Bahrain recalled its ambassador from Iran on Thursday and ordered Tehran's envoy to leave within 72 hours, accusing the leading state sponsor of terror of interference in its affairs, the official BNA news agency reported. The Gulf kingdom of Bahrain, with a majority Shi'ite Muslim population ruled by a Sunni dynasty, has suffered from
The Saudi-led coalition said on Wednesday it had seized an Iranian fishing boat in the Sea of Oman loaded with weapons destined for Shiite rebels it is fighting in Yemen, AFP reports. A coalition statement said that the vessel was intercepted on Saturday and that 14 Iranians and weapons including anti-tank shells were found
French authorities have launched a criminal probe of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad's regime for alleged war crimes committed between 2011 and 2013, sources told the AFP news agency. Paris prosecutors opened a preliminary war crimes inquiry on September 15, a source close to the case told the news agency on Tuesday. A diplomatic source
Russian warplanes began carrying out strikes on rebel targets in the Homs and Hama districts of Syria Wednesday. Russia's upper house of parliament authorized the use of military force in Syria earlier Wednesday, after President Vladimir Putin personally requested it consider the move. "I want to say the result of the vote was
The World Bank warned of the "high risk" of renewed Israel-Palestinian conflict if the political and economic status quo between the two sides persists, in a report released Tuesday. "The persistence of this situation could potentially lead to political and social unrest," it said. "In short, the status quo is not sustainable and downside
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh pushed for Palestinian Arabs to rededicate themselves to resisting the "Zionist Occupation" on Sunday, in a speech in honor of the Muslim holiday of Eid Al-Adha. In his speech, Haniyeh claimed that Israel was attempting to "Judaize" Jerusalem, as well as Judaism's holiest site, the Temple Mount. "The occupiers
Continuing on a recent theme of blaming Israel for unrest on the Temple Mount, Jordan's King Abdullah said Monday that his country would “prevent any threat” to “the holiness” of the city, and “reject any threat to the Arab character of this holy city.” Abdullah was speaking at the new session of the United
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday claimed that United States support for rebel forces in Syria is “illegal and ineffective”, Reuters reported. Speaking in an interview with U.S. networks recorded ahead of a meeting with President Barack Obama, Putin claimed American-trained rebels were leaving to join the Islamic State (ISIS) with weapons supplied by
Iraq, Russia, Iran and Syria have agreed to set up an intelligence committee in Baghdad, a spokesman said Sunday, a further sign of Moscow's growing role in the region's conflict. Iraq welcomed the creation of the cell as a chance to help harmonize often competing efforts in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi on Saturday said the security measures taken by his country along the border with Gaza were not aimed at "harming" Palestinians, AFP reports. "The measures taken by Egypt to secure its eastern borders are in full coordination with the Palestinian Authority and cannot have the aim of harming our
