Orientul Mijlociu

New Iran Nuclear Deal Will Create ‘Sanctions Evasion Hub for Putin,’ Experts Say

A new nuclear deal will create a “sanctions evasion hub for Vladimir Putin based in Iran,” according to a new policy brief circulating around Capitol Hill and obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.

With a nuclear deal likely to be announced in the coming days, the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), a think tank critical of the agreement, says a new deal will allow Putin to circumvent tough Western sanctions that have been put in place since Russia invaded Ukraine.

Future of Russian arms imports unclear after Scholz Erdogan meeting

It is now unclear whether Turkey will buy Russian weapons in the future, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said after meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday.

“Of course, there are weapon systems that we bought. Under the current circumstances, it is unclear what will happen in the future,” Erdogan said when asked by a journalist how long Turkey would continue to buy weapons from Russia.

New Islamic State leader is brother of slain caliph Baghdadi

The new leader of Islamic State, whose appointment the group announced on Thursday, is the brother of slain former caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, according to two Iraqi security officials and one Western security source.

Islamic State named its new leader Abu al-Hassan al-Hashemi al-Quraishi in a recorded audio message distributed online.

The announcement came weeks after the death last month of Abu Ibrahim al-Quraishi, the man who in turn succeeded Baghdadi in 2019 and became the group’s second so-called caliph. Both Baghdadi and Quraishi died by blowing themselves and family members up during U.S. raids on their hideouts in northern Syria.

The Significance Of The Turkish Straits To The Russian Navy

Four days into the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine on February 27, 2022, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu declared that the operation in question was a “war.” He explained to CNN Türk, “Under these conditions, we will apply the Montreux agreement. Article 19 is pretty clear. In the beginning, it was a Russian attack and we evaluated it with experts, soldiers, and lawyers. Now it has turned into a war. This is not a military operation; it is officially a state of war.” The Turkish government has also sought to use the convention to de-escalate tensions in the Black Sea and, more broadly, has cautioned all countries not to send any warships into the Black Sea—perhaps to limit the possibility of Western maritime escalation.

Islamic State Announces Death of Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi and Appointment of New ‘Caliph’

The following post is my translation of the audio message “And among them are those who have fulfilled and died,” released today by the Islamic State’s al-Furqan Media, featuring a speech by the group’s new spokesman ‘Abu Omar al-Muhajir,’ who confirms not only the death of the previous leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi but also the death of the previous spokesman Abu Hamza al-Qurashi. In a speech that very much recalls 2019, he adds that the Majlis Shura did not delay to implement Abu Ibrahim’s counsel and appoint a new leader as caliph: Abu al-Hasan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi (whose name circulated among some Islamic State supporters in the aftermath of Abu Ibrahim’s death). He urges the Muslims and mujahideen to pledge allegiance to the new caliph.

Russia’s Attack on Ukraine Raises Stakes For Iran Nuclear Talks

While it does not appear that Russia has become interested in undermining the JCPOA as a whole, dragging out the talks could serve Russia’s interests.

Russia’s military attack on Ukraine has had a number of consequences for Iran, the most important of which have impacted the state of the nuclear negotiations and the energy market. With nuclear talks in Vienna in their final and most critical stages, a return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) would lead to the lifting of the “maximum pressure” sanctions that were first imposed on Iran under the Trump administration.

The Limits of a New Iran Nuclear Deal

Why the Original Agreement’s Flaws Remain Unresolved

After months of discussion, negotiators appear close to an agreement to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Although some issues—including a series of last-minute Russian demands—remain outstanding, both the United States and Iran appear committed to securing a deal in the coming days or weeks. The agreement, if fully implemented, would bring the United States and Iran into compliance with the original pact, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), rolling back parts of Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for relief from the most severe U.S. sanctions regime ever imposed.

Erdogan Aide Says Zelenskyy, Israel and Soros ‘Leading Ukrainians to Death’

Just before Israeli President Herzog arrives for Turkey visit, Erdogan’s adviser says in an antisemitic tweet that Ukraine and its people ‘are being used up and thrown away’

A senior adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy of leading his own people to death in the fight against Russia’s invasion, and said the Ukrainian president, who is Jewish, is supported by Israel and billionaire financier George Soros.