Syria expert Joshua Landis says both the Syrian government and the Obama administration are looking to improve relations, but the renewal of sanctions by the United States, designating the country as…

An Israeli announcement of more housing construction in East Jerusalem became the focus of Vice President Biden’s Middle East trip, but CFR’s Jacob Walles thinks the "proximity talks" starting next w…

Elliott Abrams, former chief Middle East adviser on the National Security Council, says the Obama administration’s move to send diplomats to Damascus for talks marks "a real policy change" but he is …

Nuclear talks with Iran are unlikely to lead to a deal in the short term, but they have had some impact: easing tensions and calming oil markets, says CFR’s Richard Falkenrath.

A group of military officers staged a coup in the oil-rich western African nation of Mauritania August 3, deposing President Maaoya Sid’Ahmed Ould Taya and declaring they will hold power for two year…