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☆ Opinion | Biden’s Small Win — and Bigger Failure — in the Middle East
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Trita Parsi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

President Biden’s behind-the-scenes crisis management appears to have helped stop a wider war from igniting in the Middle East — for now. But that tactical win for the administration is actually part of its much larger strategic failure in the region. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu didn’t heed the order, but Israel’s response was so muted that Tehran effectively ignored it. Mr. Netanyahu’s minister of national security called it “lame.”Mr. Biden deserves credit for orchestrating this crucial de-escalation. Instead, he has followed Mr. Netanyahu’s lead, even as Israel has put vengeance over interest.

Persons: Biden’s, Biden, Israel, Mr, Benjamin Netanyahu didn’t, Netanyahu’s Organizations: Iranian Consulate Locations: Israel, Iran, Iranian, Syria, Tehran’s, Tehran

☆ How Israel responds to Iran attacks 'very much depends' on how Biden handles the issue: Think tank
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailHow Israel responds to Iran attacks 'very much depends' on how Biden handles the issue: Think tankTrita Parsi, executive vice president of Quincy Institute, discusses Iran's drone and missile attack on Israel, and says if U.S. President Joe Biden is "clear, then I think that Netanyahu will have no choice but not to respond militarily, but instead take the matter back into the shadow war that has gone on between Iran and Israel for many, many years now."

Persons: Israel, Biden, Joe Biden, Netanyahu Organizations: Quincy Institute Locations: Iran, Israel

☆ Iran’s attack seemed planned to minimize casualties while maximizing spectacle
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-14 | by ( Tamara Qiblawi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Tehran’s operation was highly choreographed, apparently designed to minimize casualties while maximizing spectacle. Over 300 drones and missiles navigated above Iran’s neighbors, including Jordan and Iraq — both with US military bases — before penetrating the airspace of Iran’s mortal enemy, Israel. Rather than fire from one of the neighboring countries where Iran and its non-state allies are present, this was a direct attack from Iranian territory on Israeli territory. This compromised Iran’s ability to damage Israel because it robbed the operation of the element of surprise. Demonstrators wave Iran's flag as they gather at Palestine Square in Tehran on April 14, 2024, after Iran launched a drone and missile attack on Israel.

Persons: Lebanon CNN —, Israel’s, Amir Cohen, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, Donald Trump’s, Qassem Soleimani, Asad, Iran’s, Netanyahu’s, Atta Kenare, “, ”, Parsi Organizations: Lebanon CNN, West Bank, United Nations, Trump, Iranian, US, Getty, Quincy Institute Locations: Beirut, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Iraq, —, Iran, Ashkelon, Republic, Damascus, Syria, Yemen, Tehran, Netanyahu’s Israel, Palestine, AFP, DC

The Israeli military told CNN it does not comment on foreign reports. CNN cannot verify the Times’ report, nor independently verify the claims from Iran, Syria and Israel. Increasing pressureAs the Middle East braces for a potential Iranian response, Tehran is under pressure to show strength in the wake of the consulate attack while not drawing the region into a wider war. The Lebanese Shia militant group has been embroiled in daily crossfire with Israeli forces for nearly six months. However, Israeli military spokesman Hagari blamed Iran for escalating tensions in the region.

Persons: Mohammed Reza Zahedi, Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi, Donald Trump, IRGC, Qassem Soleimani, ”, Israel, Daniel Hagari, “, Israel’s, Syria Hossein Akbari, Nasser Kanaani, Hossein Amir, Abdollahian, d’affaires, Amir, ” Amir, Faisal Mekdad meanwhile, Houthi, Parsi, Zahedi, Bejamin Netanyahu, Hagari, I’m Organizations: CNN, Revolutionary Guards, Foreign Ministry, Israel Defense Forces, New York Times, Hamas, Ministry of Health, Zionist, Iranian Foreign Ministry, Israel, Syrian Foreign, Diplomatic Relations, US, Quincy Institute, Responsible Locations: Iran, Israel, Syria, Gaza, Damascus, Baghdad, Tehran, Lebanese, ” Iran, United States, Quds, Iranian Embassy, Iranian, Islamic Republic, Washington, Swiss, Switzerland, Syrian, Vienna, Iraq, Jordan, Red, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Lebanon, Yemen

Iran may now be compelled to respond despite its unwillingness to enter war with Israel and the United States. And it has increased such attacks since October 7, when Iran-backed Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and kidnapping 250, prompting a devastating Israeli war in Gaza. “That would mean that the Israeli attack on Iran has put a target on the backs of American troops in the Middle East,” he said. Washington has, however, tried to distance itself from Monday’s Israeli attack. Attack Israeli interests abroadAfter past attacks on Iran, Israel has often anticipated Iranian retaliation on its interests in foreign countries, and beefed up security at its embassies.

Persons: Donald Trump, Qassem, Israel hasn’t, ”, Daniel Hagari, Hossein Amir, Abdollahian, ” Amir, Israel, CNN’s Paula Newton, Parsi, Biden, Israel Iran’s, Houthis, Sanam Vakil, Jalal Rashidi, Vakil, Omar Sanadiki, ” Vali Nasr, “, Farzan Organizations: CNN, Seven, Revolutionary Guards, Israel Defense Forces, Iran’s, Quincy Institute, Responsible, Islamic, US National Security, Israel, Hezbollah, Chatham House, State Department, Chatham, ” stoke, UN, Global Governance Locations: Iranian, Damascus, Baghdad, Iran, Israel, United States, Syria, Gaza, Quds, Swiss, Tehran, Washington ,, Iraq, Jordan, Washington, Islamic Republic, Lebanon, Iraqi, East, North Africa, London, Argentina, India, Georgia, Thailand, Jalal Rashidi Kochi, Azerbaijan, “, Chatham House, ”, Switzerland

☆ A wider war doesn’t suit Iran, even as it benefits from rising tensions
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-13 | by ( Tamara Qiblawi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The strikes risk further fanning the flames of a wider regionaI conflict that neither the US nor the Houthis’ backers in Iran appear to want. Houthi rebels launched a series of attacks on commercial ships and Western military vessels in the Red Sea, a major artery for international trade. Houthi forces seize and board the cargo ship Galaxy Leader in the Red Sea on November 19, 2023. The clashes will also continue to give Tehran leverage, argues IISS’s Momtaz, as evidenced by the strikes in Yemen on Thursday. “They need to restore freedom of navigation and secure international trade in the Red Sea while continuing to make sure that the other fronts don’t escalate into a real war.”

Persons: Joe Biden’s, Israel, ” Biden, ”, Rym Momtaz, Amir Levy, Parsi, Benjamin ) Netanyahu, ” Parsi, Biden, IISS’s Momtaz Organizations: Lebanon CNN, US, United Nations ’, Galaxy, Houthi Media, European Foreign Policy, Security, Quincy Institute Locations: Beirut, Lebanon, Yemen, Red, Iran, Israel, Gaza, Iraq, Syria, Tehran, Saudi Arabia, Houthi, Israeli

☆ Israel-Hamas war: There needs to be 'real peace' — not just a cease-fire, says think tank
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailIsrael-Hamas war: There needs to be 'real peace' — not just a cease-fire, says think tankTrita Parsi of the Quincy Institute says "it's very crucial to recognize that the United States' position on a cease-fire is as isolated internationally as Russia's invasion of Ukraine has been."

Persons: — Organizations: Israel, Quincy Institute Locations: United States, Ukraine

☆ Live updates: Israel-Hamas war, Gaza death toll mounts, IDF on the ground
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Tara Subramaniam | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Experts say that while Iran is wary of being dragged into the Israel-Hamas war, it may not be in full control if the militias it backs in the region — like the Lebanese paramilitary group Hezbollah — independently intervene as Hamas suffers heavy blows and the death toll in Gaza continues to mount. Raisi's comments were not the first warning from an Iranian official of the potential for a broader conflict. Last Monday, Abdollahian said the US has sent Iran two messages regarding escalation in the region. He added that while the US says it wants to de-escalate, it has contradicted itself by continuing to support Israel. Read more on Iran's role in the region.

Persons: Israel, Ebrahim Raisi, Jake Sullivan, Hezbollah —, ”, Sima Shine, Hossein Amir, Abdollahian, Al Jazeera, ” Abdollahian, Trita Parsi Organizations: US, Lebanese, Hezbollah, Institute for National Security, Iranian, Quincy Institute Locations: Gaza, Iran, Israel, Tel Aviv, United States, Tehran, Washington ,

☆ Iran may not want a full-blown war with Israel, but it may be dragged into one
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

And there are now concerns that more fronts will open in the war, including one with Iran. And the US now has specific intelligence that those same groups could escalate even further as the war between Israel and Hamas continues, CNN reported this week. “Tell Iran, tell its proxies in public, in private, through every means: Do not open another front against Israel in this conflict. Shine, of the INSS, said that Iran does not want a direct war with Israel because that would mean a direct war with the US. Iranian media has been brimming with news of the Gaza war, with officials across Iran’s political spectrum expressing solidarity with Palestinians.

Persons: ”, Sima Shine, Hossein Amir, Abdollahian, Al Jazeera, ” Abdollahian, Abed Khaled, Parsi, Joe Biden, ” Parsi, Israel, Hassan Nasrallah, Antony Blinken, “, ” Blinken, Thomas Coex, Lloyd Austin, Iran’s IRGC, “ They’re, Israel – Organizations: UAE CNN, Hamas, Tehran’s Azadi, Perspolis FC, Gol Gohar Sirjan FC, Palestinian, Institute for National Security Studies, CNN, Iranian, Quincy Institute, Israel, Revolutionary Guard Corps, United Nations Security Council, Getty, Defense, widener Locations: Abu Dhabi, UAE, Israel, Hamas, Gaza, Iran, Tel Aviv, Tehran, United States, Gaza City, Washington ,, Lebanese, Lebanon, Syria, Golan, Palestine, Iraq, Sderot, AFP, Iranian, US

☆ The US-Iran prisoner deal is a diplomatic breakthrough, but the bad blood persists
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The carefully choreographed agreement was years in the making and is being seen as a major diplomatic breakthrough for the two foes. The Biden administration is unlikely to engage in “meaningful revival” of the 2015 nuclear deal, said Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa program at the Chatham House think tank in London. Production is the highest it’s been since 2018, when Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal and reimposed sanctions on Iran. The Islamic Republic’s oil exports have also increased, averaging 1.9 million bpd in August, Reuters reported, citing shipping firm TankerTrackers.com. “Those claiming that Biden is ignoring Iran’s exports are assuming that Biden can just shut down Iran’s exports through sanctions,” he said.

Persons: “, ”, Biden, Trump, Sanam Vakil, Ali Vaez, That’s, Ali Ahmadi, there’s, Rafael Mariano Grossi, Nasser Kanaani, Ebrahim Raisi, Raisi, ” Raisi, Trita Organizations: CNN, Five, Biden, Chatham House, Group, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Petroleum, Trump, Reuters, US Energy, Geneva Centre, Security, Islamic, Sunday, US Republican Party, US Treasury Department, NBC, Quincy Institute Locations: Iran, Qatar, United States, Washington, Tehran, East, North Africa, London, China, Islamic Republic, Russia, Ukraine, Washington ,

CNN —The Iranian government now has access to $6 billion of their funds to be used for humanitarian purposes as a part of a wider deal that allowed five Americans who had been imprisoned in Iran to go free. Sources told CNN the funds came from oil sales that were allowed and placed into accounts set up under the Trump administration. The money is now available to the Iranian government for purchase of non-sanctionable items such as food and medicine. Kirby said that statement was “flat out wrong.”“This is not a payment of any kind, it’s not ransom, these aren’t US taxpayer dollars, and we haven’t lifted a single one of our sanctions on Iran – Iran will be getting no sanctions relief,” Kirby said. “The money will then go to qualified vendors to purchase and deliver the food, the medical supplies, into Iran.

Persons: Biden, John Kirby, Trump, Antony Blinken, Ebrahim Raisi, Kirby, ” Kirby, “, ”, Trita, Republican Sen, Tom Cotton of, Mike Pence –, Pence, Sen, Tim Scott, Blinken, Janet Yellen Organizations: CNN, Qatar, Republicans, State Department, Ukraine, Biden, US Treasury Department, Qatari National Bank, Quincy Institute, Republican, House, Tehran – Locations: Iran, South Korea, Qatar, Europe, White, Doha, Washington ,, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Tehran, China, United States

☆ A darling of US conservatives, Iran’s top opposition group may face an uncertain future
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

But recent setbacks for the most powerful Iranian opposition group have some observers wondering whether its glory days are numbered. The MeK believes these actions were part of a “policy of appeasement” of the regime in Tehran, a top representative from the group told CNN in an email interview. Gobadi told CNN the raid “was carried out at the behest or under pressure” from Iran. ‘Illegal and subversive activity’An Albanian foreign ministry coordinator told CNN by email that the country has not provided any seized material to Iran. Gobadi told CNN that that speakers or attendees have never received payments from the MeK.

Persons: Mike Pompeo, John Bolton, Mike Pence, Saddam Hussein, bode, ” Shahin Gobadi, Ashraf, Gobadi, “, ” Gobadi, cyberattack, Albania “, Saud, Maryam Rajavi, Bryan Olin Dozier, Prince Turki al, Faisal, Al Faisal, ’ “, Emanuel Macron, Ebrahim Raisi, Trita Parsi, ”, Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani, Liz Truss, Ali Ahmadi, ” Ahmadi, Alex Vatanka, ” Vatanka Organizations: CNN, United States National Security, Foreign Affairs, National Council of Resistance, Paris, Washington Summit, Organization of Iranian, Communities, Hyatt, Quincy Institute, British, Geneva Centre, Security, Middle East Institute Locations: Iran, Islamic Republic, Albania, France, Tehran, Paris, Tirana, Albanian, Saud Arabia, Washington ,, Saudi Arabia, Saudi, al, Riyadh

☆ After Saudi Arabia, Iran may be patching up with its oldest Arab foe
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The feud became the longest between Iran and an Arab country in modern times. Khamenei’s recent comments come as Saudi Arabia normalizes ties with Iran after nearly eight years of a diplomatic freeze. Apart from Saudi Arabia and Iran, Egypt has reconciled with both Turkey and Qatar, and the Arab League last month welcomed Syria back as a member after more than a decade of isolation. Weight of historical symbolismAs the years passed by, Egypt and Iran only grew apart, with little desire to reconcile from either party. Most Arab states continue to reject recognition of Israel.

Persons: Princess Fawzia, Iran’s Crown Prince Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Fawzia, King Farouk I –, –, Pahlavi, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran “, ”, Sultan Haitham Bin Tariq, Trita Parsi, ” Parsi, “, Abdel Fattah al, Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, Gamal Abdel Nasser, Shah, Anwar Sadat, King Farouk, Sadat, Khaled Islambouli, Hosni Mubarak, chargé d’affaires, Mubarak, Mohamed Mursi, Parsi, “ Israel, Abraham, Israel, won’t Organizations: CNN, Iran’s Crown, Iran’s, Media, Tehran, Carnegie Endowment, International Peace, Arab League, Quincy Institute, Oman News Agency, Reuters Analysts, Cairo Citadel, West, Israel, Abraham Accords Locations: Egypt, Iran, Tehran, Saudi Arabia, United States, ”, London, Cairo, Turkey, Qatar, Syria, West, Washington ,, Al, Rifa’I, Israel, Republic, Ater

☆ New poll signals Americans are growing tired of supporting Ukraine as the war against Russia drags on
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A new poll suggests Americans are growing weary as the US supports Ukraine in its war against Russia. The poll found that a majority of Americans want the US to pursue diplomatic negotiations to end the war ASAP. "Americans recognize what many in Washington don't: Russia's war in Ukraine is more likely to end at the negotiating table than on the battlefield. Meanwhile, the poll showed that only four-in-10 Americans somewhat or strongly support the US providing aid to Ukraine at current levels if this occurs. The US has provided over $15 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia launched its unprovoked war in late February.

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