Iranian politicians hail election of Lebanon’s new president

Iranian politicians across the political spectrum have hailed the election of Michel Aoun as Lebanon’s new president.

Saudi Arabia

Can Iran pull Turkey, Iraq away from brink of war?

Despite its tensions with Turkey, Tehran is well-positioned to bring Ankara and Baghdad closer amid their escalating war of words — but could Iran be successful in this endeavor?

Iraq

Is Yemen headed for partition?

An open-ended cease-fire is needed for Yemen, but a de facto partition of the country is more likely.

Saudi Arabia

Iranian hard-liner hints Ahmadinejad not completely out of the game

An Iranian hard-line former MP reveals that Tehran Mayor and two-time presidential candidate Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf was barred from running in the 2009 presidential election — and that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad may not be completely out of the game.

Russia

Why OPEC still can’t get Iran to cut oil production

Despite the agreement in principle on output cuts at its September meeting in Algeria, OPEC still has a long way to go in getting Iran to stop its drive to regain market share.

Saudi Arabia

Why Reformists have no choice but to back Rouhani

Despite the discontent among his key Reformist backers, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani seems set for another term — if only because of a lack of options.

Iran

The main reason Rouhani replaced three of his ministers

There are many reasons for the Iranian president’s decision to reshuffle his Cabinet, but none outweigh his drive to cement his chances for a second term in next year’s election.

Iran

Will Iran allow the EU to open shop in Tehran?

Iranian politicians are divided on the new EU Parliament resolution that favors normalization of ties with Iran.

Iran

Did Rouhani stop screening of hard-line film about jailed Iranian-American?

In Iran, the cancellation of the screening of a self-styled documentary about a jailed dual national leads hard-liners to point the finger at the Rouhani administration.

Iran

Iran unfazed by Saudi flexing in Persian Gulf

Saudi Arabia's large-scale military exercises may be cause for some concern in Iran, but Saudi capabilities in the Persian Gulf can't compare to those of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Saudi Arabia

How dual nationality became a key controversy in Iran

The issue of dual citizenship is turning into a full-blown political football in Iran, where 35 senior officials have been barred from holding office following probes into their citizenships.

United States

Zarif-Kerry joint prize raises eyebrows in Iran

For Iran's foreign minister, winning an international prize may not be good news as hard-liners could use it as a pretext to attack him.

United States