Now or Never for Trump-Rouhani Meeting

by Robert Czulda Recent actions against the safety of tankers in the Persian Gulf have once more destabilized this subregion and have heightened the anxiety of numerous commentators. Both attacks on infrastructure and the capture of tankers show that the… Continue Reading

Averting the Middle East’s 1914 Moment

by International Crisis Group Today’s standoff between the U.S. and Iran is reminiscent of tensions on the eve of World War I. A small incident could blow up into region-spanning conflict. Third-party mediation is urgently needed to begin de-escalation that… Continue Reading

The Maximum Pressure Campaign Presses Toward War

by Paul R. Pillar The statement by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on the latest incident involving tankers in the Gulf of Oman is questionable on multiple counts, beginning with his immediate, semi-automatic attribution of responsibility to Iran. The origin… Continue Reading

Taking the U.S. and Iran Off Collision Course

by International Crisis Group A series of escalations in both word and deed have raised fears of U.S.-Iranian military confrontation, either direct or by proxy. It is urgent that cooler heads prevail – in European capitals as in Tehran and… Continue Reading

Bolton in Wonderland

by John Feffer Only 70 days into his presidency, Ronald Reagan faced an assassination attempt. While he was in surgery and the vice president was mid-flight over Texas, Secretary of State Alexander Haig famously declared in front of the press,… Continue Reading