Incoming top U.S. diplomat says Washington still ‘long way’ from stronger Iran deal
Antony Blinken said Tehran must return to compliance with the terms of the deal first, and he vowed to work closely with Congress as potential talks progress.
What America has learned from Iranian social media
The U.S. State Department’s new approach treated social media as a channel to learn what Iranians thought about both their own regime and U.S. policy.
Iran seizes South Korean tanker and ramps up enrichment as tensions mount
The developments unfolded against a broader backdrop of rising anxiety in the Middle East as the Trump administration has extended its offensive to weaken Iran.
A dismal year everywhere was even worse for Iran
After a year in which the regime has failed on every other front, it will almost inevitably double down on its only other source of legitimacy: its visceral anti-Americanism.
Don’t let Iran get away with hostage-taking
When the old hostages are sent home, the regime simply arrests new ones to replenish its stock of political pawns. The vicious circle is repeated.
Saudi Arabia says resolution of Gulf dispute seems within reach
Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said on Friday a resolution to a bitter dispute with Qatar seemed "within reach" after Kuwait announced progress towards ending a row that Washington says hampers a united Gulf front against Iran. The United States and Kuwait have worked to end ...
The assassination last week of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, Iran’s most important nuclear scientist, was aimed as much at the administration of U.S. President-elect Joe Biden as it was the regime in Tehran.
Iran approves bill to end nuclear inspections in blow to Biden
Iran’s top political chamber gave final approval to a bill forcing President Hassan Rouhani to end international nuclear inspections unless the U.S. lifts key sanctions by February, giving the incoming Biden administration just weeks to make a diplomatic breakthrough. The new legislation also says that ...
Wiser heads must prevail after killing of top Iranian nuclear scientist
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was quick to blame Israel, describing the act as an indication of “desperate warmongering of perpetrators.”
Iran says it won’t fall into trap of scuttling any U.S. talks
Iran has vowed it won’t "fall into the trap” of scuppering any future talks with a new U.S. administration following the assassination of a top nuclear scientist. "Iran’s scientific and defense policies won’t change because of the assassination of one scientist or general,” government spokesman ...
Iranian nuclear scientist killing will have fallout
The killing certainly has some of the hallmarks of a campaign of assassinations of Iranian nuclear scientists, attributed to Israel: four were killed between 2010 and 2012.
