Social and Political

Al-Arabia – Yemen’s Houthis are an indivisible part of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and are subject to the IRGC’s orders, Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Adel al-Jubeir, said on Thursday. He added that this is confirmed by the Houthi targeting of facilities in the Kingdom. In a series of tweets on his official account, al-Jubeir said that the Houthis …

RFL/RE – Saudi Arabia has accused Iran of ordering recent drone attacks on the country’s oil facilities that were claimed by Yemen’s Shi’ite Huthi rebels. Saudi Deputy Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman tweeted on May 16 that the attacks were “ordered by the regime in Tehran,” which he accused of using the Huthis as “a tool…to implement its expansionist agenda …

RFL/RE – The United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) has vowed to show restraint after attacks on oil tankers off its coast amid complaints that it is being “bullied by Iran.” Foreign Minister Anwar Gargash on May 15 said he would not speculate on who was responsible for the attack on four ships off the coast of the U.A.E., including two Saudi …

RFL/RE – U.S. President Donald Trump says he is sure Tehran will “soon” seek to negotiate with Washington, and he dismissed media reports suggesting there was disagreement within the administration of his policy toward Iran.“I’m sure that Iran will want to talk soon,” Trump wrote on Twitter on May 15 without elaborating. Trump’s remarks follow comments he made on May 9 when …

RFL/RE – As verbal sparring, economic pressure, and military jockeying intensify between Tehran and Washington, Iranians are closely following the standoff and appear increasingly alarmed at the prospect of a conflict with the United States.Even conservative authorities and frequently combative media in the Shi’a-majority country of around 81 million people look to be treading cautiously.The reformist Seda magazine was reportedly …

VOA — U.S. President Donald Trump says there is “no infighting whatsoever” about his Middle East policies and that as tensions with Iran continue, he is “sure that Iran will want to talk soon.” Trump responded to reports in the Washington Post and New York Times about clashing opinions between those in his administration who see Iran taking clear steps in preparation to attack …

VOA — Iran is committed to its obligations under an international nuclear deal despite the U.S. withdrawal from the landmark agreement, its foreign minister said Thursday, calling the reimposition of sanctions by Washington “unacceptable.” Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif made the comments in a meeting with his Japanese counterpart in Tokyo as tensions rise in the Middle East, fuelling concerns …

VOA— Recent comments by a senior Iranian official about the possibility of deporting Afghan refugees living in the country has drawn widespread criticism from governments and rights groups. Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, said last week that his country would consider asking Afghan refugees to leave Iran if the United States continued to put economic pressure on Tehran. …

VOA — German Chancellor Angela Merkel says that Europe needs to “reposition” itself in a changing world and is welcoming European powers’ unity over Iran, a contrast with their deep divisions over the Iraq war 16 years ago. Merkel said in an interview with Germany’s daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung released Wednesday that Europe needs “forward-looking” arguments and stressed that “simply pointing …

gatestoneinstitute – It was Iran, not the US, that breached international law by carrying out the US Embassy takeover in Tehran…. It was also Iran, not the US, that immediately began using its proxies, such as Hezbollah, to commit terrorism and incite antagonism towards America. Should the mullahs be appeased for killing thousands of Americans? For continually taking Americans as …