Pyongyang has emerged as a critical partner in Tehran’s ‘Axis of Resistance,’ and officials warn that their joint efforts may extend to weapons of mass destruction. High-level meetings between North Korean and Iranian officials in recent months are stoking concerns inside the U.S. government about the depth of military ties between the two American adversaries.… Keep reading →
The longstanding cooperation between the two regimes seems to have intensified during Syria’s war, with troubling implications for future missile, chemical, and even nuclear proliferation in the Middle East. North Korea’s decades-old military alliance with the Assad regime is stoking fears inside the Trump administration that Kim Jong-un is not only profiting from Syria’s six-year… Keep reading →
On September 21, 2017, President Donald Trump issued Executive Order (E.O.) 13810, which broadly expanded U.S. sanctions against North Korea.
Tehran has several means of putting military and economic pressure on the Iraqi Kurds following the independence referendum, but taking action on its recent warnings could widen Kurdish discontent at home. The Kurdish independence referendum is only a few days away, and there are growing indications that Iran is considering drastic measures to stop the… Keep reading →
On September 11, 2017, the UN Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea.
The secretary’s latest remarks beg the question: at a time when Israelis and Palestinians are clearly unable to strike a grand deal, why not put ideology aside, jettison the administration’s all-or-nothing approach, and lay out more modest parameters on settlements, incitement, and other concrete issues? In the waning days of the Obama administration, Secretary of… Keep reading →
Cairo’s expensive nuclear deal with Moscow will likely increase the country’s economic burden and susceptibility to Russian influence. Egypt is reportedly on the cusp of finalizing a $25 billion loan from Russia to construct a civilian nuclear power facility near Dabaa on the Mediterranean coast. While the new plant will help Cairo satisfy the country’s… Keep reading →
The United Nations and United States recently took significant new steps to expand sanctions on North Korea.
A congressional vote of disapproval would not necessarily be a deal breaker; in fact, it could give the administration time to improve the agreement or implement other policy measures that more effectively secure U.S. interests. What are the implications of voting against the Iran nuclear agreement? Considerable hyperbole clouds the issue. Here is a guide… Keep reading →
The Supreme Leader’s latest statements, harping on “unreasonable” demands, are not preparing the Iranian public for compromise. Since May 16, Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has spoken publicly on three occasions, covering topics including the Yemen crisis and the nuclear negotiations. The third of these speeches, on May 20 at the graduation ceremony for Imam Hossein… Keep reading →
