Qassem Soleimani
Reports on Qassem Soleimani See all →
Iranian terrorism, Lebanese tragedies and hope
In their struggle to oppose a corrupt, Iranian-backed government, the Lebanese have received little help from the West. In the aftermath of the explosion of August 4, more than financial assistance will be needed. Peace will remain elusive as long as the United States and Europe tolerate Iranian interventions in the Middle East.
Iraq’s new prime minister: What lies ahead (Part 1)
Mustafa Al-Kadhimi — British citizen, former news columnist, and ex-intelligence chief — has now improbably risen to Iraq’s highest office. His opening was created thanks partly to the weakness of Iran, which is dealing with an economic crisis and the recent loss of General Qassem Soleimani to an American drone strike. In his first few ...
Opinion: Examining Iran’s strengths and weaknesses
Iran’s state has never been both as strong and as weak as it is now. Its strength comes from its influence in the region. Tehran wields tremendous sway over the governments in Baghdad, Sana’a, Beirut and Damascus. Yet Iran is facing discontent at home and among its neighbors, as protests ...
Near-term scenarios for the U.S.-Iran competition
Reports that the recent U.S. and Iranian attacks against each other are leading to war significantly exaggerate the situation. Each country’s moves are part of long-standing strategies focused on influencing the other’s behavior. As such, similar activities can be expected in the near future. A military conflict, however, would benefit ...
Leadership Challenges 2020: Iran’s decision makers
With the recent focus on Iran-West tensions, it is worth considering who exactly the decision makers are in Iran’s highly complex structure of power and whom the current system benefits. While Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei holds tremendous sway, he is not all-powerful. Understanding the roles of the various players ...
