USA

U.S. Approves Major Arms Deals to Israel, Saudi

The United States on Friday approved multibillion-dollar weapons sales to both Israel and Saudi Arabia, at a point of high tensions with Iran. The State Department said it green-lighted a $3.8 billion sale of 30 Apache attack helicopters to Israel, which has agreed to a fragile ceasefire in Gaza. "The United States is committed to the security ...

Trump Expects Iran to Seek Deal to Avoid U.S. Strikes

President Donald Trump predicted on Friday that Iran would seek to negotiate a deal rather than face American military action, despite Tehran warning that its arsenal of missiles would never be up for discussion. "I can say this, they do want to make a deal," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. Asked if he had given Iran a deadline to enter ...

Trump Confirms Speaking to Iran, Says He Plans to Again

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Thursday evening that he intends to hold talks with Iran. When asked by reporters about the possibility of talks with Tehran, Trump said, "Yes. I intend that. We have a lot of very large and powerful ships heading to Iran right now, and it would be great not to have to use them.” Asked if ...

Brooklyn Man Sentenced in Iran-Linked Plot to Kill Exiled Journalist

A Brooklyn man was sentenced on Wednesday to 15 years in prison for his role in a murder-for-hire plot targeting Masih Alinejad, a prominent Iranian journalist and critic of the Islamic Republic, in a case U.S. authorities say was directed by Iran’s elite military and intelligence apparatus. Carlisle Rivera, 50, pleaded guilty to conspiracy ...

The Transatlantic Alliance Will Survive Just Fine

Media and politicians on both sides of the Atlantic are hyping the idea that President Trump's attempt to gain sovereign control of Greenland has caused unprecedented and irreparable damage to the over 75 year-old Transatlantic Alliance.  This "analysis" stems from multiple sources.  On both sides of the ocean, there are those who pounce on any ...

Riyadh Will Not Permit Attacks on Iran from Saudi Territory: Foreign Ministry

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during a call on Tuesday that the Gulf monarchy would not allow attacks on Iran to be launched from its soil. Prince Mohammed "affirmed during the call the kingdom's position on respecting the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and that the Kingdom ...

Trump Says Diplomacy With Iran Still Possible

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday diplomacy remains an option with Iran, even as Washington ramps up its military presence in the Middle East and warns that the situation remains volatile. In an interview with Axios published Monday, President Trump said Tehran has signaled a desire to engage in talks, describing repeated outreach from ...

Israel Prepares to Seek New Security Pact With U.S., Report Says

Israel is preparing to enter talks with the administration of President Donald Trump on a new decade-long security agreement, signaling a strategic shift in how it seeks to secure American support, one that prioritizes joint military projects over direct financial aid, according to a report by the Financial Times on Tuesday.  The discussions, ...

U.S. Intelligence Assesses Iran’s Leadership at Its Weakest Point Since 1979

U.S. intelligence agencies assess that Iran’s ruling establishment is facing its most fragile moment in decades, as President Donald Trump receives multiple intelligence briefings indicating that the government’s grip on power has reached its weakest point since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, according to reports cited by the New York ...

Rubio Praises Iraq’s Detention of ISIS Members, Warns Against Iranian Influence

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday praised the Iraqi government’s “initiative and leadership” in accelerating the transfer and detention of ISIS terrorists to secure facilities inside Iraq. According to a U.S. Department of State press release, Rubio held talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shiaa al-Sudani in light of recent ...

U.S. Launches Regional Air Readiness Drill in the Middle East

The United States will conduct a multi-day air readiness exercise across the Middle East, aimed at demonstrating the ability to deploy, distribute, and sustain combat air capabilities throughout the region, according to a statement issued Sunday by U.S. Central Command, as the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln arrived in the region ...