Iraqi Kurdistan

July 18, 2024 | Saeed Ghasseminejad |

An Israel-Hezbollah war could send shockwaves through the energy market

Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah continue to escalate. Hezbollah rocket and drone attacks on northern Israel have forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate their homes. Should war erupt,...

May 24, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Can the Middle East halt the rise of Iran before it’s too late?

Iran has recently reconciled with Saudi Arabia, with China’s backing, and it has been seeking to open a new page of ties with Egypt.

April 17, 2024 | Behnam Ben Taleblu |

The Despotic Duo

Russo-Iranian Cooperation and Threats to U.S. Interests

April 14, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

How Iran’s drones became a threat to the Mid East and world

Iran’s drone threat is now one of its main military threats to the region, one that has surpassed its missile and other threats in many ways.

April 11, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Iran has ten ways to attack Israel; which one will it choose?

Iran's vowed punishment of Israel might manifest either through proxies or direct means, including ballistic missiles and drones.

February 22, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Kurdish solidarity delegation from Germany visits Israel

The visit was to express the Kurdish solidarity with the Jewish people and the Kurdish sentiments that the Jews are not alone.

January 31, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Iran’s ‘attack and demand ceasefire’ doctrine plays out in Iraq

The Iranian policy with Kataib Hezbollah is similar to its policy with Hamas after the massive unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7.

January 24, 2024 | |

U.S. Strikes Iranian-Backed Group in Response to Attacks in Iraq

U.S. forces carried out airstrikes on Kataib Hezbollah on January 24 in response to the Iranian-backed group’s targeting of American troops in Iraq. Kataib Hezbollah conducted...

January 22, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Iran regime media faked photo with rabbi to justify killing

The report Iran then created fake images of the victim with a rabbi to justify his killing appears to illustrate Iran’s regime lurching into antisemitic conspiracy theories.

January 21, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Iranian media falsely claims to have ‘injured’ Israeli in Iraq attacks

Iranian media uses antisemitic tropes of an image of a rabbi to claim that a Kurdish businessman was linked to ‘Mossad.’

January 18, 2024 | |

Iranian Foreign Minister Acknowledges Directing Anti-Israel Axis

Iran on January 17 tacitly acknowledged orchestrating the regional fronts that have opened against Israel during the Gaza war. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein...

January 18, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Iran attacked Syria with long-range missile in message to Israel

Iran is openly admitting that it used these missiles to send a message to the US and Israel and that it basically targeted northwest Syria just to show off.

January 17, 2024 | |

Iran Fires Ballistic Missiles at Iraq and Syria

Iran fired ballistic missiles at Iraq and Syria on January 15 at what it described as regime opponents. The strike in Iraq, which killed four civilians, hit a residential area near...

January 17, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Iran’s attacks on Kurdistan region and Pakistan escalate Tehran’s threats

The overall message of Iran is that it will continue to carry out attacks where it pleases.

December 18, 2023 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Iraq heads to provincial elections, first in ten years

Today Iraq is trying to put some of its past behind it.

October 23, 2023 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Iran-backed attacks on US forces in Iraq and Syria increase

Reports on Sunday said that rockets targeted Ain al-Asad base, at least the sixth attack since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.

October 19, 2023 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Israel’s picturesque, ghostly North awaits next phase of war

REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK: With 300,000 reservists called up, many areas are festooned with tanks, soldiers, camps, and military vehicles on the move, with temporary concrete shelters being delivered.

July 20, 2023 | Sinan Ciddi |

Turkey is granting citizenship to international criminals 

The reelection of Recep Tayyip Erdogan as Turkey’s president is resurfacing the question of whether Turkey is reanchoring itself in the Western alliance. Nothing could be further...

July 10, 2023 | Hussain Abdul-Hussain |

Iraqi sovereignty at stake in case of Israeli hostage

The Iraqi militia Kata’ib Hezbollah has been holding hostage, since March, Israeli-Russian Elizabeth Tsurkov, a graduate student at Princeton University. Tsurkov had entered Iraq, using her Russian passport,...

April 13, 2023 | Sinan Ciddi |

Biden Must Tell Erdogan To Stop Targeting US Partners

Turkey is suspected of having carried out a drone strike inside of Iraqi Kurdistan that almost killed the leader of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) – General Mazloum Abdi. The strike, which...