https://www.rferl.org Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty is an international news organization serving Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Russia, the Middle East and Balkan countries https://www.rferl.org/Content/responsive/RFE/en-US/img/logo.png https://www.rferl.org en Copyright 2026 - RFE/RL, Inc. 60 Thu, 07 May 2026 02:23:39 +0200 Pangea CMS – RFE/RL For retired four-star general Philip Breedlove, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, the Iran crisis is exposing a West that is “more divided than its adversaries.” https://www.rferl.org/a/nato-iran-hormuz-crisis-article-4-breedlove-interview/33750664.html https://www.rferl.org/a/nato-iran-hormuz-crisis-article-4-breedlove-interview/33750664.html Wed, 06 May 2026 09:59:40 +0200 IranFeaturesRussia With tensions high in the Strait of Hormuz, retired US Navy Vice Admiral Robert Murrett spoke to RFE/RL about the challenges, concerns, and potential solutions. The US military posture “is important in creating leverage for a diplomatic solution that would allow free and open navigation,” he said. https://www.rferl.org/a/hormuz-shipping-warfare-us-iran-murrett/33750305.html https://www.rferl.org/a/hormuz-shipping-warfare-us-iran-murrett/33750305.html Tue, 05 May 2026 13:19:05 +0200 IranFeaturesThe Rundown Stories As the Iran war strains ties between Washington and its European allies, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is visiting Rome and the Vatican in a trip analysts say is as much about damage control as diplomacy. https://www.rferl.org/a/rubio-rome-vatican-visit-iran-war-us-europe-tensions/33749711.html https://www.rferl.org/a/rubio-rome-vatican-visit-iran-war-us-europe-tensions/33749711.html Mon, 04 May 2026 19:20:11 +0200 FeaturesIranThe Rundown Stories Max Meizlish, a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) and a former official at the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), looks behind the "mafia state" that makes up the Iranian regime. https://www.rferl.org/a/meizlish-iran-supreme-leader-khamenei/33746594.html https://www.rferl.org/a/meizlish-iran-supreme-leader-khamenei/33746594.html Fri, 01 May 2026 10:21:37 +0200 IranNewsThe Rundown Headline Matthew Tavares, a former Pentagon analyst, tells RFE/RL the West is no longer facing a partnership of convenience between Moscow and Tehran, but a strategic alignment that spans the tactical, operational, and strategic levels of warfare.  https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-military-axis-iran-pentagon-analyst-matthew-tavares/33746049.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-military-axis-iran-pentagon-analyst-matthew-tavares/33746049.html Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:53:51 +0200 IranFeaturesRussiaUkraineRussia Invades Ukraine In an interview with RFE/RL, US Senator Thom Tillis said the wars in Ukraine and Iran represent a broader conflict "between the democratic world and the totalitarian world." He said Russian President Vladimir Putin is looking far beyond Ukraine in his geopolitical aims. https://www.rferl.org/a/united-states-senator-thom-tillis-russia-ukraine/33745530.html https://www.rferl.org/a/united-states-senator-thom-tillis-russia-ukraine/33745530.html Wed, 29 Apr 2026 23:06:34 +0200 RussiaUkraineVideo ArchiveVideos Senator Thom Tillis, a co-chair of the Senate NATO Observer Group and a self-described “plain-spoken” Republican from North Carolina, has a message for those who view the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East as isolated events: they are not. https://www.rferl.org/a/us-senator-thom-tillis-russia-iran-axis-war/33745497.html https://www.rferl.org/a/us-senator-thom-tillis-russia-iran-axis-war/33745497.html Wed, 29 Apr 2026 20:54:00 +0200 IranNewsRussiaUkraine In an interview with RFE/RL, US Representative Wesley Bell, whose legislation to address threats to the Baltics has advanced with bipartisan support, discusses checking Russia’s ambitions, how the war in Ukraine shapes long-term security, the implications of Russia-Iran cooperation, and more. https://www.rferl.org/a/baltics-us-security-nato-russia-threats-wesley-bell/33745055.html https://www.rferl.org/a/baltics-us-security-nato-russia-threats-wesley-bell/33745055.html Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:20:39 +0200 RussiaFeaturesBelarusIranRussia Invades UkraineThe Rundown Stories RFE/RL spoke with former US Central Command (CENTCOM) communications director, retired US Army Colonel Joe Buccino, on April 27 to discuss the escalating situation in the Strait of Hormuz and the strategic "staring contest" between Washington and Tehran that is now defining the region. https://www.rferl.org/a/centcom-buccino-iran-us-strategic-staring-contest-hormuz/33744184.html https://www.rferl.org/a/centcom-buccino-iran-us-strategic-staring-contest-hormuz/33744184.html Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:45:45 +0200 IranNewsThe Rundown StoriesMiddle East RFE/RL journalist Alex Raufoglu was attending an annual event for White House correspondents when gunshots rang out, prompting Secret Service agents to rush the president and other top officials to safety. Speaking after the incident, Raufoglu said many questions remain about the shooter's motives. https://www.rferl.org/a/washington-shooting-white-house-correspondents-trump/33742899.html https://www.rferl.org/a/washington-shooting-white-house-correspondents-trump/33742899.html Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:37:38 +0200 VideosVideo Archive A gunman charged through security at a gala dinner attended by President Donald Trump, prompting brief panic as security agents tackled the man and rushed Trump from the hotel ballroom. https://www.rferl.org/a/33742734.html https://www.rferl.org/a/33742734.html Sun, 26 Apr 2026 10:37:43 +0200 NewsThe Rundown Stories By supplying Russia with drones and enabling its long-range strikes in Ukraine, Tehran has become an active participant in a major European war. https://www.rferl.org/a/behnam-ben-taleblu-russia-iran-partnership-ukraine-war/33742291.html https://www.rferl.org/a/behnam-ben-taleblu-russia-iran-partnership-ukraine-war/33742291.html Sat, 25 Apr 2026 14:48:00 +0200 FeaturesIranUkraineThe Rundown Stories The United States will send a delegation to Pakistan this weekend for a new round of talks with Iranian officials, the White House said, as Washington tests whether a fragile cease-fire can translate into diplomatic progress. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-us-talks-diplomacy--blockade-nuclear/33741895.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-us-talks-diplomacy--blockade-nuclear/33741895.html Fri, 24 Apr 2026 23:21:06 +0200 NewsIranThe Rundown StoriesMiddle East While officials in Tehran have long emphasized self-reliance, experts say battlefield evidence points to a far more interconnected war effort, reflecting deepening partnerships that have helped Iran replenish its military, improve targeting, and blunt Western operations during the conflict. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-russia-china-war-cooperation-support/33741900.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-russia-china-war-cooperation-support/33741900.html Fri, 24 Apr 2026 21:52:17 +0200 IranFeaturesRussiaThe Rundown HeadlineMiddle EastChina The expiration of a US sanctions waiver on Iranian oil last weekend has brought renewed attention to Washington’s economic strategy, as policymakers seek to limit Tehran’s access to revenue while navigating global energy market pressures. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-sanctions-waiver-us-financial-pressure/33738030.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-sanctions-waiver-us-financial-pressure/33738030.html Thu, 23 Apr 2026 07:29:37 +0200 IranFeaturesThe Rundown StoriesNews Analysis With a cease-fire in the US-Israeli war on Iran due to expire on April 22, US actions at sea are drawing renewed attention to a central issue: How deeply Iran’s military establishment is embedded in the country’s economy. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-us-irgc-ships-economy-entreched-shadow/33736577.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-us-irgc-ships-economy-entreched-shadow/33736577.html Tue, 21 Apr 2026 08:01:14 +0200 IranFeaturesThe Rundown StoriesMiddle East US Congressman Joe Wilson says Georgia has become a front line in the global struggle between democracy and authoritarianism, jointly introducing new legislation to assess Russian and Chinese influence while pressing Tbilisi for free and fair elections. https://www.rferl.org/a/us-lawmakers-georgia-russia-china-influence-joe-wilson-free-elections/33735176.html https://www.rferl.org/a/us-lawmakers-georgia-russia-china-influence-joe-wilson-free-elections/33735176.html Mon, 20 Apr 2026 10:39:14 +0200 GeorgiaFeaturesRussiaThe Rundown Stories The United States has again temporarily eased sanctions on Russian oil, issuing a new waiver that allows certain shipments already at sea to be delivered and sold, even as Washington publicly insists it is maintaining pressure on the Kremlin. https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-oil-sanctions-waiver-treasury-iran/33735009.html https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-oil-sanctions-waiver-treasury-iran/33735009.html Sat, 18 Apr 2026 05:12:42 +0200 RussiaNewsIranThe Rundown Stories In an interview with RFE/RL on April 17, Ryan Kirkley, CEO of blockchain payments company Global Settlement Network, explained the worldwide economic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, why markets are moving at varying paces, and why oil prices may already be turning. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-war-hormuz-oil-bitcoin-economy-markets/33734697.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-war-hormuz-oil-bitcoin-economy-markets/33734697.html Fri, 17 Apr 2026 21:47:50 +0200 IranFeaturesThe Rundown Stories A senior Republican lawmaker has raised concerns over continued US-origin components appearing in Russian weapon systems amid Ukrainian reports that recent drone strikes show evidence of Western microelectronics manufactured as recently as 2025. https://www.rferl.org/a/us-lawmaker-wilson-flags-western-chips-russian-iranian-drones/33734451.html https://www.rferl.org/a/us-lawmaker-wilson-flags-western-chips-russian-iranian-drones/33734451.html Fri, 17 Apr 2026 13:58:52 +0200 IranNewsFeaturesThe Rundown StoriesMiddle East