If Iran's supreme leader were to write a job description for the country's next president, loyalty and obedience to the Islamic establishment would be high on the list of requirements.

• May 13, 2013

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has warned the sale of sophisticated surface-to-air Russian missiles to Syria would be "potentially destabilizing" for the region.

• May 10, 2013

Israel has asked Russia not to sell Syria an advanced air defence system that would help President Bashar al-Assad fend off foreign military intervention as he battles a more than two-year-old rebellion, Israeli officials said on Thursday.

• May 10, 2013

Israel has asked Russia not to sell Syria an advanced air defense system which would help President Bashar al-Assad fend off foreign military intervention as he battles a more than two-year-old rebellion, Israeli officials said on Thursday.

• May 9, 2013

Russia and the United States have announced they will encourage the rebels in Syria and Damascus government to hold talks on a political transition to end more than two years of bloodshed that has left some 70,000 dead.

• May 8, 2013

China on Wednesday accused the United States of sowing discord between China and its neighbors after the Pentagon said Beijing is using espionage to fuel its military modernization, branding Washington the "real hacking empire".

• May 8, 2013

The United States should be just as concerned as other countries about a rise in Japanese nationalism, China's ambassador to Washington said, hinting that the United States should not offer Japan encouragement in its dispute with China over a group of islets.

• May 4, 2013

The Gillard government has conspicuously softened Australia's tone towards China's military expansion in an apparent bid to consolidate relations with a key trading partner and emerging superpower.

• May 3, 2013