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☆ 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

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

☆ 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 ,

☆ Analysis: China's Xi Jinping skipping G20 may be part of his plan to reshape global governance
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Since its first leaders’ summit in 2008, China’s top leader has always attended the gathering – including by video link during the Covid pandemic. Now, “China sees the G20 space as increasingly oriented toward the US and its agenda, which Xi Jinping regards as hostile to China,” Werner said. Alternative governance structureXi last attended the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, in November last year, when he emerged from China’s Covid isolation and declared his return to the world stage. All the while, Xi has only made two trips abroad this year – and both are central to his attempt to reshape the global world order. Next month, the Chinese leader is expected to host the Belt and Road Forum to mark the 10th anniversary of his global infrastructure and trade initiative – a key element in Beijing’s new global governance structure.

Persons: Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, Beijing’s reticence, Xi, ”, George Magnus, I’m, I’ve, Jake Werner, ” Werner, Biden, Werner, Happymon Jacob, China’s, Shi Yinhong, Joe Biden –, Antony Blinken, Vladimir Putin –, Magnus, they’re, ” Magnus, –, “ It’s Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Premier, China Center, Oxford University, “, Quincy Institute in, Quincy Institute in Washington DC, Pacific NATO, ”, India, New, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Divisions, Renmin University, EU, Beijing, Global Security Initiative, Global Development Initiative, Civilization Initiative, Forum, Shanghai Cooperation Organization – Locations: Hong Kong, New Delhi, China, Xi’s, India, United States, Quincy Institute in Washington, Beijing, New, Washington, Pacific, Ukraine, Moscow, Bali , Indonesia, Germany, France, Brazil, Indonesia, Johannesburg, South Africa, BRICS

☆ 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

☆ The Saudi crown prince wants to build a trillion-dollar utopia in the desert. His deals with China reveal a darker vision.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

It's part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's modernizing vision of the country. But behind the outlandish plan, developed by Saudi Arabia's powerful crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, is a much darker reality. Crown Prince Mohammed appears keen to replicate those projects on a grander scale. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman announces a zero-carbon city called "The Line" to be built at NEOM in northwestern Saudi Arabia, January 10, 2021. It appeared to be the beginning of a fruitful partnership for Crown Prince Mohammed.

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