For protesters pardoned in Iran, freedom comes with no guarantees
The Washington Post spoke to three Iranians affected by a recent amnesty, as the authorities seek to restore order after months of anti-government protests.
By Miriam BergerSudan slides toward civil war and state collapse
People who have navigated Sudan’s tortured politics fear an even darker turn in a nation that is no stranger to ruinous war.
By Ishaan TharoorIn photos: Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr around the globe
From Syria to Sydney, almost 2 billion Muslims around the world are celebrating the Eid al-Fitr holiday, marking the end of Ramadan.
By Adela Suliman and Morgan CoatesRamadan brought rare calm, familiar worries to Jerusalem’s Old City
Ramadan is meant to be a time of sacrifice that leads to renewal. But as this year’s tense holy month draws to a close, many Palestinians feel a mounting unease.
By Louisa Loveluck and Sufian TahaWhen protesters were killed in Iran, their funerals became deadly
Funerals for protesters killed during Iran’s uprising have become a form of protest, as well as another grim venue for the state’s violent crackdown.
By Nilo Tabrizy, Atthar Mirza and Babak DehghanpishehArab leaders keep trying to bury the Arab Spring
Developments in Tunisia are the latest iteration of what Nadim Houry, executive director of the Arab Reform Initiative, described as an “authoritarian restoration” that got underway in the years after the Arab Spring.
By Ishaan TharoorUkraine planned attacks on Russian forces in Syria, leaked document shows
THE DISCORD LEAKS | Last winter, Ukraine’s military intelligence directorate proposed striking Russian troops and Wagner mercenaries in Syria, before President Volodymyr Zelensky directed a halt to the operations
By Evan Hill and Alex HortonDozens killed in stampede in Yemen’s capital during charity event
An official with the Houthi-run Interior Ministry said at least 78 people were killed in Sanaa, with dozens of others injured.
By Rachel Pannett, Miriam Berger and Sarah DadouchU.S. allies in Middle East target dissidents on American soil, report says
Egypt and Saudi Arabia use threats, surveillance, hostage-taking and prosecutions to try to silence dissidents on U.S. soil, according to a new report.
By Claire ParkerMeir Shalev, preeminent Israeli writer, dies at 74
In works of fiction, nonfiction and memoir, he captured his country’s history without becoming mired in its politics.
By Emily LangerTunisia arrests opposition leader as crackdown escalates
The detention of Rachid Ghannouchi, head of the Ennahda party, is the latest and most dramatic in a wave of arrests of Tunisian President Kais Saied's critics.
By Claire ParkerBehind chaos in Sudan is a broader global power struggle
As dueling warlords remain locked in a classic internecine conflict in Sudan, outside players are fueling the discord.
By Ishaan TharoorEgypt nearly supplied rockets to Russia, agreed to arm Ukraine instead, leak shows
Egypt made detailed plans to export rockets at Moscow’s request, but after a diplomatic offensive from Washington, later approved artillery production for Kyiv.
By Missy Ryan, Evan Hill and Siobhán O'GradyIran steps up enforcement of mandatory hijab for women
After months of women-led protests, Iranian authorities are cracking down on those who do not wear a headscarf in public.
By Miriam BergerSaudi Arabia mends ties with Syria as part of regional diplomatic spree
Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic push could reshape regional dynamics, analysts say, at a time of uncertainty about the future of U.S. engagement in the Middle East.
By Sarah DadouchEgypt secretly planned to supply rockets to Russia, leaked U.S. document says
President Abdel Fatah El-Sisi in February planned to produce 40,000 rockets for Russia and instructed officials to keep production and shipment secret “to avoid problems with the West.”
By Evan Hill, Missy Ryan, Siobhán O'Grady and Samuel OakfordNetanyahu appeals for unity amid violence, but risks losing control
With Israel’s crises stacking up, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a country in need of reassurance.
By Louisa LoveluckHow U.S. friends and foes have responded to leaked Pentagon documents
The Pentagon is working “around-the-clock” to determine the scope of any leaked material and the impact its spread could have, a Pentagon spokesman said.
By Miriam Berger and Dan LamotheGood Friday Agreement is a rare success story of 1990s U.S. diplomacy
The 25th anniversary of the pact is a reminder of the relative failure of two other Clinton-era diplomatic agreements in the Middle East and the Balkans.
By Ishaan TharoorChina’s new world order is taking shape
A bumper week for diplomacy in Beijing helps show the contours of the new world order China is imagining.
By Ishaan Tharoor