Iran

By David Cortright | – Many are worried about the risk of war between the U.S. and Iran. But the truth is, the U.S. has been fighting with Iran for decades in an economic war waged via sanctions. Concerns about a war of guns, warplanes and missiles grew after Iran shot down a U.S. spy […]

Iran

The Big Winner in Trump’s anti-Iran Sanctions? Russia

Middle East Monitor

By Stasa Salacanin | – Reinstated sanctions on Iran have brought a new complexity to Tehran’s relations with those countries which supported the deal, especially Russia. A new reality has forced both countries to face tough decisions, testing the strength of their bilateral partnership. Many assume that Tehran, facing maximum pressure and isolation, does not […]

Iran

How the Iran Nuclear Deal, Dumped by Trump, had Contained Iran’s Enrichment

The Conversation

By Miles A. Pomper | – Editor’s note: Iranian leaders have threatened to withdraw from a 2015 agreement that limits their nation’s nuclear activities. Under the deal, the United States and five other world powers lifted economic sanctions they had imposed to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. But President Trump removed the U.S. from […]

Drones

Back from Iran War Brink: Trump wants to Walk back Iran Crisis that He created with Severe US Sanctions

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The warmongers on Trump’s national security team apparently convinced him to set in motion an aerial strike against Iran Thursday in retaliation for the downing of a US drone over waters claimed by Iran. Then at the last minute, Michael D. Shear, Eric Schmitt, Michael Crowley and Maggie Haberman at […]

Featured

Alleging False Flag, Iran Speaker accuses US of Gulf of Oman Tanker Attacks

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Iran’s speaker of parliament, Ali Larijani, said Monday that he believed that the United States might have staged the attack on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman last week. Larijani said that such an attempt to frame Iran would be consistent with current US policy, which is to […]

Afghanistan

Once Again Pompeo Displays Hopeless Ignorance of Sunni & Shiite, Iran and Taliban

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The Washington Post reports that when US Secretary of State “Benghazi Mike” Pompeo gave his breathless news conference last Thursday to finger Iran for the oil tanker explosions in the Gulf of Oman, he indicted Iran for another act of violence at the same time. Mary Papenfus at HuffPo notes […]

Iran

What does the Trump Administration Really Want from Iran?

The Conversation

By Noah Weisbord | – Two oil tankers were attacked on June 13 off the coast of Oman, forcing the crew members of one burning ship to flee. It was the latest in a series of assaults on tankers transporting oil through the Gulf. In May, Saudi, Norwegian and Emirati oil tankers were attacked off […]

Iran

Saudi and Iran: how our two countries could make peace and bring stability to the Middle East

The Conversation

By Samira Nasirzadeh and Eyad Alrefai | – Relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran have rarely been worse, regarding the attacks on the oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman – for which both sides blame each other. Nevertheless, in the history of relations between the two countries, […]

Iran

Oil-Tanker Attacks Potentially A ‘Dangerous Escalation’ in US-Iran Confrontation, Expert Says

Frud Bezhan

(RFE/RL) – Attacks on two commercial oil tankers in the Gulf Of Oman have escalated tensions in the Middle East and raised the prospect of a military confrontation between Iran and the United States. Washington and its allies in the region have blamed Tehran for the blasts on board the Norwegian-owned Front Altair and Japanese-owned […]