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While there is a broad range of Arabic language media outlets reporting stories from and about the Middle East, there is currently no affordable and reliable means for English speakers to gain access to this content. As a result, many English speaking businesspersons, students, journalists and others who have an interest in the affairs of the region are largely unaware of what the Middle East media is covering and how they are covering these stories.

Mideastwire.com aims to close this gap by offering a daily menu of translations covering some of the key political, cultural, economic and opinion pieces appearing in the media of the 22 Arab countries and the Arab Diaspora. Through this effort, we hope to address at least one aspect of a global disconnect that continues to threaten a wide spectrum of socio-political and economic relationships, both here in the region and beyond.

It is also important to note that, since our founding in 2005, Mideastwire.com is wholly funded by the content license fees paid by individuals and organizations. As such, there is no government, commercial or non-profit support, an aspect that we believe provides a relatively independent platform for better understanding.

Our Corrections Policy: We adhere to an honest and open corrections policy. Please email info@mideastwire.com if you notice any typo or if you disagree with our translation choices. Since we do not produce our own content, we only will consider corrections that highlight typos or dispute our translations, not the veracity or accuracy of the original content. Accepted corrections are applied directly to the relevant translations as soon as they are approved by the editor and our database is updated accordingly for all subscribers.

TODAY’S DAILY BRIEFING

16-Mar-2022

Iraq

Politics

“New Revolutionary Guard mission: “Dismantle tripartite alliance,” target Sunni powers next” (Al-Mada, Iraq)

Democracy and Party Politics - Military and Security

On March 16, the independent Al-Mada newspaper carried the following report from Baghdad by its correspondent Tamim al-Hassan: “The Iranian Revolutionary Guard has officially become part of the government formation crisis, with the mission of dismantling the tripartite alliance. And for the third day in a row, sides in the Coordination Framework continued to attack Irbil, at a time when a similar “scenario” is expected to be seen against the Sunni powers, i.e. the other side in the tripartite alliance... On the other hand, information leaked from behind the scenes revealed that the Sadrist Movement again “froze” the negotiations with the Shi’i sides against the backdrop of the position of the Coordination Framework towards the bombing of Irbil. And sources indicated to Al-Mada that “the Revolutionary Guard is the new mediator in the political crisis, and its mission is to dismantle the tripartite alliance… (Read More)

“Qaani in Baghdad two days after Irbil’s bombing…” (Asharq al-Awsat, United Kingdom)

Democracy and Party Politics - Military and Security

On March 16, the Saudi-owned London-based Asharq al-Awsat newspaper carried the following report from Baghdad: “As usual, Commander of the Quds Force in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Esmail Qaani arrived in Baghdad on an unannounced visit, reports of which were leaked on social media and in media outlets. Qaani’s visit came two days after the Iranian “Guards” targeted Irbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Province, with ballistic missiles, under the pretext that it hosted a center for the Israeli Mossad. And the Iranian general supposedly carried with him “evidence” confirming the alleged Israeli activities in the Province, and will try to capitalize on the missile strike and its “justifications” on the political level in order to mend the Shi’i home, which is divided between the Sadrist Movement led by Muqtada as-Sadr and his opponents in the Coordination Framework… (Read More)

"Iraqi détente dissipates: Priority is to target Iran!" (Al-Akhbar Lebanon, Lebanon)

Democracy and Party Politics - Military and Security

On March 15, the Al-Akhbar daily newspaper carried the following report: "…Once again, the trilateral alliance in Iraq aka the "majority alliance" has seized the opportunity to shy away from the need to form a cabinet of national consensus…with the aim of monopolizing power and to further attack Iran, by using the latest attack that targeted secret bases of the Israeli Mossad in Irbil as a pretext and as this alliance has been feeling cornered as the agreement to form a new cabinet was about to be reached, which would have reduced the intensity of the political crisis in the country… (Read More)

Lebanon

Politics

"The dismantlement of the March 14 framework?" (Ad-Diyyar, Lebanon)

Democracy and Party Politics

On March 14, the Ad-Diyyar daily newspaper carried the following report: "The seventeenth yearly commemoration of the March 14 uprising carries a different aspect this year as the scene at the level of the March 14 front is now disrupted. Indeed, the elements of this front have been dismantled and a final divorce has been reached between them. A former parliament member who belonged to this team believes that the term "March 14" no longer applies to the present political equation, adding that this situation will be clearly reflected through the announcement of the parliamentary alliances, which will pen the last page in the March 14 book and turn the page of the alliances that had been in place since 2005 and were concluded with the decision of PM Sa'd al-Hariri to boycott the parliamentary elections and suspend his political activities for now… (Read More)

"Mikati's abstinence, Al-Hariri's pullout an opportunity for the rise of some new Sunni leaderships" (Newspaper, Middle East)

Democracy and Party Politics

On March 15, the London-based Al-Arab daily newspaper carried the following report: "The announcement by Lebanese Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, regarding his plan to abstain from running for the elections failed to create any reaction at the level of the Sunni arena at a time when Lebanese political sources said that this was expected especially following Sa'd al-Hariri's earlier pullout. The circles added that these two events should secure the right atmosphere for the rise of some new Sunni leaderships that are capable of tipping the balance in favor of the politically-marginalized sect… (Read More)

Morocco

Politics

“Why was Morocco excluded from the Russian list of “unfriendly countries”?” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Arab Diplomacy - Monarchies/Dictatorships

On March 16, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report from Rabat: “Russian civilian planes are finding themselves forced to change their flight course, and some of them are stopping at a Moroccan airport on their way to Latin America due to the embargo imposed by Europe against the backdrop of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, Morocco’s airports will not just be transit stops. They will rather become a favored destination of Russia’s tourists after the authorities in Moscow urged them to spend their holidays in the land of the sun, sea, and desert. This is the first fruit picked from the orchard of Moroccan-Russian relations after Rabat chose to remain neutral in the ongoing war on Ukrainian soil. Indeed, Morocco had chosen not to attend the United Nations General Assembly session to vote on a resolution condemning Russia and demanding the immediate cessation of its military operations in Ukraine, and its withdrawal from the country… (Read More)

Qatar

Politics

"…What did the Qatari foreign minister bring to Moscow?" (Website, Middle East)

Arab Diplomacy

On March 14, the Al-Khaleej Online daily newspaper carried the following report: "On the rhythm of the escalating Russian-Ukrainian battles, the Qatari Foreign Minister, Sheik Mohammad Bin Abdul Rahman, has reached Moscow, in a new attempt to push the two parties in the direction of reducing military escalation. The Russian invasion of Ukraine in late February 2022 stirred a global turmoil, especially affecting the economic movement, in addition to increasing fears over the launching of a wider war between the main countries… (Read More)

Saudi Arabia

Politics

"The West treats Saudi Arabia with two faces…" (Newspaper, Middle East)

Arab Diplomacy - USA Europe

On March 15, the London-based Al-Arab daily newspaper carried the following report: "The West is dealing with Saudi Arabia with incomprehensible double standards. On the one hand, the West wants Saudi Arabia to pump oil into the markets in order to reduce the prices, and on the other hand, it is proceeding with lecturing Al-Riyadh on the matter of Human Rights and played the role of the teacher that Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman is rejecting and hinting at engaging in new partnership if the West was to maintain its present ways of dealing with the Kingdom… (Read More)

Turkey

Politics

“Turkey allows return of Syrian refugees a few weeks after forced deportation” (Website, Middle East)

Refugees

On March 15, the Egyptian Arabi 21 carried the following report by its correspondent Motaz Obeid: “The Turkish authorities brought back a number of Syrian refugees they had forcibly deported them from Istanbul Province to the Syrian North, although most of them carried Temporary Protection papers and travel permits. At this level, an exclusive source from the joint Syrian-Turkish Committee told Arabi 21 that the Turkish Interior Ministry followed the details of the case. And after confirming the illegality of the deportation process, it decided to allow the refugees who have legal ID papers to return. The source continued that the Syrian-Turkish Committee provided the Turkish Interior Ministry with a list of 80 names, including more than 10 people who do not carry Temporary Protection papers, and who had been arrested in various parts of Istanbul Province… (Read More)

“Turkish-Israeli rapprochement raises Hamas’s concerns” (Agencies, Middle East)

On March 15, the Arabic page of Agence France Presse carried the following report: “The recent rapprochement affecting the diplomatic ties between Israel and Turkey, which both countries described as a “turning point” in their relationship, raised the concerns of the Islamic Hamas Movement that is controlling the Gaza Strip, as stated by political analysts. Indeed, Hamas views the Turkish states as a strategic ally, noting that for a decade now, a number of Hamas leaders have been residing in Turkey, the most prominent of whom is Head of the Movement Saleh al-Arouri. Likewise, the movement Politburo Chief Isma’il Haniyah and its leader abroad Khalid Mish’al regularly visit Istanbul, at a time when the movement is always praising the positions of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who presents himself as a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause… (Read More)

Yemen

Politics

“Preparations for a Yemeni dialogue conference in Saudi Arabia, including Houthis” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Arab Diplomacy - Peace Process

On March 16, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report from Taiz by its correspondent Khaled al-Hammadi: “A Gulf diplomatic source said that the Gulf Cooperation Council was engaged in extensive preparations to hold a “comprehensive dialogue” conference in Riyadh between the belligerent sides in Yemen, to which politicians, dignitaries, and tribal leaders from all sides will be invited, including the Houthi group, to come up with a vision for a political solution in Yemen. The source continued to Al-Quds al-Arabi on condition of anonymity, seeing as how he is not authorized to talk to the media, that “efforts are being deployed in the Saudi capital Riyadh to hold a comprehensive dialogue conference for Yemen, to which around 400 figures from among the senior politicians, actors, dignitaries and tribal leaders from all parties, political components, and belligerent sides will be invited, including the Houthi group… (Read More)

"…Is Yemen standing at the gates of a new Gulf initiative?" (Website, Middle East)

Democracy and Party Politics - Peace Process

On March 15, the Al-Khaleej Online daily newspaper carried the following report: "The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Nayef al-Hajraf, is planning on taking the initiative of calling for peace talks between the Yemeni parties in the Saudi capital, Al-Riyadh. Al-Hajraf's step comes almost six years following the talks hosted by Kuwait in 2016 between the Iran-supported Houthis and the Al-Riyadh-supported cabinet of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. The Kuwait talks led to no agreement… (Read More)

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