Creating new perspectives since 2009
Items by Mazlum Özkan
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Israel’s Doha strike kills diplomacy – and US credibility with it
The smoke that rose over Doha this week was more than the aftermath of an airstrike. It marked three things at once: the death of mediation, the collapse of U.S. credibility, and growing danger for the remaining Israeli hostages. Israel’s decision to bomb Doha, America’s closest Gulf ally and one…
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From ummah to nationalism: The Islamic Republic’s identity shifts under airstrikes
In June 2025, after Israeli and U.S. airstrikes targeted Iranian nuclear sites and civilian areas, the Islamic Republic stopped short of a full military response. But it didn’t remain silent. Its reply came not just through rhetoric or missiles, but through symbols—religious, national, and increasingly fused. For decades, Iran’s rulers…
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When restraint is punished: The bombing of Iran and collapse of the nuclear security order
In June 2025, Israel, soon followed by the United States, launched strikes targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities. The target wasn’t a nuclear-armed regime—it was a nation engaged in diplomacy. Iran had long remained a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), granted the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) partial access to…
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Nukes or be bombed: How US and Israeli strikes on Iran legitimised nuclear weapons
In mid-June 2025, tensions in the Middle East took a sharp and dangerous turn. On 13 June, Israel launched a targeted airstrike inside Iranian territory. Just days later, On 21–22 June, the United States joined in—striking Iran’s fortified nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The justification was predictable: prevent…