A Strategic Conundrum: Pakistan’s Transit Corridor to Iran as Lifeline or Liability
The US-Iran standoff over the Strait of Hormuz — disruptive to global trade and energy flows, and devastating for debt-burdened economies — has handed Pakistan an unexpected geoeconomic opportunity, one that may persist even if the framework agreement announced on June 14 results in a lasting peace and permanent reopening of the strait. But seizing it will have interlocking consequences for Islamabad’s ties with Tehran, Washington, and the Gulf states.
Iran: What’s Next for US Policy as the Region Seeks to Move On
As the US and Iran move to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the war’s real lesson lies in how Gulf states rapidly adapted — building pipelines, ports, and rail to bypass the chokepoint. Washington should seize this momentum, pursuing a “long game” of regional connectivity that serves shared security and economic interests.
Senior Iranian Cleric: We Increase Missile Range to Target Israel, “Deprive White House of Sleep”
During Friday prayer in Tehran today, a senior Iranian cleric said that the Islamic Republic will further enhance the range and power of its ballistic missiles to threaten America and annihilate Israel, Iran’s Fars News Agency reported. “We have missiles and we produce missiles. And we increase the range of our missiles as much as we can so that we deprive the residents of the White House of sleep.
Iran-Backed Militia Calls U.S. Troops in Iraq “Legitimate Target”
Harakat al-Nujaba, an Iranian-sponsored Iraqi militia group fighting in Iraq and Syria, today threatened to attack American troops in Iraq and the broader region in response to President Donald Trump’s announcement yesterday about the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Iran Provokes “New Intifada” in Response to Trump’s Jerusalem Decision
The chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces said President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital will “usher in a new intifada against the Zionist occ
Iran-Backed Iraqi Groups Threaten Violence Following U.S. Terrorism Bill
Two Iranian-backed Iraqi militia groups have threatened violence against the United States in Iraq and the broader region after a proposed U.S. congressional bill designated them as terrorist organizations. On November 3, a bill was introduced the U.S.
Iranian Leaders Celebrate Saleh’s Killing by Houthi Allies
Iranian leaders celebrate the killing of Ali Abdullah Saleh and some media outlets express the hope that the former Yemeni president’s death will further empower the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Ali Akbar Salehi, a senior aide to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, said Saleh got what he deserved. “The Yemeni people that are with the resistance front will ultimately emerge victorious similar to the people of Syria, Iraq and Lebanon,” he added.
Iran to Keep Its Forces in Syria in Defiance of International Pressure
Iranian Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani has said that Iranian forces will remain in Syria “as long as necessary” to continue to assist the embattled regime of Bashar al-Assad, Fars News Agency reported. “Iran will continue to help Syria to fight terrorism as long as it is needed,” the top Iranian lawmaker said in an interview with a state-run Russian outlet during his trip to Moscow. “The fight against terrorism has not ended.
Video Shows Protesters Tearing up Posters of Khamenei, Pro-Iran Iraqi Leaders in Najaf
Iraqis in the city of Kufa of Najaf Province held a protest rally against Iran and its Iraqi proxies and attacked the offices of the Badr Organization, according a video clip circulating in social media and published in some Arab outlets. It is not clear when the protest occurred. In the video, protesters are seen ripping up images of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and Hadi al-Amiri, the leader of the Badr Organization, a powerful group within Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (P.M.F.) and with close to Tehran.
Iranian Navy Adds New Warship to Caspian Sea Fleet
The Iranian Navy today added a new missile-launching corvette to its fleet in the Caspian Sea, the Iranian media reported. Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami participated in the inauguration ceremony of the homegrown vessel called Separ (shield). According to Tasnim News Agency, the new ship can sail at a maximum speed of 35 knots and is equipped with surface-to-surface missile systems, naval guns and radar systems.
Tehran Pressures Baghdad not to Disband P.M.F. despite Mounting Concerns
Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, has said that a “new foreign plot” is underway to dismantle Tehran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (P.M.F.) in neighboring Iraq, the Iranian media reported. In a meeting with Deputy Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament Hammam Hamoudi in
Of all the calamities that have caused mass death and destruction in the Middle East in recent years—including civil war, terrorism, ethnic cleansing, cholera, and famine—none is more potentially threatening to human life than the danger of nuclear power.
Saudi Arabia Intercepts another Houthi Missile as U.N. Monitors Suggest Iran Link
The Saudi security forces have intercepted and destroyed another ballistic missile launched from Yemen targeting the Saudi mainland, according to Saudi military officials.
Iran Rejects France’s Proposal for Missile Talks, Threatens Europe
Senior Iranian officials have reiterated that the country will not negotiate with the United States and Europe powers over its missile program, the Iranian media reported.
The oldest peer-reviewed publication dedicated to the study of the modern Middle East, MEI’s flagship journal covers politics, society, and culture in the region.
