Middle East

Sanctions have hurt the Iranian economy, but have so far failed to convince Tehran to abandon nuclear ambitions. A report from the Iran Project argues that it's time to re-examine the balance of sanctions and diplomacy. Others argue it's time to consider military options.

More than half a million refugees have crossed into Jordan, and the number is expected to rise rapidly. Jordanian officials say the influx is threatening the stability of the kingdom.

When it comes to the U.S. role in Syria's civil war, President Obama says he's weighing all options. Whatever he decides, he'll have to make his case to a public that hasn't been paying close attention.

Political cartoons have a long history in Iran and give voice to critics of the authoritarian regime. Lately cartoonists have been increasingly persecuted for their work. A recent book, Sketches of Iran, pairs 40 political essays with cartoons depicting life in Iran today.

An international team of doctors is helping Syrian health workers recognize the signs of a chemical attack. They're also teaching them how to collect and preserve tissues as potential evidence if war crimes charges are brought.

The Syrian civil war rages just a short distance across the frontier from Israeli-occupied territory. As spring blossoms around them, Israelis are watching warily.

British, French and Israeli officials say they have evidence that the Syrian government repeatedly used chemical weapons against civilians. Though the U.S. hasn't confirmed the allegations, the Obama administration previously said that the use of chemical weapons could provoke a stronger response.

Violence between Muslims and Christians in Egypt, which has only increased since the revolution, is prompting public debate about religious identity. To try to ease tension and de-emphasize differences, one group of Egyptians wants to remove religious labels from national ID cards.

Weekend Edition Saturday host Scott Simon talks with Vali Nasr of Johns Hopkins University about allegations that the Syrian government used chemical weapons against its own citizens, and whether this crosses a "red line" drawn by the Obama Administration.

The tiny Gulf nation of Qatar has been "punching above its weight" diplomatically in the region in recent years. Now, it's taking a prominent role in Syria, arming rebels there. The U.S. wants to see such aid go to moderates. Qatar has its own approach.

Robert Siegel talks to Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, who is the ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, about the U.S. intelligence assessment regarding chemical weapons in Syria. Corker says there is not yet enough evidence to take military action against the Syrian government. He adds that the real challenge now is to keep the more extremist anti-Assad-regime rebels from having the upper hand.

President Obama has said repeatedly that the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government against its own people was a red line, and crossing it would bring U.S. action. On Thursday, the administration said that the intelligence community "does assess with vary degrees of confidence" that the regime has used such weapons "on a small scale." Yet the administration also contends that these findings fall short of the red line.