Beirut Explosion Delays Hariri Court Verdict for Iranian-backed Hezbollah
By Ahmad Rafat
On Aug. 8, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) postponed its verdict for two weeks in the trial of four men accused of assassinating the former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, who...
ANALYSIS: In Iran-U.S. Talks, Diplomacy and War Are Both On the Table
By Ahmad Rafat
President Donald Trump made a surprise announcement on Monday April 7: that the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran are holding direct talks and that a meeting at the highest...
Pope Breaks Silence, Condemns Use of Death Penalty Against Protesters in Iran
By Ahmad Rafat
Pope Francis has condemned Iran’s use of the death penalty against protesters, demanding greater respect for women.
He made the remarks during his annual speech to foreign diplomats accredited to the Vatican on...
ANALYSIS: ISIS Khorasan Poses A Real Danger to Global Security
By Ahmad Rafat
The Islamic State-Khorasan Province (IS-KP), also known as ISIS Khorasan or ISIS-K, has made global headlines since the terrorist attack on the concert hall in Krasnogorsk, near Moscow, which killed 143 people...
ANALYSIS: Iran’s June Elections Loom Over Vienna Talks, U.S. Rejoining Nuclear Deal
By Ahmad Rafat
A fifth round of talks on the U.S. rejoining the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), better known as the Iran nuclear deal, is currently taking place in Vienna. Former U.S....
Iranian Filmmakers, Actresses Defy Regime In Aftermath of Protests
By Ahmad Rafat and Firouzeh Nordstrom
Since the start of the ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ movement in 2022, Iranian cinema has entered a new phase unparalleled in the past four and a half decades. Independent filmmakers...
Iranian Military Presence Near Golan Heights Alarms International Community
By Ahmad Rafat
In a surprise move on March 25, U.S. President Donald Trump recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, seized from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War. Mr. Trump announced his decision during...
ANALYSIS: Iran Nuclear Talks in Vienna Deadlocked Amid Tensions in the Persian Gulf
By Ahmad Rafat
The inauguration of Ebrahim Raisi as Iran’s new president this month coincides with ongoing Vienna talks on rebooting the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), better known as the Iran nuclear...
ANALYSIS: How Iran Has Turned Itself Into a Pariah State
By Ahmad Rafat
Every action taken by the Islamic Republic in the past year has secured the regime’s status as a pariah state. These include scaling back its commitments to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan...
ANALYSIS: China’s Influence in the Middle East Is Expanding
By Ahmad Rafat
China’s efforts to expand its sphere of influence significantly in the Middle East and Africa in recent years have been a concern for the West. While China previously limited its aim to...
