Middle East Experience

Pope Francis spent the final day of his historic trip to Iraq visiting areas in which the country’s Christian minority has traditionally had a sizeable presence and the capital of the Kurdish region, to which many have fled amid improved but still fragile security.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Pope urges Iraqis 'not to give up' as historic pilgrimage ends

An Iranian official on Monday accused Britain’s former Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt of prolonging the release of British-Iranian aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe by “years” through what he called “destructive actions.”Iran released Zaghari-Ratcliffe at the end of her five-year prison sentence, but she has been summoned to court again on another charge, her lawyer said on Sunday.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a project manager with the Thomson Reuters Foundation, was arrested at a Tehran airport in April 2016 as she was about to leave Iran after visiting family in the country. She was later convicted of plotting to overthrow the regime in Tehran – charges which she denies.“Jeremy Hunt’s hypocritical remarks do not cover up his destructive actions from a few years ago... and he knows that if his destructive actions had not taken place,” Zaghari-Ratcliffe would have been freed “a few years ago,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh alleged on Monday.Khatibzadeh did not elaborate any further. His remarks came after Hunt called Iran’s treatment of Zaghari-Ratcliffe “beyond cruel” and urged the country’s authorities to allow her to return to Britain.“Beyond cruel to toy with an innocent mother & six year old child in this way. @JZarif she has served five years: let her come home,” Hunt said in a tweet on Sunday.Zaghari-Ratcliffe “must be released permanently so she can return to her family in the UK, and we continue to do all we can to achieve this,” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said following news of her release.Several dual and foreign nationals are currently under arrest in Iran.Regime critics accuse Tehran of arresting foreign nationals on trumped-up charges and using them as hostages in an effort to win concessions from other countries.Read more:Iranian court summons Zaghari-Ratcliffe again after being released from house arrestIran frees British-Iranian aid worker Zaghari-Ratcliffe: LawyerBritain says appalled by Iran’s decision to bring new case against aid worker
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Iran says former UK foreign secretary’s comments prolonged Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s arrest

Ahead of the March 23 elections, only one party has a woman to lead it and it is only that same party that offer a gender-equal list for the next Knesset.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Few women on party lists for upcoming elections in Israel

The Arab Coalition said it has intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile fired by the Iran-backed Houthi militia targeting Khamis Mushait in Saudi Arabia.The Arab Coalition says it has also intercepted and destroyed an explosive drone launched by the Houthis towards the southern region of Saudi Arabia.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.The attacks on Monday come a day after the Arab Coalition confirmed that Iran supplied the weapons that were used in the attack on Aramco’s oil port and facilities in Saudi Arabia.The Houthi attack was “terrorist act” and was supported by hostile countries in the region, Arab Coalition’s spokesperson Colonel Turki al-Maliki told Al Arabiya, referring to Iran. Iran backs the Yemen-based militia in its war against the internationally-recognized government and its allies by supplying the group with missiles, drones, and other weaponry.Read more:
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Arab Coalition intercepts Houthi ballistic missile targeting Khamis Mushait

Pope Francis Monday announced that his next trip to the Middle East will be to crisis-stricken Lebanon, after concluding a historic four-day trip to Iraq..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Pope says next Mideast visit to 'suffering' Lebanon

Despite the apparent success of the papal visit, experts doubt that….
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Iraq pegs hopes on Pope's visit, but experts sceptical

Lebanon’s president asked security forces to prevent roadblocks after protesters shut main roads across the country for a seventh straight day on Monday in anger at more than a year of economic crisis and months of political paralysis..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Lebanon’s political deadlock fuels seventh day of street protests

Trapped by Israeli checkpoints and border walls, thousands of unregistered Palestinians in the occupied West Bank feel doubly imprisoned as Israel continues to deny them IDs..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: 'We've been locked down for 15 years': The Palestinian women fighting Israel's family reunification ban

The Biden administration's push to end the war has been stalled by a recent escalation.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Saudi renews bombing of Yemen's capital following Houthi attacks

British MPs have given their names to a petition calling on the UAE to release 14 detainees who have served their time but remain in prison..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: UK MPs call on UAE to release 14 detainees including British national