Bahrain hosted a conference on Gulf maritime security on Wednesday, after multiple attacks on shipping in the strategic Strait of Hormuz sent tensions soaring between Iran and the US. The tiny Gulf monarchy, which hosts the US Fifth Fleet, said the meeting was held "to discuss the current...

Iran's defense minister said Wednesday it was "normal" for the country to test missiles as part of its defense research, Iranian media reported, after Washington said Tehran had test-fired a medium-range missile last week. Brigadier General Amir Hatami stopped short of explicitly confirming...

Iran is ready for dialogue if Saudi Arabia is also ready, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Wednesday, according to the IRIB news agency. "If Saudi Arabia is ready for dialogue, we are always ready for dialogue with our neighbours," Zarif said. "We have never closed the door...

Israeli ministers have given rare approval to 700 Palestinian homes in the part of the occupied West Bank under the country's full control while also approving 6,000 homes for settlers, an Israeli official said Wednesday. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the...