Middle East

By Agencies

The United States has called into question the credibility of Iran's presidential election next month, criticising the disqualification of candidates and accusing Tehran of disrupting Internet access.

Read more: US casts doubts on Iran election credibility

By Agencies

John Kerry, US secretary of state, has urged Israeli and Palestinian leaders to take "hard decisions" to revive the Middle East peace process.

Read more: Kerry urges hard decisions for peace talks

By Agencies

Russia says the Syrian government had agreed in principle to attend an international peace conference proposed by Russia and the US, and criticised what it called attempts to undermine peace efforts.

Read more: Russia: Syria agrees to take part in talks

By Agencies

John Kerry, the US secretary of state, has begun a round of separate talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials but acknowledges there is considerable scepticism that the two sides will resume peace negotiations.

Read more: Kerry to restart Israeli-Palestinian talks

By Agencies

Syria's outgoing opposition chief has published an initiative for his war-torn country that would grant President Bashar al-Assad a safe exit, and urged dissident factions to adopt his plan.

Read more: Syria dissident proposes Assad 'safe exit'

By Agencies

Seven people have been killed and more than 50 wounded in overnight clashes in Tripoli between Lebanese fighters backing rival factions in Syria's civil war, according to doctors and security sources.

Read more: Death toll rises in Lebanon clashes

By Agencies

Unidentified gunmen have shot dead at least seven women and five men at a brothel in the Iraqi capital in the same area where alcohol shops were attacked last week, security and medical officials have said.

Read more: Dozen shot dead at Baghdad brothel

By Agencies

US Secretary of State John Kerry has called on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to make "a commitment to find peace in his country," ahead of a meeting of the so-called Friends of Syria group in Amman.

Read more: Kerry urges Assad to commit to peace

By Agencies

Saudi Arabia has executed five Yemenis and displayed their bodies in public for killing a national and forming a gang that committed robberies across several towns in the kingdom, the interior ministry said.

Read more: Saudi reportedly executes Yemeni gang members

By Agencies

Saudi authorities have arrested ten more suspects in an alleged Iranian spy ring unveiled two months ago, according to an interior ministry spokesperson.

Read more: Saudi Arabia arrests ten Iran spy suspects