The two big moves in early US Middle East policy
Three months is a very short time, especially in the life of a new administration scrambling to fill positions, review policy, and launch initiatives. And although the incoming administration’s priorities are largely domestic and in the foreign policy arena, their priorities are on global issues like climate change and fighting COVID or otherwise on China and Asia Middle East policy has seen important movement, particularly on Iran and Afghanistan.
The decision to find a pathway back into the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran was signaled loudly during the campaign, and it has translated into indirect talks in Vienna. Predictably, Iran has been testing the new administration with limited escalations in various theaters, partly to take the measure of the new president, and partly as a way to gain leverage in the negotiations. Despite their wide differences, the American and Iranian “administrations” both h
Analysis of satellite imagery obtained by the International Institute for Strategic Studies
revealed the construction of a new set of seven silos storing advanced new missiles in southern Iran.
Defence analysts at the IISS
told
The National the storage facility is placed on a steep mountainside and is designed to hold dozens of the weapons at a particular slant, for precision targeting of the missiles.
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The imagery given to
The National shows the bank of launch sites set into mountainous terrain close to the southern Iranian town of Haji Abad. The steep mountainside and particular slant of the seven silos strongly point to a limited direction that would cause concern for military airbases
The two big moves in early US Middle East policy
Three months is a very short time, especially in the life of a new administration scrambling to fill positions, review policy, and launch initiatives. And although the incoming administration’s priorities are largely domestic and in the foreign policy arena, their priorities are on global issues like climate change and fighting COVID or otherwise on China and Asia Middle East policy has seen important movement, particularly on Iran and Afghanistan.
The decision to find a pathway back into the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran was signaled loudly during the campaign, and it has translated into indirect talks in Vienna. Predictably, Iran has been testing the new administration with limited escalations in various theaters, partly to take the measure of the new president, and partly as a way to gain leverage in the negotiations. Despite their wide differences, the American and Iranian “administrations” both h
Iranian president: Leaked Zarif interview intended to derail Vienna talks
Iranian president: Leaked Zarif interview intended to derail Vienna talks
The timing of the leak was designed to cause internal Iranian divisions just as nuclear talks approach a decisive phase, says Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Credit: Asatur Yesayants/Shutterstock.
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(April 28, 2021 / JNS) Iran’s president said on Wednesday that the leak of an interview in which the country’s foreign minister complains of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ intervention in diplomatic affairs is an attempt to sow internal discord in the country.
The timing of the leak, which was made public on Sunday, was designed to cause internal Iranian divisions just as nuclear talks in Vienna between Iran and world powers approached a decisive phase, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told his Cabinet, according to