Middle East

World News

Saudi Arabia and Qatar Lower Tensions in US-Backed Agreement

7:47pm January 05, 2021

by Elena Moore

After three years of disagreement and rising frustrations between the two U.S. allies, Saudi and Qatari leaders met Tuesday to sign an agreement that lifts current restrictions on Qatar.

World News

Saudi Arabia To Reopen Borders With Qatar

5:38pm January 05, 2021

by Jackie Northam

The U.S. has brokered a deal between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, ending a long feud that undermined the Trump administration's strategy in the Persian Gulf.

Iran is seeking to detain President Trump over the U.S. killing of top Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani. Here, an Iraqi fighter stands in front of a banner at the site of the drone strike at Baghdad International Airport.

Iran Renews Interpol Request To Arrest Trump, Other U.S. Officials

1:29pm January 05, 2021

by Bill Chappell

It's the second time Iran has announced its hope to arrest Trump. The country says it won't stop pursuing him, even after he leaves the government later this month.

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Iran Seizes South Korean-Flagged Ship As Tensions Mount With U.S.

3:41pm January 04, 2021

by Jackie Northam

Iran seized a South Korean-flagged tanker in Persian Gulf waters on Monday and detained its crew. The move comes as Iran ramps up uranium enrichment, raising tensions with the United States.

A seized South Korean-flagged tanker is escorted by Iranian Revolutionary Guard boats in the Persian Gulf. This comes as Tehran is enriching nuclear fuel to 20% purity.

World News

Iran Reportedly Boosts Nuclear Fuel Enrichment To 20%

11:16am January 04, 2021

by Peter Kenyon

The move is likely to increase tensions during President Trump's final weeks in office. Separately, Iran seized a South Korean oil tanker in the Persian Gulf, South Korea said Monday.

Migrants Flee Lebanon In Desperate, Doomed Journey

5:11pm January 03, 2021

by Ruth Sherlock

The story of Lebanese migrants on a doomed boat in September highlights the continuing attempts to get across the Mediterranean Sea — where over 1,000 migrants died in 2020.

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The Latest On Tensions Between U.S. And Iran

7:53am January 02, 2021

by Peter Kenyon

Tensions again increase between the U.S. and Iran, as the first anniversary approaches of the American drone strike that killed an Iran's top military commander.

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Iran Tells U.N. Agency It Will Enrich Uranium Back To Pre-Nuclear Deal Level Of 20%

8:05pm January 01, 2021

by Elena Moore

Iran has exceeded some limits of the 2015 agreement in the past but this move would mark a notable step toward strengthening its nuclear capacity. The U.S. withdrew from the pact in 2018.

World News

Saudi Arabia Sentences Prominent Women's Rights Activist To Nearly 6 Years In Prison

4:45pm January 01, 2021

A court in Saudi Arabia has sentenced Loujain al-Hathloul, a prominent Saudi female activist, to five years and eight months in prison. NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with her sister Alia al-Hathloul.

A Look Back At What Happened After The Killing Of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani

3:43pm January 01, 2021

One year after the killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, NPR correspondents discuss what happened since and what Iran policy might look like under the Biden administration.