Russia threatens sanction retaliation, saying US shouldn’t ‘play with fire’

by Tom Rogan  | March 02, 2021 04:48 PM   Responding to the Biden administration’s imposition of new sanctions on Tuesday, the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry pledged retaliation on the principle of “reciprocity,” though “not necessarily symmetrically.” That might sound like boring diplomatic jargon, but Russian President Vladimir Putin’s regime has a specific motive for […]

Israel, U.S. reach behind-the-scenes agreement on Iran

Itamar Eichner | Updated: 03.02.21 , 16:07 Foreign Affair Minister Gabi Ashkenazi confirmed that Israel had reached an behind-the-scenes agreement with the United States, according to which no country would surprise the other regarding the negotiations with Iran and its nuclear program. “If anyone thought the Americans would run to make an agreement with Iran, […]

Jordanian FM pushes for 2-state solution in meeting with Ashkenazi at border

Top envoys hold their 3rd meeting at Allenby crossing between West Bank and Jordan; Israeli FM says they discussed ‘promoting commercial, economic and civic cooperation’ By TOI staff Today, 5:03 pm Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi met with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi on Tuesday at the Allenby Crossing between the West Bank and Jordan, where […]

A NATO for the Middle East

A NATO for the Middle East Isn’t it time to combine the monumental struggle against Iran with this blossoming Arab-Israeli partnership? By RONALD S. LAUDER MARCH 1, 2021 13:46 In the past few weeks, I have held numerous conversations with opinion makers and decision takers in the Middle East. They are all worried. They are […]

Israel in talks with Saudi, UAE, Bahrain for defense alliance against Iran

Following op-ed by Ronald Lauder in Saudi paper, PMO says its ‘not confirming report, but we are always interested in upgrading ties with our Middle East partners.’ MARCH 1, 2021 22:08 Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have discussed expanding cooperation in facing common enemies, an Israeli official familiar with the matter […]

Iranian-backed Houthis threaten to attack Aramco: ‘Wider scope than 2019 attack’

The Houthis pointed to the “Safer oil fields”, as an example. It was not clear where this red line was or what specific infrastructure they don’t want targeted. SETH J. FRANTZMAN MARCH 2, 2021 11:44 The Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, who released footage of their ballistic missiles targeted Saudi Arabia’s capital over the weekend, […]

Israel and the US are on a Collision Course Over Iran

Victor Rosenthal Joe Biden has been in office for about a month. I have my doubts about the degree to which Joe himself is running things, but because he has always bent pragmatically to the winds of political (and perhaps personal) advantage, it’s not really important. Someone is making policy, in particular policy that concerns […]

Prince Bandar: Khashoggi case is now closed; CIA report is an evaluation, not evidence

Okaz/Saudi Gazette RIYADH — Prince Bandar Bin Sultan, former chief of the Saudi Intelligence and former ambassador to the United States, emphasized that the murder case of Saudi citizen Jamal Khashoggi is a closed one unless new evidence appears before the Saudi judiciary. “Saudi Arabia has carried out what any other country does in terms […]

No Proof on Crown Prince’s Link to Khashoggi’s Murder in CIA Intel Report, Saudi Diplomat Says

DOHA (Sputnik) – The US intelligence report on the assassination of columnist Khashoggi contains no evidence that Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman had been involved in this crime, the country’s ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations, Abdallah AlMouallimi, said, adding that the document only makes suggestions. On Friday, the US declassified an […]

Israel: Hundreds of former security officials urge Biden to not rejoin Iran deal

i24NEWS March 01, 2021, 12:19 PM POOL / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFPUS President Joe Biden addresses the nation about the new coronavirus relief package from the Rosevelt Room of The White House on February 27, 2021, in Washington, DC. US rejoining nuclear deal can trigger cause regional nuclear arms race, […]

The change in tone of the US State Department

State Department spokesman hints at press briefing what the new administration’s positions would be on Iran, Israel-PA. Nitsan Keidar , Mar 01 , 2021 11:43 PM US State Department spokesman Ned Price spoke to reporters on Monday, with his answers to reporters’ questions clarifying the change between the positions of the Trump administration and those […]

Russia OFFICIALLY Warns Israel; No more attacks on Syria or Russia Will attack back

The special envoy of the President of Russia Alexander Lavrentyev made a report in which he emphasized the unwillingness of the Israeli side to fulfill the agreements reached between Israel and Russia to de-escalate the situation in Syria Lavrentyev noted that Moscow’s patience has completely dried up, and if Israel does not give up aggressive actions […]

Peace with Israel a shared goal of Saudi Arabia and US, State Dept says

Price’s remarks came several days after the US announced a “recalibration” of US-Saudi ties, releasing the Director of National Intelligence’s report on the killing of Khashoggi LAHAV HARKOV MARCH 1, 2021 22:50  Saudi-Israel peace is a shared objective of the US and Saudi Arabia, US State Department Spokesman Ned Price said on Monday. “We seek […]