US military to monitor Israel-Lebanon ceasefire alongside UN, France The Lebanese Army emerges as the lynchpin of a fragile ceasefire as Biden vows no US troops on the ground in south Lebanon. Lebanon
Iran promises response 'beyond imagination' to Israeli strikes even as deal looms A month after Israel's Oct. 26 strikes on Iran, Iranian officials are ramping up discussions of a response to the attack. Iran
Iran defense chief visits Venezuela, talks energy, trade: What we know Iran and Venezuela are working to repair oil ties after the reimposition of US sanctions on the South American country and the looming return of President Donald Trump to the White House. Iran
IAEA censures Iran over nuclear activity Out of its 35 member countries, 19 voted in favor of the resolution, 12 abstained, while China, Russia and Burkina Faso voted against it. Iran
Analysis As Khamenei's aide visits Lebanon, is Iran signaling de-escalation? By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Analysis Israel euphoric over Trump's cabinet: Will he pick annexation or Saudi deal? By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
US to continue defensive intelligence support to Saudi Arabia on Yemen 'We are not a party to Yemen's civil war,' CENTCOM commander says Saudi Arabia
Pentagon sends aircraft carrier Nimitz home from Middle East The USS Nimitz spent more than 270 days at sea conducting exercises with the Indian navy and seeking to deter Iran from retaliating for last year's killing of Qasem Soleimani. Gulf
Pentagon reassures Middle East partners on deterring Iran The US military is signaling its show of force against Tehran may continue as the State Department explores paths toward a renewed nuclear agreement. United States
Intel: Progressives defend Robert Malley as Biden's possible Iran envoy Critics accuse the former Obama official of overlooking Iran's human rights record. Congress
Iran hosts Taliban delegation to discuss US presence in Afghanistan Both Iranian and Taliban officials criticized the United States' role in Afghanistan during a meeting in Tehran, Iran, amid peace talks in Qatar. Iran
Iranian-American sentenced to prison, allegedly without a trial Iran has imprisoned a number of dual citizens of the United States and European countries on disputed charges. United States
France says Iran must return to nuclear deal compliance before US does Paris backed up Washington after Russia’s government said the Biden administration must make the first move before Iran returns to compliance. Iran
Iranian commander threatens to 'destroy' US ships A general in Iran's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps made the provocative statement less than a week into Joe Biden's presidency. The new US president has said he wants to talk with Iran. Iran
Twitter suspends account linked to Iran's supreme leader following threat against Trump The social media giant also suspended an account from an Iran-backed Iraqi militia commander; these actions follow the suspension of Donald Trump's Twitter account earlier this month when he was still president. Iran
Intel: House Democrats call on Biden to reform Middle East war powers California Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee and House committee leaders wasted no time calling on the new president to rein in two-decade-old legislation on the authorization of military force. United States
Biden team picks Dana Stroul to lead Pentagon's Middle East desk Stroul, a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, will join a roster of Obama-era veterans when she returns to the Pentagon. Syria
Iran holds another military drill in the Gulf of Oman Tuesday's ground forces exercise followed naval and drone drills last week, as tensions with the United States continue. Iran
