Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has signed a decree recognising Kurdish language rights, as government forces advanced against U.S.-backed Kurdish-led fighters despite U.S. calls for restraint.
A senior Iranian official says at least 5,000 people have died in the protests rocking the country. Among those killed are said to be some 500 members of the security forces.
Syrian troops swept through dozens of towns and villages in the country's north on Saturday after Kurdish fighters withdrew under an agreement that aimed to avoid a bloody showdown between the rival forces.
Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last shah, has called for support for protesters seeking to overthrow Iran’s government. Speaking at a press conference in Washington on 16 January, Pahlavi outlined plans to return to Iran and called for action against the country’s Revolutionary Guards.
The Turkish Defence Ministry has voiced its support for recent military operations by Syrian government forces against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which enjoy the support of the United States.
King Salman bin Abdulaziz, the 90-year-old king of Saudi Arabia, is undergoing medical tests at a hospital in Riyadh, state media says.
Russian President Vladimir Putin held separate calls with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on 16 January, offering Russia’s help to mediate tensions and promote dialogue in the Middle East.
Israel said on Thursday that its forces struck Hezbollah positions across several areas in Lebanon after accusing the group of repeated ceasefire violations.
U.S. President Donald Trump has questioned whether Reza Pahlavi, the son of the late shah of Iran, would be able to command enough support inside Iran to lead the country if its clerical leadership were to fall.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday, where he met with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in oil-rich Abu Dhabi.
Russia has said it is ready to act as a mediator between Iran and the United States as tensions escalate over protests in Iran and warnings of possible military action.
Iran reopened its airspace late on Wednesday after a near five-hour closure that disrupted airline traffic, amid heightened concerns over possible military escalation involving the United States.
Iran’s temporary shutdown of its airspace prompted flight diversions and fresh safety warnings on Wednesday as regional tensions disrupted airline operations across the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia has informed Iran that it will not allow its territory or airspace to be used for any military action against Tehran, according to two sources close to the kingdom’s government cited by AFP.
Iran’s chief justice Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei has urged rapid trials for detainees accused of violent acts, warning that delays reduce the impact of judicial action.
Hamas is set to cede power in Gaza, as a U.S.-backed Palestinian committee prepares to take over the administration of the territory, Palestinian sources reported.
Six Palestinian children have died from hypothermia in Gaza this winter, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday (13 January). The agency warned that more than 100 children have been killed since a ceasefire took effect in early October, 2025.
Türkiye has warned that foreign military intervention in next-door Iran could further destabilise the region amid fears that the United States may be gearing up to strike the Islamic republic.
Iran has supplied Russia with more than $4 billion worth of military equipment since late 2021, including missiles, drones and ammunition, according to assessments by Western security officials reported by Bloomberg.
Israel has sharply escalated its warnings to Lebanon amid rising regional tensions linked to Iran, according to a report by the Lebanese newspaper Nida Al Watan.
The evacuation of the last remaining Kurdish-led fighters from Aleppo’s Sheikh Maksoud neighbourhood had begun, with the area now fully under government control, Syrian state media said on Saturday.
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