Saudi Arabia Seen Unlikely to Seek Nukes If Iran Gets One

by Jim Lobe via IPS News Challenging what has become conventional wisdom here, a new report released here Tuesday by an influential think tank argues that Iran’s neighbours – Saudi Arabia in particular – are unlikely to pursue nuclear weapons… Continue Reading

A Desperate Cry for Help from Abbas

by Mitchell Plitnick As President Barack Obama’s first trip to Israel approaches, one senses desperation from the Ramallah headquarters of the Palestinian Authority. Obama’s scheduled stop in the West Bank has all the trappings of an empty gesture masking the real goal… Continue Reading

Obama, Kerry and the Mid-East: A Blueprint for Re-engagement

by Emile Nakhleh As President Obama begins his second term and John Kerry becomes the new Secretary of State, they are faced with worrisome uncertainty in Egypt, civil war in Syria, repression in Bahrain, a moribund peace process, and a… Continue Reading

Iran Seeks Reciprocity in Nuclear Negotiations

by Mohammad Ali Shabani Iran and the P5+1 — the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany — are set to resume nuclear talks in Kazakhstan on 26 February, but little appears to have changed since their… Continue Reading

On the Assassination of an Iranian in Syria

by Farideh Farhi Much about various Iranian and non-Iranian narratives and reporting on the assassination of General Hassan Shateri (aka Khoshnevis) is unclear or contradictory. Let’s just say that reports cannot even agree on the date he died on. So… Continue Reading