On the 10th of July, a private meeting in Islamabad took place between the intelligence heads of China, Russia, Pakistan and Iran. The meeting has been described as an opportunity for each power to discuss a more coordinated and united strategy in tackling international terrorism with a particular emphasis on the Takfiri groups Daesh (ISIS)….
Allow me to give a summary of my conversations with well-meaning Westerners since at least 9/11. Everyone: “Ramin, I’m so worried about Iran! I expect US troops to land in Tehran every time I turn on the news!” Me: “The Basij.” Everyone: “Ramin, the US invaded Afghanistan and Iraq – Iran is obviously next!” Me:…
In spite of its non-aligned history and its tradition of a decades long partnership with Moscow dating back to the 1940s, India’s contemporary foreign policy is a far cry for that of its comparatively recent past. Under Premier Narendra Modi’s BJP, India has begun allowing its historic friendship with Moscow to quietly die while engaging in…
Iran had a fiery reaction to the OPEC+ output agreement between Russia and Saudi Arabia. The country’s First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri ominously warned that “Anyone trying to take away Iran’s oil market (share) would be committing great treachery against Iran and will one day pay for it”, in a message clearly designed to deter its…
Under the radar, away from World Cup frenzy and the merger and acquisition of Cristiano Ronaldo Inc. and Fiat, the eighth ministerial meeting of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum (CASCF), established in 2004, sailed on in Beijing, hosted by President Xi Jinping. Amid the torrential pledge of loans and aid, China committed to invest right…
The US backed Iranian opposition are neither “revolutionary,” nor even “in” Iran. Yet they have been designated as Washington’s proxies of choice, and an alternative government they seek to place into power in Tehran. As the US-led proxy war in Syria reaches a relative stalemate and with time on Damascus and its allies’ side, Washington’s…
