Creating new perspectives since 2009
Items by Mahan Abedin
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Mysterious tanker incidents reinforce Iran’s deterrent power
A mysterious attack on an Israeli-linked oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman has significantly raised tensions in the region, not only between Iran and Israel, but also involving the former and leading Western powers, the US and Britain. The incident on 29 July was followed by another equally mysterious…
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Iran’s presidential election has serious implications for the international community
The Islamic Republic of Iran will hold its 13th presidential election tomorrow, Friday, amid an economic crisis compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic. While the Western media and think tanks have already decided that the result is a foregone conclusion, the inescapable fact is that such elections are unpredictable. This was…
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Why Iran can live without a nuclear deal
The ongoing talks in Vienna (Austria) between Iran and the P4 + 1 group of countries to revive the nuclear deal, otherwise known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), has revived hopes of a wider thaw in relations between Iran and the United States. Most of the international…
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Iran’s move towards China will have global ramifications
The decision by Iran and China to embark on what amounts to a 25-year strategic partnership has touched off a flurry of analysis and speculation around the world. The agreement – which has yet to be formalised – is set to transform Iran’s foreign policy outlook by triggering a move…
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Britain should avoid playing the role of spoiler in Gulf crisis
Tensions between Iran and the US are heating up, as demonstrated by this week’s proceedings at the United Nations General Assembly. The Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani, refused to engage in pointless theatrical diplomacy by meeting with US President, Donald Trump. The failed French-led initiative to engineer a meeting between Rouhani…
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Why Iran and Britain are heading for a crash
The decision by the Gibraltar authorities to release supertanker Grace 1 will slightly ease tensions between Britain and Iran, but not for long. Relations between the two states have been steadily deteriorating for the past eight months and the fear is that they will collapse altogether, as they have done…
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Why Iraq cannot act as a bridge between Iran and the US
The recent sharp increase in tension between Iran and the United States has prompted a flurry of reporting and commentary talking up the prospect of a military confrontation between the two powers. Much of the analysis is focussed on the Persian Gulf – and specifically the Strait of Hormuz –…