It’s not too late to discourage Iranian adventurism and lead a return to relative calm, but mistakes by successive U.S. administrations and the region’s own weaknesses have contributed to a dangerous situation. Events over the past three months in the Middle East—from Kirkuk to Syria, Beirut to Sana, from Iranian surrogate missile strikes against key… Keep reading →
Early signs indicate that the rebels may have attempted to strike an Emirati nuclear site with an Iranian cruise missile — a claim that could heighten international pressure on Tehran and raise the stakes of the regional conflict if confirmed. On December 3, Houthi rebels in Yemen announced that they had fired a “winged cruise… Keep reading →
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 →
Tehran is using the Houthis to test President Trump’s resolve, as mounting evidence shows that it is helping the rebels build long-range missiles capable of hitting Gulf capitals. On November 4, a Burkan-2H (Volcano) ballistic missile was launched toward Riyadh by Houthi forces in Yemen and intercepted by a U.S.-supplied Patriot defense system. Wreckage from… Keep reading →
Recently, many revisions to U.S. sanction programs have been the topic of much public discussion.
Given the maritime and missile threats posed by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, senior U.S. officials have indicated that the White House will continue expanding its assistance to the Saudi-led coalition. The Trump administration is eyeing Yemen as a critical theater in its stepped-up campaign to roll back Iranian influence in the Arab world. Washington is particularly… Keep reading →
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 August 2, 2017, President Donald Trump signed into law the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, which significantly expands U.S. sanctions against Russia while enacting modest new sanctions on Iran and North Korea.
Areas of focus will likely include a damaged but still dangerous Islamic State, a regrouping al-Qaeda, and the wide network fielded by Iran and its proxy Hezbollah. The U.S. Department of State is expected on July 19 to release its annual counterterrorism report, which will look back at the global terrorist threat and the response… Keep reading →
The U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed a bill mandating sanctions against Russia and Iran and a 30-day congressional review period should the president attempt to reduce those sanctions.
