Explosions in Iran, Lebanon 'pilot zone' planned and Dubai Metro Blue Line reaches milestone

In today’s episode of Trending Middle East, more explosions are reported across southern Iran as regional mediators work to revive negotiations between the US and Tehran. We also look at the next phase of the US-backed agreement between Lebanon and Israel, with the first "pilot security zone" expected to be established within days, before talks are held in Rome. But Israeli leaders insist the country's forces will remain in southern Lebanon for "as long as necessary". The Palestinian Authority announces the first legislative elections in two decades, with voting scheduled for November and a series of electoral reforms aimed at broadening representation. In Iraq, investigators uncover millions of dollars hidden in a drainage pit as the country's anti-corruption campaign expands. The discovery adds to a growing list of cash, gold and property seizures. And in Dubai, the Metro Blue Line reaches a major construction milestone after completing its first phase of tunnelling. The Dh20.5 billion ($5.6 billion) project is expected to transform transport across the emirate when it opens in 2029. Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans.