US extends sanctions for Iran under nuclear deal

US extends sanctions for Iran under nuclear deal

The United States on Thursday extended some sanctions relief for Iran under the 2015 nuclear deal, the State Department said, but no decision has been made on whether to preserve the deal itself. At the same time, President Donald Trump said that Iran is violating “the spirit” of the nuclear deal and the US Treasury […]

US Backed SDF, Syrian Army Advance on Deir el-Zour

US Backed SDF, Syrian Army Advance on Deir el-Zour

With both the Syrian Army and the US backed SDF militias advancing on the city of Deir el-Zour held by Islamic State fighters, the U.S.-led coalition has said they are says monitoring the Syrians to ensure they do not cross a deconfliction zone established across the city. “We do monitor and watch where they are […]

Israelis Hit Syrian Target, Reportedly Chemical Weapons Hub

Israelis Hit Syrian Target, Reportedly Chemical Weapons Hub

The Syrian military has claimed that Israel has hit two military sites in Hama province early on Thursday morning. The air strikes targeted a reported chemical weapons production facility and also hit a military camp that was used to store ground-to-ground rockets and where personnel of Iran and its ally, the Lebanese Hezbollah group, had […]

Thanks, Obama? Iran adhering to nuclear deal after all

Thanks, Obama? Iran adhering to nuclear deal after all

ISTANBUL — The U.N. watchdog tasked with monitoring Iran’s ­nuclear activities certified Thursday that the country remains in compliance with a 2015 accord struck with world powers, even as the Trump administration has threatened to withdraw from the deal. In its quarterly report to member states, the International Atomic Energy Agency said that Iran’s stock of […]

Iran rejects U.S. demand for U.N. visit to military sites

Iran rejects U.S. demand for U.N. visit to military sites

Iran has dismissed a U.S. demand for United Nations nuclear inspectors to visit its military bases as “merely a dream”. It also said the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was unlikely to agree anyway. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, last week pressed the IAEA to seek access to Iranian military bases […]

Hamas Says Relationship With Iran Repaired, Now Their “Largest Backer”

Hamas Says Relationship With Iran Repaired, Now Their “Largest Backer”

The new Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, Yehiyeh Sinwar, told the media on Monday that the group has repaired its five-year old rift with Iran and now the Iranians are Hamas’ largest backer both militarily and financially. Hamas is now preparing for new hostilities toward Israel. This announcement is hardly news to the Israelis. […]

Hezbollah: Iran’s Middle East agent, emissary and hammer

Hezbollah: Iran’s Middle East agent, emissary and hammer

For three decades, Hezbollah maintained a singular focus as a Lebanese military group fighting Israel. It built a network of bunkers and tunnels near Lebanon’s southern border, trained thousands of committed fighters to battle Israel’s army and built up an arsenal of rockets capable of striking far across the Jewish state. But as the Middle […]

As ‘Death to America’ chants lose power, Iran retools propaganda with rap videos

As ‘Death to America’ chants lose power, Iran retools propaganda with rap videos

It’s a common theme in the state-controlled media in Iran: The armed forces are not to be trifled with; they’re tough men doing a tough job, defending a country permanently under threat. Nevertheless, it was a shock to some young Iranians when a video appeared featuring a well-known rapper delivering the same message from the deck […]

ANALYSIS: Turkey seeks Iran ‘alliance’ against Kurds as US pull wanes

ANALYSIS: Turkey seeks Iran ‘alliance’ against Kurds as US pull wanes

The symbolism was huge, as was the message that followed: The highest level talks in almost 40 years between Turkish and Iranian military commanders, then an announcement by Turkey’s president of a new “alliance”. After Hulusi Akar and Mohammad Hossein Bagheri met last week, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has traded barbs with the Iranian […]

Trump’s Long-Term Plan For Afghanistan, Will It Work?

Trump’s Long-Term Plan For Afghanistan, Will It Work?

Despite not really saying anything new nor breaking new ground with his long-term plan for Afghanistan, President Donald Trump’s updated strategy for winning in the war-torn country was startling on a couple of counts. First, during the 2016 Presidential campaign, Trump was opposed to staying, in the country and was an outspoken critic of the […]

Lebanon and Hezbollah launch simultaneous but separate battles against ISIS

Lebanon and Hezbollah launch simultaneous but separate battles against ISIS

The U.S.-backed Lebanese army launched a long-awaited offensive on Saturday against Islamic State militants holed up in a remote stretch of northeastern Lebanon, just as a separate offensive by the Hezbollah militia and the Syrian army got underway right across the border in Syria. The offensive is the biggest military operation launched by the Lebanese […]