AL-MONITOR

08/27/2026

Lebanon, UAE ink deals, deepen economic ties on Emirati Beirut visit

An Emirati business delegation signed the agreements in Beirut and met with President Joseph Aoun, indicating the UAE's interest in deepening economic ties with Lebanon.

An Emirati business delegation signed the agreements in Beirut and met with President Joseph Aoun, indicating the UAE's interest in deepening economic ties with Lebanon.

08/27/2026

Sharaa taps Visa as Syria reconnects to global finance: What to know

Visa and Mastercard announced Wednesday that their networks can now be used to make international card payments in Syria. https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/08/sharaa-taps-visa-syria-reconnects-global-finance-what-know

08/27/2026

Iran executes over 500 people in 2026: rights group

Iran has executed over 500 people so far this year after a new surge in hangings in recent days, despite President Donald Trump urging the Islamic republic to halt executions, a rights group said on Thursday. At least 511 people have been executed so far in 2026, according to Norway-based NGO Iran H...

08/27/2026

Netanyahu trails Eisenkot in new poll as Israel's right-wing bloc weakens

Israelis prefer former defense minister over the current prime minister to lead country, while the religious-nationalist People of Israel party is projected to win six Knesset seats.

Israelis prefer former defense minister over the current prime minister to lead country, while the religious-nationalist People of Israel party is projected to win six Knesset seats.

08/27/2026

PODCAST: Visa payments resume in Syria

The US designated the British activist group Palestine Action as a terrorist organization, and the Qatari foreign minister is visiting Tehran as part of a diplomatic push.

08/27/2026

Shipping traffic through Strait of Hormuz rises slightly, data shows

SINGAPORE, Aug 27 (Reuters) - Shipping traffic at the Strait of Hormuz rose slightly even as a standoff persisted between the United States and Iran, data showed on Thursday, while the market monitored Iran-Oman talks about the waterway. Visible commodity vessel transits at Hormuz totalled 10 on Wed...

08/27/2026

Qatar's prime minister will visit Tehran on Thursday in an effort to relaunch diplomacy after the U.S. and Iran traded recriminations over Washington's promise to increase economic pressure on Tehran by targeting its trade partners for sanctions.

By Yomna Ehab and Parisa HafeziCAIRO/DUBAI, Aug 27 (Reuters) - Qatar's prime minister will visit Tehran on Thursday in an effort to relaunch diplomacy after the U.S. and Iran traded recriminations over Washington's promise to increase economic pressure on Tehran by targeting its trade partners for s...

08/26/2026

Qatar PM heads to Tehran amid flurry of regional diplomacy

The visit by Sheikh Mohammed al-Thani to Tehran follows Pakistan and Oman sending senior officials to the Islamic Republic.

The visit by Sheikh Mohammed al-Thani to Tehran follows Pakistan and Oman sending senior officials to the Islamic Republic.

08/26/2026

Iran's president insisted on Wednesday that the United States would achieve nothing with its new sanctions campaign after Washington laid out plans to collapse the country's economy.

Iran's president insisted on Wednesday that the United States would achieve nothing with its new sanctions campaign after Washington laid out plans to collapse the country's economy. Almost six months into their war, the two sides are locked in a stalemate, with Iran keeping the key Strait of Hormuz...

08/26/2026

AL-MONITOR Business & Tech: Iran keeps Hormuz reopening on hold

Traffic in the Strait of Hormuz remained low, with only five commodity vessels transiting the waterway on Tuesday, according to data from maritime tracking firm Kpler.