Middle East

Last update : 25 September 2026, Friday / 17:16

Latest Middle East News

Türkiye rejects East-West divide, Mecca pact not aimed at Iran

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Newsweek that Ankara would not accept a binary choice between East and West, emphasizing that the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan was not directed against Iran, Israel, or any third country amid shifting global power dynamics.

25 September 2026

Middle East

Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan condemn Mecca attacks, vow joint defense

The foreign ministers of Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan on Friday strongly condemned attacks targeting the holy city of Mecca and civilian facilities in the kingdom, pledging to convene an urgent meeting of military chiefs to coordinate joint defense assistance under last month's trilateral pact.

25 September 2026

Middle East

Iraq's Najaf airport suspends flights to and from Iran

Najaf International Airport announced the suspension of all flights to and from Iran effective Sept. 25, citing directives from competent authorities, as regional aviation routes face mounting disruption following Washington's decision to ground Iranian airlines worldwide.

25 September 2026

Middle East

Türkiye demands UN reform as Erdogan addresses General Assembly

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated Türkiye's call for United Nations reform and emphasized Ankara's global diplomatic role during the 81st General Assembly in New York, stressing that "the world is bigger than five" while holding bilateral talks with US, British and other world leaders.

25 September 2026

Politics

Türkiye's army chief visits Saudi Arabia for defense alliance meeting

Chief of General Staff General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu travels to Saudi Arabia on Friday to attend the Mecca Defense Alliance Chiefs of Staff Meeting, consolidating defense ties established under the trilateral pact signed by Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in August.

25 September 2026

Middle East

Israeli settlers torch vehicles in occupied West Bank village

Israeli settlers attacked the village of Rantis west of Ramallah overnight Thursday, torching three Palestinian vehicles and scrawling hostile slogans on properties before being confronted by residents, as violence escalates across the occupied territory amid the ongoing Gaza war that has killed over 73,000 Palestinians, local sources said.

25 September 2026

Middle East

Irish PM tells UN international community has 'failed Palestine'

Addressing the UN General Assembly in New York, Irish Taoiseach Micheal Martin said the international community has failed the Palestinian people, warning that continued violence and settlement expansion are undermining prospects for a lasting peace.

25 September 2026

Middle East

Fidan attends Mecca defense pact talks in New York

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held talks with his Saudi and Pakistani counterparts in New York on Thursday to discuss progress in institutionalizing the Mecca defense pact, as the three nations work to deepen collective security cooperation and establish permanent coordination mechanisms, according to diplomatic sources.

25 September 2026

Middle East

Albanese urges stronger UN action on Palestine and Iran

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called on the United Nations to take stronger action on Palestine and Iran during his address to the General Assembly in New York, warning that the multilateral system faces mounting strain from ongoing conflicts and emerging technological risks.

25 September 2026

Middle East

Yemen clashes rage in Taiz as Saudi jets strike Saada, Hudaydah

Yemeni government forces said they downed a Houthi drone and thwarted infiltration attempts near Taiz on Thursday, as Saudi-led coalition aircraft conducted strikes on northern and western provinces and the Houthis claimed attacks on targets inside Saudi Arabia.

25 September 2026

Middle East

EU's Kallas warns two-state ambitions at odds with Gaza, West Bank realities

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned on Thursday that international ambitions for a two-state solution are increasingly at odds with conditions in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, urging global powers to close the gap between diplomatic commitments and ground realities.

25 September 2026

Middle East

Pakistani PM reaffirms 'steadfast support' for Lebanon at UN

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirms Islamabad’s "steadfast support" for Lebanon’s sovereignty during talks with his Lebanese counterpart Nawaf Salam in New York, calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities between Israel and Lebanon and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory.

25 September 2026

America

Pashinyan says Trump-brokered peace opens new Caucasus era

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told the UN General Assembly on Thursday that peace with Azerbaijan brokered by US President Donald Trump has created unprecedented stability and opened new economic opportunities for the South Caucasus region, including restored railway links.

25 September 2026

Middle East

Pezeshkian: Iran seeks deal with US, not war

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told Fox News on Thursday that Tehran does not seek war with the United States and remains prepared to pursue a negotiated agreement, addressing ongoing tensions between the two countries following the collapse of a June memorandum that had envisioned a final peace deal within 60 days.

25 September 2026

Middle East

Qatar rejects Netanyahu UN claim, says Israel deflecting from Gaza

Doha's Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari on Thursday categorically rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's UN General Assembly accusation that Qatar runs influence campaigns against Israel, calling the allegation a transparent attempt to divert attention from ongoing atrocities in the occupied Palestinian territories.

25 September 2026

Middle East

Saudi, Pakistani, Turkish ministers discuss urgent defense meeting

The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye held consultations in New York on Friday to arrange an urgent meeting of military chiefs tasked with examining support mechanisms for Riyadh under the Mecca defense pact, following recent attacks on the Kingdom's critical infrastructure.

25 September 2026

Middle East

Türkiye at UN reaffirms support for Libyan unity and stability

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told a high-level meeting in New York that Türkiye remains committed to Libya's stability and security, emphasizing Ankara's readiness to contribute to a unified government and calling on international partners to engage with all Libyan factions without discrimination.

25 September 2026

Middle East

Türkiye blasts Netanyahu's 'baseless' UN accusations against Erdogan

Communications Director Burhanettin Duran said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's use of the UN General Assembly podium to level "baseless accusations" against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan violates the organization's ideals of peace and dialogue, citing the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant for the Israeli leader over alleged war crimes in Gaza.

25 September 2026

Middle East

Türkiye's Fidan chairs OIC foreign ministers' meeting in New York

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan chaired the Organization of Islamic Cooperation's annual coordination meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, addressing Israel's ongoing genocide in Gaza and attacks on Lebanon alongside broader Islamic world issues including developments in Iran, Yemen and Sudan, diplomatic sources said Thursday.

25 September 2026

Europe

EU Council chief urges UN reform, decries Gaza 'impasse'

European Council President Antonio Costa on Thursday urged the UN General Assembly to pursue comprehensive Security Council reform to make the body more effective and inclusive, while expressing deep regret over the "impasse" in Gaza that prolongs the suffering of millions of civilians.

25 September 2026

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