting on Palestinian politics
Obama Administration Navigates New Egypt Al-Monitor’s coverage and analysis of Egypt. By Week in Review
Iran’s New President Promises To Seek 'Better Life' for All Iranians Hassan Rouhani took the oath of office on Aug. 4 as Iran’s 11th president and repeated pledges to try reduce Iran’s isolation and relieve its economic distress. By Barbara Slavin
Is Turkey's 'Magnificent Century' A Threat or Asset? How Turkey's "Magnificent Century" soap opera, depicting the life and times of an Ottoman sultan, has managed to draw both fans and critics from the country's neighbors. By Riada Ašimović Akyol
Supreme Leader Khamenei AsksAll Iranian Factions to Help Rouhani Barbara Slavin reports from Tehran, where Hassan Rouhani officially became the Islamic Republic's 11th president on Aug. 3, 2013. By Barbara Slavin
Engel: Sanctions, Not Rouhani, Only Chance for Iran Deal Eliot Engel, ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, discusses sanctions on Iran, his support for missile strikes against Syrian airfields and the need to maintain US military assistance to Egypt. By Andrew Parasiliti In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, national security
House Intel Committee Chairman Not Hopeful on Iran's Rouhani Mike Rogers, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence chairman, says claims of Iranian President-elect Hassan Rouhani’s moderation are more marketing than reality. By Andrew Parasiliti In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, national security
More Iran Sanctions A Mixed Bag for Netanyahu The Israeli prime minister may still have to defer his “mission accomplished” moment in Iran. By Meir Javedanfar
Iran’s New Culture Minister Key Figure in Rouhani’s Cabinet While some are skeptical over the proposed culture minister who is the son of a hard-line ayatollah, many expect an improvement in the ministry under his leadership.
More Troubling News For Turkish Media’s Independence Can Dundar, veteran journalist of Milliyet daily, is fired under government pressure. By Tulin Daloglu
Erdogan’s Crisis With Pregnant Women A remark by a supporter of Turkey’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) has created a domestic political crisis for Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. By Semih Idiz
Turkish Media Drifting Toward an Abyss The crisis at Sabah and Milliyet, two of Turkey’s flagship newpapers, has deepened under persistent political pressure, sounding the alarm for the country’s media. By Yavuz Baydar
An Anatolian Tiger Gives Fair Warning to Erdogan A leader of the conservative business community in Turkey criticizes the government’s latest move against the country’s largest industrial group By Yasemin Çongar
Iraq’s Civilian Activists Under Siege Civilian activists in Iraq have increasingly been subject to attacks, killings and threats from the authorities, militias and terrorist organizations. By Ali Mamouri
Egyptian Crisis Reduces Friction Between Israel and Hamas Both Israel and the Hamas government in Gaza have an interest in preventing a further deterioration on the Egyptian border. By Geoffrey Aronson