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.
U.A.E. Top Diplomat in U.S. Calls for Collective Action to Counter Iran’s Destabilizing Role in Middle East
Yousef al-Otaiba, the United Arab Emirates’ ambassador to the United States, said on Thursday that Iran’s “hostile behavior” in the Middle East “is growing worse” despite the nuclear deal Tehran signed with world power
Senior Iranian Official Threatens to Annihilate Israeli Cities within Minutes If Attacked
A senior adviser to the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (I.R.G.C.)’s secretive Quds Force has warned that Iran will annihilate the Israeli cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa if Israel shows any aggression. “When Supreme Leader [Ali Khamenei] says we will turn Tel Aviv and Haifa to dust within seven minutes if needed, it is no joke.
Sweden-Based Researcher on Hunger Strike in Iran Protesting Illegal Detention
Ahmadreza Jalali, a Sweden-based Iranian researcher detained in Iran since April 2016, is on a hunger strike in Tehran’s Evin Prison protesting his denial of access to due process and detention without charge, the Inte
New Report Warns Iran Will Acquire Advanced Weaponry after U.N. Ban Is Lifted
A new report by the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence says Iran will be able to purchase warships, submarines and advanced missiles to further boost its naval power after 2020, when the U.N.
U.N. Warns Iran’s Water Crisis Will Become Dangerous if Left Unchecked
A senior U.N. official has warned that Iran’s water crisis, if left unchecked, will become dangerous for the country in the next two decades, the BBC Persian reports.
Senior Iranian Politician Glorifies Afghan Shiite Militiamen Fighting in Syria
Ezzatollah Zarghami, the former head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, has emphasized the significance of Afghan Shiite militias for the Iranian military intervention in Syria.
Iran’s Intelligence Ministry Detains Iranian-Kurdish Woman for Peaceful Activism
Iran’s Intelligence Ministry has kept Iranian-Kurdish civil rights activist Farzaneh Jalali in one of its detention centers in the city of Kermanshah since she was arrested without a warrant on February 23, the International Campaign on Human Rights in Iran (ICHRI) reports.
U.A.E. Blasts Iran for Prolonging Yemeni Crisis by “Directly Arming” Houthis
Anwar Mohamad Gargash, the minister of state for foreign affairs of the United Arab Emirates, blamed Iran’s “interventionism” for the war and human suffering in Yemen.
Growing Ties between Riyadh and Kuala Lumpur Unnerve Tehran
The Iranian media extensively covered Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud’s recent trip to Malaysia. State-run and semi-official outlets close to the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (I.R.G.C.), in particular, discussed in details the growing economic and trade ties between Riyadh and Kuala Lumpur.
First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri has warned that soaring unemployment has become Iran’s “biggest challenge” and revealed that a staggering number of 500,000 Iranians are annually added to the list of those already without jobs in the country.
Iran’s Spoiler Role May Derail Syria Peace Process
Sergey Vershinin, the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Middle East and North Africa department, will meet with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Jaberi Ansari to discuss the U.N.-sponsored peace talks on Syria, the
Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif blamed Western countries for the failure of international efforts to tackle drug trafficking and claimed that the Islamic Republic pays a high price for its contribution to combating the global illicit narcotics trade.
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.
