Biden says Russian threat of Putin using nuclear weapons is ‘real’

Last week, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said his country has started taking delivery of Russian tactical nuclear weapons. By REUTERS Published: JUNE 20, 2023 08:53 President Joe Biden said on Monday the threat of Russian President Vladimir Putin using tactical nuclear weapons is “real,” days after denouncing Russia’s deployment of such weapons in Belarus. On […]

Iran’s game plan: From Saudi ties to conspiring against Israel – analysis

Iran’s game plan: From Saudi ties to conspiring against Israel – analysis For Iran, many things are now coming together. If one connects the dots between these various themes, a pattern emerges. By SETH J. FRANTZMAN Published: JUNE 20, 2023 09:41 A man holds up a poster of the late Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani next […]

Jenin clashes and danger of Iran’s proxy threats to Israel – analysis

Reports over the last several months have indicated how Iran seeks to not only move weapons to the West Bank but also create conditions to threaten Israel. By SETH J. FRANTZMAN Published: JUNE 19, 2023 10:28   Updated: JUNE 19, 2023 10:53 Clashes in Jenin on Monday illustrate the increasing threat that illegal weapons, particularly […]

‘Mini-Deal,’ Maximum Mistake

‘Mini-Deal,’ Maximum Mistake by Joseph Frager / JNS.org    JNS.org – Both Winston Churchill and Abba Eban have been credited with saying, “Americans can always be counted on to do the right thing… after they have exhausted all other possibilities.” It is believed that Churchill said or at the very least felt this way prior […]

Netanyahu: New nuclear agreement won’t stop Iranian bomb

A Western official said over the weekend that the objective of the impending nuclear deal between the US and Iran is to stop Israel from attacking Iran. LAHAV HARKOVJUNE 18, 2023 13:24 A new agreement with Iran will not prevent it from attaining a nuclear weapon, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Sunday. “Our first […]

Saudi foreign minister arrives in Tehran amid rapprochement -Iran TV

The kingdom broke ties with Iran in 2016 after protesters attacked the Saudi embassy in Tehran in retaliation for Riyadh’s execution of a prominent Shiite cleric. By SETH J. FRANTZMAN, REUTERS Published: JUNE 17, 2023 14:40   Updated: JUNE 17, 2023 19:40 Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Tehran on Saturday, […]

US pessimistic on Israel-Saudi normalization

June 18, 2023 Senior American officials say that the chances of an agreement are less than 50%. By JNS Despite its best efforts, Washington believes that the chances of an Israel-Saudi normalization agreement are less than 50%, according to senior U.S. administration officials cited by The New York Times. Last week, White House Coordinator for […]

Israel comes to terms with pending U.S. Iran understandings

Despite denials, pending agreement expected within weeks; Israeli officials reiterate Jerusalem would not be bound by any such deal, say it does not address Iran’s ballistic missile program or state-sponsored terrorism U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on Friday, denied reports that the U.S. and Iran were nearing an agreement, but Israeli officials still believe […]

Netanyahu: We oppose nuclear deal between US and Iran

 Jun 18, 2023, 11:51 AM (GMT+3) Prime Minister Netanyahu commented on the agreement being worked out between the US and Iran. “We are working to prevent the nuclearization of Iran. We oppose the original agreement and our principled opposition contributes to the fact that [the US] has not returned to the original agreement,” pointed out […]

New Iran deal meant to stop Israeli attack – Western official

PM Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said that any deal between Washington and Tehran will not stop Jerusalem from taking steps against a nuclear Iran. LAHAV HARKOVJUNE 17, 2023 21:29JUNE 17, 2023 22:05 The key objective of the impending nuclear deal between the US and Iran is to stop Israel from attacking Iran, a Western official […]

Saudi Arabia, China undermine US influence in Middle East – analysis

China has been ramping up its economic, diplomatic and military activities, encouraged by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. CLINT VAN WINKLE/THE MEDIA LINEJUNE 14, 2023 03:24JUNE 17, 2023 14:54 The United States has always had a complicated relationship with the Middle East. But after years of US military intervention in the region and […]

Groundbreaking AI project translates 5,000-year-old cuneiform at push of a button

‘Google Translate’-like program for Akkadian cuneiform will enable tens of thousands of digitized but unread tablets to be translated to English. Accuracy is debatable By Melanie Lidman Today, 9:57 am   Cuneiform is the oldest known form of writing, but it is so difficult to read that only a few hundred experts around the world […]

Saudi foreign minister to visit Iran, latest step in restoring ties after 7-year rift

Prince Faisal bin Farhan to meet Iranian counterpart on Saturday, is expected to inaugurate Saudi embassy in Tehran By AP Today, 12:46 am TEHRAN, Iran — Saudi Arabia’s top diplomat is coming to visit Tehran, the latest step in the restoration of diplomatic ties between the two Mideast rivals, according to a statement from Iran on […]

Russia to open embassy branch in Jerusalem as part of land deal with Israel

New complex will mostly provide consular services, in agreement that provides solution to longstanding dispute over plot ToI Staff16 June 2023, 4:54 pm Russia will open an office in Jerusalem that will serve as a branch of its embassy to the country and will provide consular services, while settling a land dispute at the same […]