By Soheila Zarfam

Failure in June, rhetoric in December

Senior Iranian officials respond to Monday’s remarks by Trump and Netanyahu with warnings of consequences beyond expectation

TEHRAN – The constant glare of Western rhetoric does not leave Iran alone. For decades, the country has faced repeated threats of military strikes, claims about its nuclear ambitions, and warnings designed to keep the nation under pressure—both domestically and internationally.

By staff writer

Is the UAE sailing Israel’s ship in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea?

TEHRAN – The United Arab Emirates has long sought to project itself as a modern, pragmatic power, striking a balance between economic dynamism and regional influence. Yet its deepening partnership with Israel reveals a trajectory that is less about stability and more about embedding Israeli interests into fragile states. From southern Yemen to Somaliland and Sudan, Abu Dhabi’s actions increasingly resemble those of a proxy, enabling Israel’s ambitions in one of the world’s most sensitive maritime corridors.

By Shahrokh Saei 

Israel’s recognition of Somaliland: Power play or Gaza expulsion plot?

TEHRAN – Israel’s recognition of Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland has triggered fierce backlash across Africa, the Arab world, and beyond. At the same time, the move has brought Israel’s underlying motives into sharper focus, raising questions about regional security, international law, and the fate of Palestinians in Gaza.

By Wesam Bahrani 

‘Project Sunrise’: Trump’s vision for Gaza

TEHRAN – The U.S. administration revives its dangerous vision of transforming Gaza into a “Middle East Riviera,” sidelining the Palestinians once more. 

By Shahrokh Saei 

“Where’s Daddy?”: How Israel and US tech turn Gaza’s homes into graves

TEHRAN – Israel’s war in Gaza has been fueled not only by bombs and soldiers but by U.S. and European technology companies, whose services and access to Palestinian data have made mass killing possible. 

By Shahrokh Saei 

Who benefits from a disarmed Lebanon?

TEHRAN – Lebanon’s fragile ceasefire with Israel, brokered in late November 2024 by the United States and France, was meant to halt hostilities and open the door to a negotiated settlement. Yet more than a year later, the truce has proven largely illusory. Israel continues near-daily strikes on Lebanese territory, claiming to target Hezbollah compounds and rocket launch sites, but offering no verifiable evidence to substantiate its assertions.

By Shahrokh Saei

Is Israel’s mirage of victory in Gaza fading?

TEHRAN – More than two years after Israel launched its war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, the outcome is undeniable: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s vow to “destroy Hamas” has failed. 

By Shahrokh Saei

Syria one year after Assad: Jolani’s makeover, minority panic, and Israeli strikes

TEHRAN – On December 8, 2024, Syria entered a new phase when Damascus fell, and the Ba'ath Party’s long rule ended. Bashar al-Assad departed for Russia, where he was granted asylum. For many Syrians, Assad’s exit was neither a moment of triumph nor defeat, but the beginning of a new uncertainty. The vacuum left behind opened the door for forces both domestic and foreign to shape Syria’s trajectory.

By staff writer

Merz’s appeasement of Netanyahu will only embolden war criminals

TEHRAN - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited Israel for the first time since taking office in May. Merz’s visit comes just days after Germany decided to lift a three-month suspension on arms exports to Israel.

By staff writer 

The protected criminal syndicate

How long can Israel evade international scrutiny with Western support?

TEHRAN – The Thirtieth Session of the Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CSP30), which opened on November 24, is meant to symbolize international cooperation against the scourge of chemical weapons. Delegates gather to reaffirm collective responsibility, transparency, and the shared determination to prevent the horrors of WMD use.

By Garsha Vazirian

Netanyahu slams Palestinian sovereignty shut despite Saudi normalization lure

TEHRAN – Israel reiterated its refusal to allow a Palestinian state, insisting that “even if” ties with Saudi Arabia are normalized, statehood remains off-limits. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared in a November 20 interview that it “is not on the table for me.”

By staff writer

Are U.S. sanctions shackling ICC Judge Guillou and international justice?

TEHRAN – When the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants in November last year for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes in Gaza, the move was hailed by many as a historic step toward accountability.

By Shahrokh Saei 

Decoding the deception: How Trump’s ceasefire blocks Palestinian statehood

TEHRAN – U.S. President Donald Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan for Gaza has been promoted as a pathway to Palestinian self-determination and eventual statehood. Yet Israeli officials have made clear that such statehood will never be accepted, exposing the truce plan as a diplomatic pretense designed to advance U.S. and Israeli agendas under the guise of peace.

By staff writer 

From occupation to execution: Israel’s death penalty bill legalizes massacre of Palestinians

TEHRAN – The Israeli Knesset’s approval of the death penalty bill in its first reading marks a dangerous turning point — for Palestinians under occupation, for international law, and for humanity. Passed on Monday by a vote of 39 to 16, the bill targets Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis, while excluding Jewish Israelis who kill Palestinians — exposing its racist design. Supporters frame it as a deterrent against terrorism, but its true aim is to normalize execution as a tool of repression. Cloaked in the language of “deterrence” and “security,” it embeds state violence into the legal code.