- Iran and the P5+1 are continuing their negotiations as the Tuesday deadline edges closer. According to U.S. officials, all parties have agreed to a step-by-step approach to the deal, but some sticking points remain. The officials have said that the two core issues that remain are how the sanctions on Iran would be lifted, and what would happen in later years of the agreement, including Iran capacity to conduct nuclear research and development. Western officials believe that since all parts of the deal are interrelated, the entire agreement could still fall apart.
- The conflict in Yemen intensified further as Iran-backed Houthis faced off against the Saudi backed supporters of President Hadi. As the Houthis from the north made their way south to Aden, which controls the entrance to the Red Sea, and also serves as the base of President Hadi, Saudi forces conducted airstrikes to force Houthi rebels out of contested air bases. As the skirmishes continued, fears of spreading chaos in the region escalated.
- Arab leaders who met in Egypt for a summit have agreed to set up a joint force to counter regional threats such as Iran, its proxies, IS, and other militant groups in the region. After Turkey's Presidet Recep Tayyip Erdogan backed Saudi-led military strikes in Yemen, Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif denounced President Erdogan’s statements, accused Erdogan of fomenting regional strife, and criticized Turkey’s policies in the region by saying: "It would be better if those who have created irreparable damages with their strategic mistakes and lofty politics would adopt responsible policies.”
- American-led forces continued launching airstrikes in support of Iranian backed militias and Iraqi troops in the fight against the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) in the city of Tikrit.
- Majid Majidi, an Iranian film director, is attempting to offer the world a literal glimpse of the Prophet Muhammad despite traditional taboos against it. The movie, “Muhammad, Messenger of God,” is the most expensive in Iranian history, and despite the taboos of depicting the prophet, it shows the back of the Prophet Muhammad as a child. While Sunni Islam prohibits any portrayal of Muhammad, Shiite Islam does not.
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