This is Beirut

Stalemate Over Iran’s Nuclear Program Raises Fears of Another War

This is Beirut, 10/11 11:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Donald Trump Israel Tehran Ali Khamenei Iran Nuclear

With negotiations stalled and no clarity over Iran’s nuclear stockpiles, regional experts warn that another conflict with Israel could be inevitable, according to The New York Times in an article published on November 9. The 2015 nuclear deal, designed to limit Iran’s enrichment, expired last month. Sanctions have been reinstated, and ...

The Decision Over War and Peace: A Call to Order

Michel Touma, 10/11 08:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Amal Hezbollah Israel Tehran

It is a world turned completely upside down. That seems to be the guiding principle of the radical wing of Tehran’s clerical regime, which persistently seeks to project onto Lebanon its own highly idiosyncratic—and at times surreal—vision of political action. Following the directives of its regional mentor, the local pro-Iranian group shows ...

Switzerland Has Crossed the Mountains

Marc Saikali, 09/11 09:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Sometimes symbolism says it all. On Monday, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa will walk through the doors of the White House, a sight that would have seemed unthinkable a year ago. The world, it seems, has a soft spot for spectacular reinventions. Yesterday’s pariah has become today’s partner. Al-Sharaa, once a wanted man with a price on his ...

Tehran to Restrict Water as Iran Battles Drought

This is Beirut, 08/11 20:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Tehran Water Climate Iran

Iran was laying plans on Saturday to cut off water supplies periodically to Tehran's 10-million-strong population as it battles its worst drought in many decades. Rainfall in the capital has this year been at its lowest level in a century, local officials say, and half of Iran's provinces have not seen a drop fall in months. Now, to save ...

Trump says 'Open' to Considering Lifting Iran Sanctions

This is Beirut, 07/11 09:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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President Donald Trump said Thursday that Iran has asked for heavy US sanctions against Tehran to be lifted -- and that he is open to having a discussion about it. "Frankly, Iran has been asking if the sanctions could be lifted. Iran has got very heavy US sanctions, and it makes it really hard," Trump said during a dinner with Central Asian ...

Has the Countdown for Collapse Started in Iran?

Salam El Zaatari, 07/11 09:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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A seismic shift appears to be underway in the Middle East. The tremors so far are faint but detectable, hinting at an upcoming eruption along the region’s geopolitical fault lines. Iran's ruling clerical regime is showing signs of great vulnerability, not just those pointing to potential unrest but also to the beginnings of a systemic collapse. ...

Iran: a Regime Trapped in Its Past

This is Beirut, 04/11 17:45 - Reading : less than a minute

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On November 4, 1979, Islamist students stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, taking 52 American diplomats hostage for 444 days. 46 years later, Iran’s regime continues to commemorate this defining episode of the Islamic Republic, portraying it as a symbol of “resistance” against the West. Since then, the Islamic Republic has lived in ...

Iran Khamenei Says Will Not Cooperate with US While it Backs Israel

This is Beirut, 03/11 15:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Monday that Tehran would only consider cooperation with the United States if it changed its policy in the region, including supporting Israel. "If they completely abandon support for the Zionist regime, withdraw their military bases from here (the region), and refrain from interfering ...

Hezbollah Activity Rises as Israel Watches and Tehran Calls for Vigilance

This is Beirut, 03/11 11:55 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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Israeli intelligence services have reported unusual activity by Hezbollah in several parts of Lebanon, while Tehran is urging vigilance and the defense of Lebanese sovereignty, highlighting the fragile balance in a region already on edge. According to the Israeli daily Maariv, the Israeli army has observed intensified movements by Hezbollah ...

Iran Banking on Iraq Vote to Retain Regional Influence

This is Beirut, 03/11 09:25 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Hezbollah Tehran Iran Iraq US

Iraq will hold parliamentary elections on November 11, with analysts saying Iran will be watching closely as it hopes to retain influence over its neighbor after losing regional leverage during the Gaza war. The past two years have seen Iran-backed groups including Palestinian militants Hamas, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Huthis in Yemen suffer ...

Drought in Iran: Tehran’s Main Water Reservoir Nearly Dry

This is Beirut, 02/11 18:40 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Tehran, the capital of Iran, may run out of drinking water within two weeks due to a historic drought that has nearly emptied its main reservoir, state media warned Sunday. The vast metropolis of more than 10 million people, nestled on the southern slopes of the Alborz range, typically sees hot, dry summers, occasionally rainy autumns, and ...

European Intelligence: Iran Rebuilding Missile Program

This is Beirut, 29/10 21:55 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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Western intelligence agencies have revealed that Iran is actively rebuilding its ballistic missile program in defiance of renewed UN sanctions, with significant assistance from China, according to a CNN report. European intelligence sources said that several shipments of sodium perchlorate, a key ingredient in the solid fuel used to power ...

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