History, Religion, Politics, Culture, and Travels in the Islamic World
Installation of a new administration should be occasion for evaluation of foreign policy and for adjustments, but Marco Rubio’s statements about the Taliban portend enhanced misery for 42 million Afghans suffering under the Islamic Emirate. Influence of Afghan émigré groups, viz., “National Resistance Front,” will prevent the Trump Administration from forging a diplomatic path to Kabul that enhances U.S. National Security.
Signed 17 January 2025, Kremlin, Moscow, between Masoud Pezeshkian and Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. The agreement had been negotiated for years, but the U.S.-NATO imposed war on Russia, and decades-long U.S.-Israel economic war imposed on Iran, added impetus to negotiations and shaped the agreement. The full text has been published. The partnership includes military and intelligence cooperation in addition to economic, energy, and science and technology cooperation.
Trump’s firing of anti-Iran hawk Brian Hook and appointment of Michael DiMino as Dep. Sec. of Defense (Middle East) have angered anti-Iran elements in U.S. and Israel. Is Trump shifting his stance on Iran?
Rashid Khalidi’s statement that the Axis (AoR) “was designed by Iran to protect the Iranian regime. . . . It wasn’t designed to protect Palestine,” is ahistorical on multiple levels, but raises questions such as (1) who is in/out of AoR?; and (2) what is Iran’s strategic goal?; how will AoR help Iran achieve its objectives?
The fall of the House of Assad is not a debacle for Iran nor the death knell for the Axis of Resistance. Hizballah will thrive despite the fall of Assad, who was not pulling his weight. Iran appears to have conducted a cost-benefit analysis and determined that the financial and human costs of remaining in Syria and underwriting the Assad regime outweighed strategic and military benefits. Most relationships have inherent timers; the Assad-Iran marriage was ready for dissolution.
“With Israel pushing the US toward a new war against Iran, the IAEA's anti-Iran resolution has already backfired, undermining Tehran's new negotiations-friendly administration, and handing a proverbial gift to the nation's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.” My essay. Link to article is at my website.
Turkish-, American-, and Israeli-backed HTS terrorists (“rebels” in the parlance of the west) have besieged Aleppo in northern Syria, prompting this photo blog. Background note on HTS, which is derived from al-Qaiʾda, along with an observation on who benefits (cui bono?) from this offensive, are included.
UK, France, and Germany, instigated by US and Israel, promoted an anti-Iran resolution before the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Commission. It passed. This was a gift to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Another “L” (loss) and “own goal” by the Anglo-American foreign policy establishment.
Updated 17 Nov 2024 with two new video links and commentary: Former Iran FM Kamal Kharrazi stated that Tehran reserves right to revise its nuclear doctrine if the country faces an “existential threat;” and that Iran has voluntarily restricted the range of its ballistic missiles out of respect for “European concerns”; however, since Europe does not respect Iran’s security concerns, Tehran need not “be bound by their sensitivities.” Ayatollah Khamenei sent an enigmatic tweet: “We will definitely do everything necessary to prepare the Iranian nation for confronting the Arrogant Powers [plural].”
Trump’s nominations are MIGA (“Make Israel Great Again”) zealots who harbor hawkish anti-Iran, anti-Russia and anti-China sentiments. Trump Administration II will fortify the Iran-Russia-China “Tripartite Alliance.” Beijing, Moscow, and Tehran realize that “we must all hang together or we will all hang separately.”
Perspectives 
You must be logged in to post a comment.