Iranian Public May Be Turning More Skeptical, Hostile Toward US

by Derek Davison and Jim Lobe The election and subsequent actions of the Trump administration appears to have provoked much greater skepticism, if not hostility, regarding U.S. intentions among the Iranian public, according to a major new poll released here… Continue Reading

White House Syria Statement Raises Eyebrows

by Derek Davison The Trump administration may be gearing up for another military strike against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s military. Late in the day on Monday, the White House released the following statement: The United States has identified potential preparations… Continue Reading

What Will Trump, Gulf Instability Mean for the Iran Deal?

by Derek Davison The Iran nuclear deal—Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA—is facing multiple threats, and whatever hope there may once have been that it could serve as a basis for improving U.S.-Iran ties is probably gone. Between the… Continue Reading

What’s Happening in the Persian Gulf

by Derek Davison Early Monday morning, five Arab states—Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen—along with the Maldives, broke all diplomatic and physical ties with the Persian Gulf emirate of Qatar. All six countries say they are… Continue Reading