On the doorstep of US President Donald Trump’s first National Security Strategy speech, the administration launched an unprecedented campaign of pinpointing the crosshairs on the epicenter of all extremism causing havoc across the Middle East: Iran. This comes following a Wall Street Journal article … [Read more...] about ANALYSIS: Understanding Washington’s fast-evolving Iran policy
Baghdad
ANALYSIS: How Iran has its eyes set on Iraq oil
Iran, sensing the increasing international isolation, has long sketched the necessary blueprints to prevent a future already becoming very bleak. For decades Tehran has maintained this entire country and its vast oil reserves in its crosshairs. Recent developments in Iraqi Kurdistan prove the … [Read more...] about ANALYSIS: How Iran has its eyes set on Iraq oil
ANALYSIS: How the tide turned against Iran in Iraqi Kurdistan
Despite all the brouhaha made over Iran’s “lightning” advances in Iraqi Kurdistan, the entire scene change in less than 48 hours. Tehran desperately needed to respond to US President Donald Trump’s lambasting October 13th speech launching a major policy shift and designating the Iranian regime’s … [Read more...] about ANALYSIS: How the tide turned against Iran in Iraqi Kurdistan
Is Iran’s enhanced ballistic missile capability a calculated move?
As the North Korea nuclear standoff and the future of Iran’s nuclear deal has absorbed an all-too enormous amount of international attention, a more important prism on Iran’s regional hostility must not go neglected. During the United Nations General Assembly the controversial nuclear pact, formally … [Read more...] about Is Iran’s enhanced ballistic missile capability a calculated move?
ANALYSIS: Is this the beginning of a new era for Iraq without Iran?
The military phase of the fight against ISIS is winding down after the liberation of Mosul, and the battle for the nearby town of Tal Afar is predicted to end soon. This has provided an opportunity for Iraq to begin distancing itself from the influence gained by Iran following the disastrous 2003 … [Read more...] about ANALYSIS: Is this the beginning of a new era for Iraq without Iran?
ANALYSIS: How to protect Iraq from Iranian influence
With the recapturing of Mosul, the rein of ISIS in northern Iraq is coming to an end. This, however, can lead to the reemergence of a far more dangerous threat for the future of this fledgling democracy. Iran and its destructive meddling Mesopotamia has devastated this entire nation, leaving at … [Read more...] about ANALYSIS: How to protect Iraq from Iranian influence
Crosshairs focusing on Iran
Originally posted in Dutch in OpinieZ Magazine As tensions continue to rise in the flashpoint country of Syria in the already boiling Middle East, and voices heard of a possible conflict between the United States and Russia, they are all mistaken. The Cold War is over and will not be repeated. … [Read more...] about Crosshairs focusing on Iran
ANALYSIS: Is the Arab Summit alliance raising stakes for Iran?
It appears the recent Arab League Summit in Jordan should be considered an important development in the path of further isolating Iran in the Middle East. At a first glance, this was a conference in which the highest number of state leaders participated in comparison to previous such gatherings. A … [Read more...] about ANALYSIS: Is the Arab Summit alliance raising stakes for Iran?
Iran increasing meddling in Iraq, planning long term
A conglomerate of different forces are involved in the battle aimed at retaking the Daesh (ISIS/ISIL) stronghold of Mosul in northern Iraq. A variety of Iraqi security forces, Peshmerga fighters from the Kurdistan region, Sunni Arab tribal fighters and the notorious Iran-backed Shiite militia … [Read more...] about Iran increasing meddling in Iraq, planning long term