Iran, the U.S., and Saudi Arabia: Crisis and Opportunities

by François Nicoullaud Who exactly carried out the September 14 attacks on two major oil facilities in Saudi Arabia? Was it the Houthis? The Iranians? Some combination of the two? It does not really matter, as most already consider Iran… Continue Reading

The “Maximum Pressure” Policy is the Illegitimate Child of Diplomacy

by Bahman Fozouni The September 14 strikes against Saudi Arabia’s Khurais oilfield and Abqaiq processing facility, which the U.S. government quickly pinned on Iran, as well as President Trump’s decision to substantially increase sanctions against Iran in response, are sobering… Continue Reading

New Trump Iran Designation Threatens Humanitarian Goods

by Tyler Cullis In July 2019, Brian Hook—the U.S. Special Representative on Iran—released a video addressing the purported “myth” that the U.S. sanctions humanitarian trade with Iran. That wasn’t a “myth” at the time, as the U.S. had historically circumscribed… Continue Reading

The U.S. Dilemma in the Middle East Isn’t Really a Dilemma

by Lawrence Wilkerson The Persian Gulf and its entryway, the Strait of Hormuz, have been a cockpit of U.S. strategic interest since President Jimmy Carter declared, in his January 1980 State of the Union address, that “An attempt by any… Continue Reading