Iran

Sunil Sharma interviewed by Maryam Kamali | ( Iranian Medieval History) Sunil Sharma is the Associate Professor of Persianate and Comparative Literature at Boston University’s Department of Modern Languages and Comparative Literature Dear Prof. Sharma, it is my great pleasure to have an interview with you regarding medieval Persian literature. One of the controversial issues […]

Featured

Unlike Israel’s Netanyahu, Saudi Arabia now says it supports Iran Nuclear Deal

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The Saudi-owned, pan-Arab London daily al-Sharq al-Awsat (the Middle East) reported on the meeting Friday between King Salman of Saudi Arabia and President Obama and their top foreign policy and security teams. It said, “American officials told al-Sharq al-Awsat that President Obama is eager to calm […]

Iran

What Iran sacrificed in Deal: Accepted dependence on Imported Enriched Fuel

contributors

By Farhang Jahanpour | (Inter Press Service) | – – OXFORD (IPS) – Iran’s nuclear programme has been the target of a great deal of misinformation, downright lies and above all myths. As a result, it is often difficult to unpick truth from falsehood. As President John F. Kennedy said in his Yale University Commencement […]

Dissent

Remember how Congress said we Should Support Iran Reformists? Well they want the Nuclear Deal

contributors

By Golnaz Esfandiari | ( RFE/ RL Parvin Fahimi, who lost her son to repression by the Iranian state, hopes the agreement global powers reached with Tehran on its nuclear program last month will not only remove sanctions and the threat of war, but also lead to improved human rights inside the country. Fahimi, whose […]

Counter-Terrorism

Enter the Bear: Does Russia plan air strikes on Daesh/ISIL in Syria?

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole| (Informed Comment) | – – The Israeli press is reporting that Iran has made a firmer military alliance with the Russian Federation in Syria, and that Moscow is sending pilots to Damascus to fly missions in that country against Daesh (ISIS, ISIL) and other Muslim extremist groups. The Syrian regime of Bashar […]

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Is Israeli military using Barak in struggle w/ Netanyahu over Iran Deal?

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) – – The revelations from former Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak’s memoir keep coming. Another excerpt was broadcast by Israel’s Channel 2 on Sunday. Barak gave the interviews as background to his autobiography “Wars (Milhamot) of my Life.” “Bibi is weak, he doesn’t…he doesn’t want to take tough steps […]

Featured

Barak– Netanyahu was on verge of Attacking Iran 3 Times 2010-12 (Why Listening to him on Iran Diplomacy is Daft)

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – In a radio interview, former Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak revealed that the government of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was on the verge of attacking Iran on 3 separate occasions in 2010-2012, but was consistently blocked by other (even far right wing) cabinet ministers or by […]

Democracy

Iran Pres. Rouhani criticizes Hardliners, is slapped down by Revolutionary Guards

contributors

By Golnaz Esfandiari | ( RFE/RL) | – – Iran’s Guardians Council, long accused of being a tool for hard-liners in factional power struggles, is at the center of a new war of words among top state officials. The exchange comes ahead of elections early next year for parliament, which is currently controlled by conservatives […]

Barack Obama

Despite Sordid Past, Nuclear Deal can Repair US-Iran Relations: An open letter to Congress and the White House

contributors

Francis A. Mlynarczyk, Jr. and Walter M. Cadette | (Informed Comment)| – – Washington has an opportunity to repair its tattered relations with Iran. The opportunity is there on the premise that Washington, in fact, makes good on its P5+1 commitments to lift economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for circumscriptions on Iran’s nuclear program. […]