Middle East

US forces hit Taliban with airstrikes in Helmand province

US, Iraq launch strategic talks on economy, American troops

12:08 am June 12, 2020

Baghdad: The United States and Iraq launched much-anticipated strategic talks on Thursday that are to span the gamut of their bilateral relations, with Washington prioritizing the issue of the future of its forces in the country while Baghdad is expected to focus on the nation’s dire economic crisis. The talks, which began with an initial […]

US to hit all of Iran's financial sector with sanctions

Iran deaths rise, hardest hit in Middle East

8:16 pm April 25, 2020

Tehran: Iran says it registered 76 more deaths in the previous 24 hours. That puts the reported death toll from Covid-19 at 5,650 and confirmed cases at over 89,000. Iran is the country hardest hit by the virus in the Middle East. Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour says more than 1,100 new confirmed cases were […]

Iran says 89 virus deaths take total to 4,958

9:58 pm April 17, 2020

Tehran: Iran said on Friday 89 more people have died from the novel coronavirus, as the country’s official fatalities remained in double figures for a fourth day. Health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour told a news conference that the latest deaths brought the overall toll to 4,958. It was the sixth day that the official fatality […]

Israeli defense chief says West Bank annexation 'will wait'

Israel tightens quarantine in Jerusalem to halt virus spread

7:30 pm April 12, 2020

Jerusalem: The Israeli government approved a tight quarantine of several areas of Jerusalem on Sunday, including the historic Old City, in a bid to slow the spread of the coronavirus in the city’s most susceptible neighborhoods. A ministerial committee gave approved the shutting down of movement in and out of several predominantly ultra-Orthodox areas of […]

Iran begins lifting restrictions after brief virus lockdown

7:33 pm April 11, 2020

Tehran: Iran began reopening government offices Saturday after a brief nationwide lockdown to help contain the worst coronavirus outbreak in the Middle East, which has killed more than 4,300 people in the country. Authorities had ordered most government agencies and all non-essential businesses to remain closed for a week after the Nowruz holiday ended on […]