Rouhani warns Saudi Arabia against befriending Israel, US
Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani warned rival Saudi Arabia on Wednesday that it was making a mistake in aligning with Israel and the United States over Tehran.
Iran
Lebanon’s plunge into political crisis raises specter of war with Israel
Even for a country often used as a battleground by regional powers and their proxies, the sudden resignation of Prime Minister Saad Hariri has opened a new period of political uncertainty and fear in Lebanon.
EU, US affirm Lebanon support, diverging from Saudi
The European Union on Wednesday affirmed support for Lebanon following the resignation of Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, echoing U.S. backing for the Beirut government which Saudi Arabia has accused of declaring war.
Saudi Arabia’s push on Iran ratchets up regional tensions
Saudi Arabia is more aggressively confronting its rival Iran on multiple fronts. It’s a policy that risks sharpening several conflicts in the Middle East, even though so far it has failed to score any successes in stemming Tehran’s influence.
A Saudi-orchestrated resignation throws Lebanon into turmoil
Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s abrupt resignation over the weekend was bizarre even by the often twisted standards of Lebanese politics: He made the surprise announcement from the Saudi capital in a pre-recorded message on a Saudi-owned TV station.
Saudi Crown Prince says Iran supply of rockets is military aggression
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said on Tuesday that Iran’s supply of rockets to militias in Yemen is an act of ‘direct military aggression,’ Saudi state news agency SPA reported.
Obama hid Al-Qaida Threat, Iran Link
The killing of America’s archenemy, Osama bin Laden, by a Navy SEAL team in 2011 was a campaign coup for Barack Obama, who hailed it during his reelection bid as proof that the U.S. had al-Qaida ‘on the run.’
Saudi Arabia intercepts ‘missile’ fired from Yemen
Saudi Arabia intercepted and destroyed a “ballistic missile” north-east of the capital, Riyadh, on Saturday after it was launched from Yemen, Saudi state media reported. ‘Saudi air defence intercepts ballistic missile northeast of Riyadh,’ it said.
White House: North Korea could be listed as terrorism sponsor
US President Donald Trump’s national security adviser says North Korea could be returned to the list of countries the US believes sponsor terrorism, as part of Trump’s strategy to counter the North’s growing nuclear threat.
Iranian leader urges all Muslims to fight Israel
Iran’s top religious and political leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, urged all Muslims to engage in ‘different methods’ of fighting against Israel.
Hamas Officials Praise Iranian Rejection of ‘Zionist Presence in Palestine,’ Affirm Continuation of ‘Armed Resistance’
Hamas leaders newly returned from an official visit to Iran have hailed their restored ties with the Tehran regime, praising the Islamic Republic’s ‘making no secret’ of the ‘exceptional support’ it provides to the Palestinian terrorist organization.
U.S. Pursuing Rigorous New Nuclear Inspection Regime in Iran
The United States is pursuing a rigorous new regime for international inspections of Iran’s nuclear program that includes access to off-limits military sites as well as increased transparency on the Islamic Republic’s often obfuscated enrichment of uranium, the key component in a nuclear bomb, according to U.S. officials and congressional leaders spearheading the new inspection effort.
Iran Threatens Ballistic Missile Strikes on American Forces, Can Hit ‘All U.S. Bases’
A top Iranian military commander has threatened to launch ballistic missile attacks on U.S. forces in the region amid a public effort by the Islamic Republic to show off its advanced missile capabilities, according to U.S. officials and regional reports.
Iran’s nuclear chief says weapons-grade uranium only 4 days away
Iran’s nuclear program chief said Sunday that his country can begin producing weapons-grade nuclear material in just four days if the nuclear deal with foreign powers falls through, and stressed that international inspectors will not be given access to closed Iranian military sites.
Minister: Israel willing to act militarily to stop Iran from getting nuclear arms
Israel is willing to resort to military action to ensure Iran never acquires nuclear weapons, Israel’s intelligence minister said on Thursday in Japan where he is drumming up support for U.S. President Donald Trump’s tougher line on Tehran.
Report: Hezbollah to leave Syria to prepare for conflict with Israel
Hezbollah is planning to withdraw its forces from Syria in 2018 in order to bolster its presence along the border with Israel, Lebanese news site Lebanon 24 reported on Tuesday.
US House of Representatives Passes Tough New Measures Targeting Hezbollah, ‘Iran’s Leading Terrorist Proxy’
The chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee declared on Wednesday that the US had sent an unmistakable message to Iran’s Lebanese Shia proxy, Hezbollah, with the passage by the House of Representatives of three new measures targeting the terrorist organization’s financing and recruitment operations.
Bridge Tying Saudi Arabia to Africa May Need Israeli Signoff
Connecting Egypt to a new $500 billion Saudi city via a bridge across the Red Sea will require cooperation from Israel, analysts say. Could it one day help integrate the Jewish state with its Arab neighbors?
U.N. nuclear chief to visit Iran this weekend
The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog will visit Iran on Sunday for talks with senior officials there, as opposition from the United States threatens to undermine an international accord to curtail Iran’s nuclear program.
Iran sentences alleged agent for Israel’s Mossad to death
Iran’s judiciary says a court has sentenced an alleged agent for Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency to death.