As U.S. troops complete their withdrawal from Iraq, Washington's military footprint may be shrinking. Its financial influence, however, remains deeply embedded in the country's economy.
Britain says there are “strong indications” Iran played a role in a suspected plot targeting RAF Fairford, a military base in western England used by U.S. forces for operations against Iran.
Iraqis celebrated the departure of U.S forces after more than two decades of war on Wednesday, but the withdrawal is also raising concerns about the country’s ability to maintain security without a Western military presence.
Here’s your AnewZ Daily Brief for 1 October 2026. These are the top five stories shaping the Middle East.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ordered an Iranian delegation, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, to leave the United States after negotiations between Washington and Tehran stalled, according to a U.S. official.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev discussed closer bilateral ties and the implementation of existing agreements during a meeting in Tehran.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has accused the U.S. and Israel of seeking to foment internal divisions in Iran after failing to defeat the country militarily, Iran's state news agency IRNA reported.
The war between Iran and the U.S. is creating a widening security challenge for Saudi Arabia, stretching from Yemen’s Red Sea coast to Iraq as the Houthis emerge as a growing source of pressure on the kingdom.
At midnight on 30 September, the last U.S. troops are due to leave Iraq, ending a military presence that began with the 2003 invasion and cost the lives of around 4,500 American service members.
U.S. President Donald Trump has denied reports that he offered Iran sanctions relief and access to frozen funds in exchange for nuclear concessions.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has arrived in Washington for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on bilateral ties and key regional and international developments, Saudi state news agency SPA reported.
Iran has ordered a Swedish diplomat to leave the country, after Stockholm expelled an Iranian embassy staffer, as diplomatic tensions between Tehran and several European countries deepen.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says it has captured a second U.S. military unmanned underwater vehicle in the Strait of Hormuz, as tensions between Tehran and Washington remain high.
Iran has called for a diplomatic solution after U.S. President Donald Trump rejected its Hormuz proposal, while Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran was awaiting a definitive U.S. response through mediators.
Leaders from around the world are gathering in New York for the latest session of the United Nations General Assembly, with conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, global security, trade, artificial intelligence, climate change and economic development dominating the agenda.
Iran on Saturday awaited a U.S. response to its proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end fighting in the Middle East war after the Wall Street Journal reported that President Donald Trump had rejected the deal.
Iran’s top leaders are using the ongoing UN General Assembly in New York to push Tehran’s position on key regional and international disputes, holding a series of high-level meetings, engaging with U.S. media and think-tanks, and using social media platforms.
The Middle East arrived at the United Nations this week with the consequences of a war that is no longer contained to one front. From Israel and Iran to Syria and Yemen, leaders have used the General Assembly to set out competing positions on the situation in the region.
The U.S. Senate narrowly rejected a resolution on Thursday that would have required President Donald Trump to end the war in Iran or seek congressional authorisation, as Democrats sought to put Republicans on the record over the increasingly unpopular conflict ahead of November's midterm elections.
U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House on Thursday, 24 September, for talks focused on trade, artificial intelligence, Taiwan and the war with Iran.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained low on Thursday, as Iran reiterated that it will neither enter into new negotiations with the United States nor re-open the Strait as long as its conditions are not met, despite recent indirect talks in New York mediated by Qatar.
Germany will keep its Patriot air-defence system deployed in eastern Türkiye until April 2027 as NATO bolsters its defences against regional missile threats.
Here’s your AnewZ Daily Brief for 24 September 2026, with five key developments from the second day of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has accused U.S. President Donald Trump of having a “bullying mentality” at the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York as Tehran and Washington remain divided over ending the war, despite holding their first indirect talks in months.
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