Tag Archives: Iran

US Diplomacy in a Higher Gear

Posted on September 22, 2020 by

September 22, 2020 With the November 3 presidential election approaching, the Trump administration’s Middle East policy has shifted into a higher gear. It began on January 28 with the unveiling, by President Trump and PM Netanyahu, of the “deal of … Continue reading →

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The JCPOA, Middle East Peace, and the US Presidential Election

Posted on August 24, 2020 by

August 24, 2020 The UN Security Council has adopted seven resolutions[i] addressing Iran’s nuclear program. Only Resolution 2231 (2015) remains in effect today. After Iran and the P5+1 reached agreement on the JCPOA, the Security Council endorsed the deal through … Continue reading →

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Iran-US Confrontation with Iraq in the Middle

Posted on January 8, 2020 by

January 8, 2020 President Obama made his intention to engage Iran public in his landmark Cairo speech on June 4, 2009, well before the election of Hassan Rouhani. He said:  “…For many years, Iran has defined itself in part by … Continue reading →

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The Middle East: A Disheartening Beginning for the New Decade

Posted on January 5, 2020 by

January 5, 2020 The Iraq-Iran war started on September 22, 1980. It lasted eight years. In August 1991 Iraq invaded Kuwait. A massive US-led military campaign forced Iraq to withdraw in February 1991. It was followed by years of no-fly … Continue reading →

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The Attack on Saudi Arabia’s Oil Facilities

Posted on October 7, 2019 by

October 7, 2019 Following the September 14 attack on two of Saudi Arabia’s major oil facilities, country’s leadership blamed Iran. US Secretary of State Pompeo tweeted, “Tehran is behind nearly 100 attacks on Saudi Arabia while Rouhani and Zarif pretend … Continue reading →

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History Will Judge Them Harshly

Posted on August 6, 2019 by

August 6, 2019 In a couple of years, the world could well be speaking of a decade of conflict in Syria in which regional and external powers were involved either directly or through proxies. The Islamic State remains a threat. … Continue reading →

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Gulf Crisis Reaching the Mediterranean

Posted on July 22, 2019 by

July 22, 2019 On July 4, British Royal Marines seized near Gibraltar the supertanker Grace 1 suspected of carrying Iranian oil to Syria. This was the first such detention of a ship under the European sanctions targeting supplies to Syria. … Continue reading →

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U.S. Policy Toward North Korea and Iran

Posted on July 3, 2019 by

July 3, 2019 On April 27, 2018 North Korean leader Kim Jong-un crossed the line that has divided the Korean Peninsula for the last 65 years, for a historic summit with President Moon Jae-in. The two leaders signed the three-page … Continue reading →

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Deal of the Century First Episode: Disappointment

Posted on June 28, 2019 by

June 28, 2019 On June 22, the White House released the first of a two-part Middle East peace plan, “the deal of the century”. Three days later, in Bahrain, President Trump’s senior adviser Jared Kushner presented the administration’s vision of … Continue reading →

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Closing of Ranks in the East, Disarray in the West

Posted on June 7, 2019 by

June 7, 2019 In the West, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Venezuela and Jared Kushner’s Middle East peace plan took a back seat during the week. It was President Trump who dominated the headlines. Attention initially focused on the jabs he took … Continue reading →

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