Even in the final months of talks to peacefully resolve the conflict over Iran’s nuclear program, events across the Middle East showcased the acrimony between Washington and Tehran. The United States dispatched warships to the Persian Gulf, backed Saudi airstrikes against…
Derasat in the News
More than four years after the 2011 Arab uprisings, the geopolitical considerations of major countries inside and outside the region appear to remain largely within the familiar parameters of security, stability and economic interests, as opposed to those of democracy and reform.
Let’s be clear about what the Iranian deal does not achieve: it does not prevent Iran from getting the bomb; it does not in any reliable way extend breakout capability to a year; and there is zero probability sanctions will “snap back” if Iran violates the agreement.
Ever since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran tried to cast itself as the leader of the entire Muslim world, and not just of its own minority Shiite sect. Fanning hostility to the American “Great Satan” and to the “Little Satan” of Israel has been a core part of that strategy—which, for a while…
A draft U.N. resolution on the Iran nuclear deal that says U.N. sanctions would “snap back” if Iran fails to meet its obligations also contains a surprise: The crucial mechanism will end in 10 years.
A US aircraft carrier in the Gulf hosted one of Saudi Arabia’s most powerful figures, official media said on Wednesday, as regional concerns mount over alleged interference by Iran. Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is also defence minister, boarded the USS Theodore Roosevelt which is…
Battered by allegations that it mistreats migrant workers, aids terrorists and bribed its way to hosting the 2022 soccer World Cup, this secretive monarchy is trying something new: openness.
When it comes to defeating ISIS without putting boots on the ground, the US-led coalition is running out of ideas. A US-led initiative to train and equip 5,000 moderate Syrian rebels has graduated just 60 soldiers in six months, Iraqi security forces are still…
An agreement to curb Iran’s nuclear program could create a bonanza for U.S. defense contractors who already are benefiting as the Obama administration tries to assuage Israeli and Gulf Arab concerns by cutting deals for more than $6 billion in military hardware.
Critics say Iran has out-maneuvered the outside world for almost two years, winning concession after concession in nuclear talks while itself giving away little. If so, the US appears to have turned the tables at a key juncture in the final negotiating round.