Caleb Smith block 7 Just as Mr. Bailey predicted Saudi Arabia and Iran will not fall into a war instead they will talk it out and try to find common ground. The Saudis know that they have no leverage due to a much weaker military and less manpower. Because of their religious and political differences an amicable agreement is unlikely… Read more »
Saudi Arabia has given a green light to Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi to arrange a meeting with Iran as a first step towards de-escalating tensions in the region, Middle East Eye can reveal. Abbas al-Hasnawi, an official in the prime minister’s office, told MEE on Tuesday that Abdul Mahdi was mediating between the leaderships in Riyadh and Tehran and had… Read more »
US-Iranian tensions ratcheted up on Wednesday as Tehran warned that the Middle East was one blunder away from war, just hours after the Trump administration announced it had imposed a new round of sanctions against the Islamic republic. “Our region is on the edge of collapse, as a single blunder can fuel a big fire,” Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told the United… Read more »
Recent Iranian success at striking military and civilian infrastructure targets in the Persian Gulf region have led the American military to practice switching operational control of military operations from bases located within range of Iranian missiles to bases in the United States that are out of harm’s way. US Central Command, which controls US forces in most of the Middle… Read more »
Since Tuesday, mass protests have occurred against the Iraqi government in Baghdad, Iraq. Iraqi youth are mainly behind the protests, pushing the government for improved employment, services for the poor, and ending government corruption. The unemployment rate for the youth is almost double the general unemployment rate for Iraq. As Iraq is still attempting to economically recover from its war… Read more »
Security forces in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, have fired live rounds at protesters defying a curfew. The prime minister says the open-ended curfew – which has been in place since dawn – is needed to maintain order and protect protesters from “infiltrators”. At least 20 people have been killed since Tuesday in clashes with security forces in Baghdad and other… Read more »
Adel Abdul Mahdi’s office says he is prepared to meet representatives of protesters as unrest continues for third day. Iraq‘s Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi has called for dialogue after a third consecutive day of deadly anti-government protests in the capital, Baghdad, and several southern cities. In a statement quoted by local media on Thursday, Abdul Mahdi’s office said the prime minister… Read more »
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing a series of final hearings before a decision is made on whether to charge him with corruption. His lawyers will try to persuade the attorney-general not to proceed with indictments for bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three cases. Mr Netanyahu is alleged to have accepted gifts from wealthy businessmen and dispensed… Read more »
Egypt’s parliamentary speaker has sparked outrage online after praising Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler’s infrastructure projects. Ali Abdel Aal made the comments while defending Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi development plans. “Hitler had his mistakes, but what allowed him to expand eastward and westward was that he created a strong infrastructure,” the speaker said. Mr Abdel Aal has since said his… Read more »
he war that now looms largest is a war nobody apparently wants. During his presidential campaign, Donald Trump railed against the United States’ entanglement in Middle Eastern wars, and since assuming office, he has not changed his tune. Iran has no interest in a wide-ranging conflict that it knows it could not win. Israel is satisfied with calibrated operations in Iraq,… Read more »