ANALYSIS: Why Sweden Was Silent About Iran’s Alleged Assassination Plots
By Ahmad Rafat
On Feb. 15, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Lennart Billstrom publicly denounced the Iranian government’s involvement in a plot to assassinate three Swedish Jewish citizens.
In a conversation with his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian,...
ANALYSIS: What Exactly Is Iran’s Strategy in the Israel-Gaza Crisis?
By Ahmad Rafat
The war in Gaza will end, eventually. While Israel will undoubtedly win the military battle, it is unclear what fate awaits Gaza once the conflict has ended. What is certain is that...
ANALYSIS – Many Iranian Options to Retaliate Against Israel, but All Carry Risk
By Idrees Ali and Arshad Mohammed
WASHINGTON, April 3 (Reuters) - Iran faces a dilemma following an Israeli attack on its embassy in Syria: how to retaliate without sparking a wider conflict that Middle East analysts said Tehran...
OPINION: What Iran Nuclear Deal Reveals About Talking to Theocrats
By Kambiz Zare
The latest rounds of negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program highlight a fundamental reality: in politics—as in war and in dealmaking—success often depends on timing and on bold, decisive action. Recognizing the right...
ANALYSIS: What Will UK Policy on Iran Look Like Under Liz Truss?
By Natasha Phillips
The United Kingdom’s new prime minister, Liz Truss, faces difficult foreign policy decisions as she begins her mandate — not least among them Iran’s increasingly close relationship with Russia, and the Iran nuclear deal,...
ANALYSIS: After UAE and Bahrain Deals, Is Saudi Arabia Softening Its Stance on Israel?
By Marwa Rashad and Aziz El Yaakoubi
RIYADH/DUBAI, Sept 15 (Reuters) - When one of Saudi Arabia's leading clerics called this month for Muslims to avoid "passionate emotions and fiery enthusiasm" towards Jews, it was...
ANALYSIS: IRGC Is Main Obstacle in Talks to Revive Iran Nuclear Deal
By Ahmad Rafat
In the past few weeks, there have been intense discussions on whether the U.S. should remove the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) from its list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) in the...
ANALYSIS: What Role Did Iran’s New President Play in the 1988 Executions?
By Ahmad Rafat
Sayyid Ebrahim Raisolsadati, better known as Ebrahim Raisi, will take office as the Islamic Republic’s eighth president on August 5.
The June presidential elections have differed in many aspects from all previous ones. For...
ANALYSIS: Covert Israeli-Saudi Meeting Sends Biden a Strong Message on Iran
RIYADH/JERUSALEM, Nov 27 (Reuters) - A historic meeting between Israel's prime minister and Saudi Arabia's crown prince has sent a strong signal to allies and enemies alike that the two countries remain deeply committed...
ANALYSIS: As Iran Faces “Water Bankruptcy”, Drought Exposes Past Problems, Future Threats
By Maya Gebeily
BEIRUT, July 28 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Severe water shortages in Iran in recent weeks have prompted electricity outages and even sparked deadly protests, but analysts say the underlying causes go back decades -...
