Category: Iran

Khamenei Protege Wins Iran Election Amid Low Turnout

DUBAI—Ebrahim Raisi, a hardline judge who is under U.S. sanctions for human rights abuses, secured victory as expected on Saturday in Iran’s presidential election after a contest marked by voter apathy over economic hardships and political restrictions. With all 28.9 million ballots counted, Raisi was elected with a tally of 17.9 million, Interior Minister Abdolreza…


‘Notable Uplift’ in Iranian Interference in UK: Think Tank

Iran is increasingly interfering with the UK to achieve its objectives and must now be seen as a top-tier threat, British think tank the Henry Jackson Society (HJS) warned. The activities include encouraging Scottish separatism and attacks against Israel, Saudi Arabia, and global counter-terrorism efforts, according to a 100-page report (pdf) published by the HJS…


Iran’s Long Standing ‘Strategic Hedging’ in Afghanistan to Intensify Due to US Troop Withdrawal

Iran has long claimed to follow the policy of supporting political stabilization in Kabul while also simultaneously expanding ties with the Taliban. In wake of the Sept. 11 deadline of troop withdrawal of the U.S. forces this contradictory policy is gaining momentum and will likely breed more chaos and violence inside Afghanistan, warn experts. This…


Shift of US Focus May Mean China’s Growing Influence in the Middle East: Expert

As the United States shifts its focus to domestic issues like combating the pandemic, one expert says China would inevitably take over the Middle East. The Middle East is historically a global crossroad for trade and energy due to its abundance of fossil fuels. For a number of years, the United States and China, among…


Iran Nuclear Deal Talks Set to Break for a Week, Diplomats Say

VIENNA—Talks aimed to revive Iran’s nuclear pact with global powers were expected on June 2 to adjourn for a week, diplomats said, with the remaining parties to the deal due to meet in the evening to sign off on the move. The adjournment to June 10 would leave only eight days to reach an agreement…


US Military in Danger: Bishop Garrison Was Involved With an Alleged Soviet Organization?

Bishop Garrison is purging the U.S. military of patriotic and conservative personnel. At a time where Russia, China, and Iran are threatening war, the U.S. military is about to be drastically weakened. This could result in the destruction of the United States of America. Counterpunch is an Epoch Times show available on Facebook, Parler, Gab,…


Russia, Iran Top Sources of Disinformation: Facebook Threat Report

Russia and Iran were the top sources of influence operations on Facebook, the company said in a threat report released this week. The 44-page report, which examined activity occurring between 2017 and 2020, found that the operators usually try to mimic domestic, authentic audiences “so they can more credibly exploit contentious political and societal issues…


Michael Doran on the Hamas–Israeli Conflict and Communist China’s Ambitions in the Middle East

“When I started to think about what the Middle East looked like from Beijing, the place suddenly looked very different.” The Chinese Communist Party is seeking to, step by step, dominate the Middle East, says Hudson Institute senior fellow Michael Doran—from building ports in strategic locations to expanding its naval presence in the region. “They’re…


Iran and IAEA Extend Monitoring Deal, Averting Crisis in Nuclear Talks

VIENNA/DUBAI—Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are extending a recently expired monitoring agreement by a month, both sides said on Monday, avoiding a collapse that could have pitched wider talks on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal into crisis. The move gives breathing space to indirect negotiations between the United States and Iran…


Blinken: No Sign yet Iran Will Take Steps Needed to Remove Sanctions

WASHINGTON—Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday said the United States has not seen yet whether Iran will move to comply with its nuclear commitments in order to have sanctions removed even as ongoing talks have shown progress. Iran’s president last week said the United States was ready to lift trade sanctions, although a senior…