iran

Larijani’s Controversial Mission to Iraq and Lebanon

Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, has set off on a three-day visit to Iraq and Lebanon amid growing political and security challenges tied to the armed Shia militias in both countries. Appointed just last week to lead the Supreme Council, Larijani signed a security agreement with Baghdad on Monday. His ...

Jannati Dismisses Hezbollah Disarmament as ‘Illusory Dream’

The Secretary of the Iranian Guardian Council, Ahmad Jannati, dismissed the prospect of disarming the pro-Iranian militia Hezbollah as an “illusory dream” in remarks at a council meeting on Monday. Jannati’s comments coincided with the anniversary of the 33-day war between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006, which he described as a ...

Geagea Warns of Iranian Threat to Lebanon’s Sovereignty, Urges Arab and UN Action

Lebanese Forces (LF) leader Samir Geagea lambasted Iran on Monday, accusing it of posing a “direct threat” to Lebanon’s sovereignty. He cited Tehran’s recent criticism of Beirut’s plan to disarm non-state actors, including Iran’s ally Hezbollah. Geagea voiced strong support for the government’s decision taken on August 5 and 7 to ...

Lebanon Condemns Iranian Official’s Remarks as 'Blatant Interference'

The Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants on Saturday sharply criticized recent comments by Ali Akbar Velayati, senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, denouncing them as “a blatant and unacceptable interference in Lebanon’s internal affairs.” In a statement, the ministry said Velayati’s remarks were the latest in a series ...

Iran Executes Man Convicted of Spying for Israel: Judiciary

Iranian authorities on Wednesday executed a man convicted of spying for Israel by passing on information about a nuclear scientist killed during the 12-day war with Israel in June, the judiciary said. "Roozbeh Vadi... was executed following judicial proceedings and confirmation of his sentence by the Supreme Court," the judiciary's Mizan Online ...

Can Hezbollah Still Claim Resistance With Its Arsenal Depleted?

Hezbollah’s secretary-general, Naim Qassem, warned on July 30 that any withdrawal of the group’s forces from south of the Litani River would be “a gain for Israel,” insisting that the party’s weapons remained “a domestic Lebanese matter.” Speaking at a memorial ceremony marking the first anniversary of the death of senior Hezbollah ...

Lebanon, the Unraveling Republic

American political scientists in the sixties were quite pessimistic when analyzing the cascading political crises befalling Lebanon since the late fifties. Leila Meo used the label of “improbable nation” (1963), and Michael Hudson characterized it as a “precarious republic" (1965). This sense of instability prompted numerous scholars to ...

US Imposes Sanctions on Shipping Empire Tied to Iranian Leaders

The United States on Wednesday slapped sanctions on a shipping empire controlled by the son of a top political advisor to Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Treasury Department said sanctions were being imposed on companies and vessels operated by Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, the son of Ali Shamkhani, who has been subject to US ...

Replacing Iran with Turkey Is a Recipe for Disaster in Syria

The Syrian revolution was not an uprising for liberty, freedom, or democracy. It was a manifestation of Sunni Islamists, backed by Turkey and Qatar, venting their rage against the rule of Assad, supported by Shia Islamist Iran. Syria’s Sunni Islamists did not care that Assad was a brutal dictator; they sought to replace him with their own ...

Iran Rejects Talks with West on 'Defense Capabilities'

Iran said on Monday that its military capabilities were not up for negotiations, after France called for a "comprehensive deal" with Tehran that covers its missile programme and regional influence. "Regarding matters related to our defense capabilities, there will absolutely be no discussion," foreign ministry spokesman ...

UN Says 'Worrying Surge' in Iran Executions

The United Nations on Monday urged Iran to stop using the death penalty, citing a "worrying surge in executions" that has included at least 612 people being killed so far this year. "Reports that there have been several hundred executions in Iran so far this year underscore how deeply disturbing the situation has become and the urgent need for an ...