US in MENA Newsletter #41: Trump on hot seat over Iran’s missing uranium
(06/23/2025-07/01/2025)
Edited by Issa Adeli (isadeli.bsky.social)
Last week, both democrats and some Republicans diatribed the results of the US strike against three Iranian nuclear sites. They did so with different intentions: Democrats wanted to prove that military reaction did not yield the results that Barack Obama’s diplomatic efforts achieved. On the other side, some republicans tried to convince Trump that the job has not been fully done and more pressure is needed to take out the remaining parts of the program. Here are all the headlines about the US foreign policy and the Middle East in the last week:
01
July
Iran-linked hackers threaten to release emails stolen from Trump associates
An Iran-linked cyberattack group that hacked President Trump's 2024 campaign is threatening to release another trove of emails it has stolen from his associates, including White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Roger Stone (Read more at Axios).
01
July
Netanyahu will visit the White House next Monday
The trip will be Netanyahu’s third visit to the White House since Trump returned to office in January, and it comes after the United States inserted itself into Israel’s war against Iran by attacking Iranian nuclear sites. After brokering a ceasefire between the two countries, Trump has signaled that he’s turning his attention to bringing a close to the fighting between Israel and Hamas (Read more at AP).
01
July
Trump signs an executive order ending US sanctions on Syria
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the move was designed to “promote and support the country’s path to stability and peace.” The executive order is meant to “end the country’s isolation from the international financial system, setting the stage for global commerce and galvanizing investments from its neighbors in the region, as well as from the United States,” Treasury’s acting undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, Brad Smith said (Read more at AP).
30
June
Iran says Trump shifting stance on sanctions amounts to 'psychological and media games'
Iran criticized on Monday U.S. President Donald Trump's shifting stance on whether to lift economic sanctions against Tehran as "games" that were not aimed at solving the problems between the two countries. "These [statements by Trump] should be viewed more in the context of psychological and media games than as a serious expression in favor of dialogue or problem-solving," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told a press conference (Read more at Iran Oil and Gas).
29
June
Israel orders evacuations in northern Gaza as Trump calls for war to end
“Make the deal in Gaza, get the hostages back,” Trump posted Sunday on Truth Social platform. A senior security official, however, warned that expanding the fighting to new areas in Gaza may endanger the 20 remaining living hostages (Read more at New York Post).
29
June
Trump slams Israel’s prosecutors over Netanyahu corruption trial
“It is INSANITY doing what the out-of-control prosecutors are doing to Bibi Netanyahu,” Trump said in a Truth Social post, adding that the judicial process was going to interfere with Netanyahu’s ability to conduct talks with Hamas, and Iran. “The United States of America spends Billions of Dollar a year, far more than on any other Nation, protecting and supporting Israel. We are not going to stand for this,” Trump said (Read more at Dawn).
29
June
Donald Trump suggests several more countries to join Abraham Accords
Fox News host Maria Bartiromo asked Mr Trump on Sunday if he thought the attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities made it more likely that other countries would join the Abraham Accords. “Yes,” he replied. “We have some really great countries in there right now, and I think we're going to start loading them up, because Iran was the primary problem.” (Read more at The National)
29
June
Intercepted Iranian communications downplay damage from US attack
There were serious questions about whether the Iranian officials were being truthful, and described the intercepts as unreliable indicators. "The notion that unnamed Iranian officials know what happened under hundreds of feet of rubble is nonsense. Their nuclear weapons program is over," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was quoted as saying by the Post (Read more at Global Banking and Finance).
29
June
Trump again floats prosecuting those who leaked Iran intelligence report
The president also suggested that reporters should be subpoenaed for their sources, saying, "they could find out if they wanted. They could find out easily." "You have to do that. I suspect we'll be doing things like that," he added (Read more at Axios).
28
June
Old bogeymen reunite MAGA after explosive Iran divide
A MAGA movement facing a historic rift over President Trump's Iran strikes is quickly stitching itself back together by turning its rage toward familiar enemies at home. Trump's decision to strike three Iranian nuclear facilities last week — paired with fleeting talk of "regime change" — ignited some of the fiercest infighting within the "America First" base since the movement's inception a decade ago (Read more at Axios).
28
June
Trump denies reports US looking at $30B nuclear deal with Iran
“Who in the Fake News Media is the SleazeBag saying that ‘President Trump wants to give Iran $30 Billion to build non-military Nuclear facilities.’ Never heard of this ridiculous idea,” the president wrote late Friday on Truth Social (Read more at The Hill).
28
June
US Senate votes down resolution to restrict Trump from escalating Iran war
Democratic effort fails in mostly partisan vote, hours after US president says he would consider more bombing. The resolution, “to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran”, was voted down 53-47 (Read more at Guardian).
28
June
Trump must avoid disrespecting Iran's Leader if wants deal
"The complexity and tenacity of Iranians is famously known in our magnificent carpets, woven through countless hours of hard work and patience. But as a people, our basic premise is very simple and straightforward: we know our worth, value our independence, and never allow anyone else to decide our destiny," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X (Read more at Mehrnews).
28
June
Trump says Israel-Hamas ceasefire possible within a week
“We think within the next week we’re going to get a ceasefire,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office Friday. Ending the war has been one of Trump’s top priorities. “I think it’s close,” he said (Read more at NewsNation).
27
June
UAE fund buys $100 million of Trump's World Liberty tokens
Aqua 1 Foundation said in a statement on Thursday its purchase of the tokens, known as $WLFI, sought to speed up the creation of a "blockchain-powered financial ecosystem" with stablecoins and tokenised traditional assets at its heart. The fund's investment and compliance teams would help World Liberty expand in South America, Europe and Asia (Read more at Yahoo Finance).
27
June
Trump administration scolds reporters on Iran strike coverage
From the White House to the Pentagon to the Netherlands, the administration's messaging campaign on the Iranian operation has carried with it an all-out offensive against the media, singling out reporters by name online and in briefings (Read more at Axios).
27
June
US talks to Pakistan about promoting 'durable peace between Israel and Iran
US President Donald Trump said last week that Pakistan knew Iran better than most other countries. Pakistan condemned Israeli and US strikes on Iran even as it said earlier this month it was nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in bringing a four-day India-Pakistan conflict to an end last month (Read more at Middle East Eye).
27
June
Iran has no plans to meet with US for nuclear talks: Foreign minister
“In the recent negotiations, they tried to lure us into giving up the rights of our nation. When some certain events occurred, they imposed war and unleashed the criminal Zionist (Israeli) regime to carry out attacks,” he said. Araghchi added that the US betrayed diplomacy during talks, an experience that will shape Iran’s future decisions on negotiations. “Nevertheless, diplomacy continues, and I am in contact with several foreign ministers,” he said (Read more at Anadolu Ajansı).
27
June
US approves $30m for controversial Israel-backed Gaza aid group
“We call on other countries to also support the GHF, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, and its critical work,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said. At least 549 Palestinians have been killed while waiting for food aid distributed at GHF sites, the Gaza Government Media Office said on Thursday. The GHF, which is officially a private group, has denied that deadly incidents have occurred in the immediate vicinity of its aid points. The GHF’s interim executive director, John Acree, welcomed the US contribution and said it was “time for unity and collaboration” (Read more at Aljazeera)
27
June
White House claims ‘no indication’ Iran moved uranium before US strikes
The White House said US intelligence had been monitoring Iran’s nuclear sites for weeks before launching secret airstrikes last weekend, and insisted there was no sign Iran moved enriched uranium beforehand, calling the mission a historic success (Read more at Anadolu Ajansı).
27
June
Democrats fume at "waste of time" Trump admin briefing on Iran
The briefing appears to have done little to alleviate the growing tension around the Trump administration largely keeping Congress in the dark about its actions and not seeking congressional authorization. "Most of what I heard [in the briefing] is in the public domain already," former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told Axios. "I didn't find it to be that constructive." (Read more at Axios)
27
June
Most voters back Iran strikes, but worry about attacks on U.S
Meanwhile, most viewed the U.S. attacks as a success — and are likely to back similar military action as a result. Republicans overwhelmingly approved of bombing Iran; sizable majorities of Democrats and independents did not. But once they were told the bombings only targeted Iran's uranium enrichment for its nuclear program, support increased in each group (Read more at Axios).
27
June
Trump says he would consider bombing Iran again, drops sanctions relief plan
Trump reacted sternly to Khamanei’s first remarks after a 12-day conflict with Israel that ended when the United States launched bombing raids last weekend against Iranian nuclear sites. Khamanei said Iran “slapped America in the face” by launching an attack against a major US base in Qatar following the US bombing raids. Khamanei also said Iran would never surrender. Trump said he had spared Khamanei’s life. US officials said on June 15 that Trump had vetoed an Israeli plan to kill the supreme leader (Read more at Arabnews).
27
June
Opioid pills discovered in US-backed food aid, Gaza authorities say
Oxycodone is an opioid meant to treat severe and long-term pain, often prescribed to cancer patients. The drug is highly addictive and can have life-threatening effects, including breathing complications and hallucinations. The Gaza government media office on Friday condemned the discovery of oxycodone pills reportedly discovered in flour bags distributed by “American-Israeli” aid centres. “We have so far documented four testimonies from citizens who found these pills inside the flour bags,” it said in a statement, warning of the “possibility that some of these narcotic substances were deliberately ground or dissolved in the flour itself” (Read more at Middle East Eye).
26
June
Ceasefire takes hold after Trump rebukes Israel and Iran
A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran appeared to hold on Tuesday, with Israel’s military lifting emergency measures and Iran’s president declaring “the end of a 12‑day war that was imposed on the Iranian people” in a televised address. “Both Israel and Iran wanted to stop the War, equally!” Mr. Trump posted on social media as he flew to a NATO summit in the Netherlands. “It was my great honor to Destroy All Nuclear facilities & capability, and then, STOP THE WAR!” (Read more at Amu TV).
26
June
Musk calls Lebanese president as Starlink seeks license
Billionaire businessman Elon Musk and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun spoke by phone to discuss making elements of Musk’s sprawling business empire available in Lebanon, a statement from Aoun’s office said on Thursday. The statement said Musk called Aoun and “expressed his interest in Lebanon and its telecommunications and Internet sectors.” Aoun invited Musk to visit Lebanon and said he was open to having Musk’s companies present in the country, which ranks among the countries with the lowest Internet speeds (Read more at Arabnews).
26
June
Iran's Khamenei claims U.S. strike didn't cause major damage to nuclear facilities
Khamenei said in his video message that the U.S. entered the war because it felt it had to save Israel from being destroyed. "It entered the war to save it, but it did not achieve anything from this war. They attacked our nuclear facilities, but they were unable to do anything important," he said. Khamenei claimed President Trump "exaggerated" the results of the U.S. strikes on Iran. "They could not do anything, they could not achieve their goal, and they are exaggerating to cover up the truth," he said (Read more at Axios).
26
June
Turkey hopes for progress on F-35 jets after Trump meeting, Erdogan says
"We have not given up on the F-35s. We are discussing our intention to return to the programme with our counterparts," he was cited as saying by his office on Thursday. "We discussed the issue in our meeting with Mr. Trump, talks at a technical level have started. God willing, we will make progress." (Read more at AOL)
25
June
ICE arrested Iranian nationals with criminal records or suspected terrorist ties
Eleven Iranian nationals with either criminal records or suspected terrorist ties who had been living in the United States illegally were arrested over the weekend while American war planes were bombing nuclear facilities in their homeland, federal officials announced. In addition, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested a U.S. citizen who is alleged to have harbored one of the Iranian nationals and threatened to “shoot ICE officers in the head,” the Department of Homeland Security said (Read more at NBC News).
25
June
Houthis Likely To Remain A Persistent Threat To U.S
Lieutenant General Alexus Grynkewich of the U.S. Air Force, who currently serves as the Director for Operations of the Joint Staff, stated that the Houthis are likely to remain a “persistent problem” and the United States will probably face issues with them again in the future (Read more at Marine Insight).
25
June
Trump Says China Can Buy Iranian Oil, But Urges Favor for U.S. Crude
Senior White House official said Trump's comments do not reflect a new policy. Trump's comments signal bearish outlook for oil prices. No near-term impact on China's Iranian, US oil purchases expected. Saudi Arabia may be upset by China's Iranian oil purchases (Read more at Reuters).
25
June
FBI shifts some agents back to counter-terrorism following Iran strike
Don Holstead, the assistant director for counter terrorism, issued guidance over the weekend reassigning agents who work on counterterrorism, counterintelligence and cyber issues but had been sidetracked by immigration duties. The FBI said it does not confirm or deny operational changes (Read more at NBC News).
25
June
Trump downplays U.S. intelligence report on Iran strikes
President Donald Trump doubled down on his assertion that U.S. bomb strikes destroyed Iran’s nuclear program. He criticized reporting on an initial U.S. intelligence report that suggested the bombings likely set Iran’s nuclear program back by a few months, not years (Read more at CNBC).
25
June
Pentagon launches probe into Iran strike intel leak
The Pentagon has launched a criminal investigation into the leak of a classified Defense Intelligence Agency report assessing that damage to Iranian nuclear facilities from U.S. airstrikes didn’t significantly set back Tehran’s nuclear program. Rubio also said that Iran is now "much further away from a nuclear weapon" after the U.S. dropped 14 bombs weighing 30,000 pounds each on three of Iran's main nuclear sites (Read more at Politico).
25
June
Trump says Washington to hold talks with Iran after US 'victory'
Trump said his decision to join Israel's attacks by targeting Iranian nuclear sites with huge bunker-busting bombs had ended the war, calling it "a victory for everybody". "We're going to talk to them next week, with Iran. We may sign an agreement. I don't know. To me, I don't think it's that necessary," Trump said (Read more at Reuters).
25
June
Trump envoy Steve Witkoff says US-Iran talks are 'promising'
"We are already talking to each other, not just directly but also through interlocutors. I think that the conversations are promising. We are hopeful that we can have a long-term peace agreement that resurrects Iran," Witkoff said (Read more at Reuters).
25
June
Iran is hurt but still a 'considerable' threat to US, says US admiral
"At the tactical level, I think they've been degraded," Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, deputy commander of US Central Command, said at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing. "I think the degree to which that degradation has taken place, particularly in the last 12 days, is best discussed in a classified forum," he added. But he said that Iran possesses "considerable tactical capability," one element of which was visible in the missile attack on the US military base of Al Udeid on Monday (Read more at Business Insider).
25
June
Pelosi backs growing Dem effort to limit Trump on Iran
House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Wednesday threw her weight behind a rapidly accelerating effort by Democratic lawmakers to limit Trump's power to unilaterally strike Iran. Democrats are infuriated that the Trump administration postponed briefings on the Middle East that were planned for Tuesday, and that rage is helping to fuel what was initially a fringe effort. "Yesterday, the Administration decided to withhold intelligence ... in a slap in the face to the Congress," Pelosi said in a statement. "That is why I am supporting War Powers Resolutions which reassert the Article One powers of the Congress and ensure the Administration does not keep the American people and their Representatives in the dark." (Read more at Axios)
25
June
In an unusual intervention, Trump calls for canceling Netanyahu's corruption trial
Trump wrote that he was "shocked to hear" that even after the war with Iran, the State of Israel "is continuing its ridiculous Witch Hunt" against Netanyahu. It isn't clear what prompted Trump's post. The president has rarely spoken publicly about Netanyahu's trial in the past and only yesterday he was visibly frustrated with the Israeli prime minister over the ceasefire with Iran (Read more at Axios).
25
June
'It ended the war': Trump likens Iran strikes to Hiroshima bombing
"I don't wanna use an example of Hiroshima or Nagasaki but that was essentially the same thing," Trump said. "That ended that war. If we didn't take that out they would be fighting right now." "Two Iranians went down to see it and they said this place is gone," he said, presumably referring to one of Iran's nuclear research sites (Read more at Middle East Eye).
25
June
Israelis take Trump tirade in stride, give thanks
Israelis responded calmly on Tuesday to U.S. President Donald Trump's criticisms and accusations their country had violated a truce he brokered with Iran, expressing gratitude for his mediation and relief at the conclusion of the 12-day war (Read more at Global Banking and Finance).
24
June
About 400 passengers have left Israel on US-assisted flights
The State Department is sharing information with over 27,000 people about leaving the region and safety and security. The US started some limited assisted-departure flights for US citizens, lawful permanent residents and their immediate family members (Read more at Arabnews).
24
June
US tells UN: Strikes degraded Iran’s capacity to build nuclear weapon
“These strikes – in accordance with the inherent right to collective self-defence, consistent with the UN Charter – aimed to mitigate the threat posed by Iran to Israel, the region and to, more broadly, international peace and security,” acting US envoy to the UN Dorothy Shea told the United Nations Security Council (Read more at Straits Times).
24
June
Pentagon: US strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites only set program back by months
Findings by Defense Intelligence Agency suggest Trump’s declaration that sites were ‘obliterated’ may be overstated. It concluded key components of the nuclear program, including centrifuges, were capable of being restarted within months. The report also found that much of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium that could be put to use for a possible nuclear weapon was moved before the strikes and may have been moved to other secret nuclear sites maintained by Iran (Read more at Guardian).
24
June
House Democratic veterans back moves to limit Trump’s military authority
“I think the ceasefire is unlimited. It’s going to go forever," Trump said. Asked whether the war was completely over, Trump said: “Yes. I don’t believe they will ever be shooting at each other again.” (Read more at NBC News)
24
June
Qatar PM secures Iran's agreement to US ceasefire proposal after call with Trump
The phone call came after US President Donald Trump told Qatar's emir that Israel had agreed to the ceasefire and asked for Doha's help persuading Tehran to also agree to the ceasefire deal, the official said (Read more at Daily Star).
24
June
Mike Johnson says War Powers Act is unconstitutional
Johnson has already rejected calls to stage a vote on a bipartisan war powers resolution in the wake of Trump’s decision to strike three Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend, arguing that Congress’s input is unnecessary. On Tuesday, he took that opposition a long step forward, saying the War Powers Act — a 1973 law designed to limit a president’s authority to wage unilateral war — defies the Founder’s designs for the commander in chief (Read more at The Hill).
24
June
Most Americans support immediately ending U.S. involvement in the conflict with Iran
The poll also finds that Americans oppose U.S. military involvement in the Middle East unless the U.S. is directly threatened and that most Americans do not feel that U.S. airstrikes against Iran make America safer. Attitudes toward President Donald Trump’s handling of Iran are divided along partisanship, but overall, half of Americans do not approve of Trump’s handling of Iran (Read more at Ipsos).
24
June
Trump exhorts US to drill oil, gas after Iran attacks
Trump addressed the U.S. Department of Energy in a post on his Truth Social platform encouraging it to "drill, baby, drill" and saying, "I mean now," despite no major oil disruptions after the bombings. In another post on the platform, Trump said in all caps: "Everyone, keep oil prices down, I'm watching! You're playing into the hands of the enemy, don't do it." U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright responded, "We're on it!" to the drilling message, in a post on X (Read more at MSN).
23
June
US moved aircraft, military equipment from Qatar to Saudi Arabia before attack
The move suggests that the US believed Saudi Arabia would not be targeted by Iranian strikes and points to coordination with Iran to limit the fallout of the attack. The New York Times earlier reported that Iran provided advanced notice to Qatari officials to minimise casualties (Read more at Middle East Eye).
23
June
Iran says launched attack on US troops at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar
Loud explosions were also heard, although so far no injuries have been reported. Qatar’s Defence Ministry says its air defence systems successfully intercepted missiles targeting Al Udeid Air Base (Read more at Aljazeera).
23
June
Top US Democrat calls for briefing on Iranian attack
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has reiterated that Trump needs to consult Congress before taking any military action against Iran. “I’ve seen press reports that Iranian missiles are targeting US military bases in the Middle East, putting the lives of thousands of American servicemembers at immediate risk,” Schumer said on X (Read more at Aljazeera).
23
June
What the US and Israel really want from Iran
The joint attacks against Iran aim to sow chaos and instability in order to secure regional domination. Clearly, the US and Israel are not after Iran’s nuclear programme. They are after Iran as a regional power, and that is why regime change has already been floated in public (Read more at Aljazeera).
23
June
House Democratic veterans back moves to limit Trump’s military authority
A group of 12 House Democratic military veterans have thrown their weight behind efforts to constrain Donald Trump’s military authority, announcing they will support a War Powers Act resolution in response to the US president’s go ahead for airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. The veterans – some of whom served in Iraq and Afghanistan – were strongly critical of Trump’s decision to launch what they called “preventive air strikes” without US congressional approval, drawing explicit parallels to the run-up to some of America’s longest recent wars (Read more at Guardian).
23
June
Netanyahu wants to meet Trump at White House after Iran war success
He wants to celebrate the joint U.S-Israeli bombing of Iran's nuclear program. Despite past tensions in their relationship, the two leaders are closer than ever and see the 12-day war against Iran as a monumental achievement — both for their countries and their personal legacies (Read more at Axios).
23
June
Bannon warns regime change could lead to US military in Iran
Bannon, the longtime Trump ally and leading figure in the MAGA movement, praised Trump for the strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities during an episode of his podcast “Bannon’s War Room.” But he questioned the “regime change narrative,” criticized the Pentagon for its messaging in the hours after the strike and urged Israel to “finish what you started” without U.S. involvement (Read more at Politico).
Good Articles
24
June
Big questions loom over Trump's announcement of Israel-Iran ceasefire deal
"The Israelis have accomplished much of their objectives ... and Iran was looking for an off-ramp,” said Jonathan Panikoff, a former deputy U.S. national intelligence officer for the Middle East. "The U.S. hopes this is the beginning of the end. The challenge is whether there is a strategy for what comes next." Questions also remain about what has actually been agreed to, even as Trump’s declaration raised hopes for the end of a conflict that has prompted fears of a broader regional war. Signaling a difficult path ahead, it took hours for Israel and Iran to even acknowledge that they had accepted the ceasefire that Trump said he had brokered. What is the future of its nuclear and ballistic missile programs? What happens to its stockpile of highly enriched uranium? There will be a need for negotiations - and these won’t be easy to resolve (Read more at Street Insider).
26
June
With Iran, Trump places the biggest bet yet in his high-stakes presidency
The U.S. airstrike on Iran, however, may represent Trump's largest gamble yet. While the potential for political reward is high and largely dependent on whether Trump can maintain the fragile peace he is trying to forge between Iran and Israel, experts say, there is a downside risk of events spiraling out of Trump’s control while a skeptical American public watches (Read more at Reuters).
26
June
How the US bombing of Iran exposed Israel's fragility
The 12-day war on Iran was unprecedented, unique in scope and seismic in implications. For the first time, Israel launched a war - not merely a limited operation - against a country it shares no border with, separated by at least 1,500 kilometres. More crucially, it marked the first time in history that the United States openly fought alongside Israel in a direct military assault (Read more at Middle East Eye).
27
June
Turkiye, US ride out the storm of regional tensions
Ankara’s response to the US strikes on Iran was interesting for Turkiye observers. The attack came while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was visiting Turkiye. Araghchi held a rare press conference in Istanbul. Notably, he was not joined by a Turkish official, likely a deliberate move by Ankara to position itself as a neutral facilitator. Second, Erdogan hopes to position Turkiye as a venue for peace talks between Trump and Putin. Trump has reportedly expressed a willingness to attend such talks if Putin agrees. Third, Ankara is eager to maintain dialogue with Washington on Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. Fourth, Syria remains a critical sticking point in Turkish-American relations (Read more at Arabnews).
29
June
U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear sites set up "cat-and-mouse" hunt for missing uranium
Bombing may have provided the perfect cover for Iran to make its uranium stockpiles disappear and any IAEA investigation would likely be lengthy and arduous. Olli Heinonen, previously the IAEA's top inspector from 2005 to 2010, said the search will probably involve complicated recovery of materials from damaged buildings as well as forensics and environmental sampling, which take a long time (Read more at AOL).
Good Podcast
25
June
Iran was battered by Israel and US, but its regime is intact
Israel’s conflict with Iran has wiped out dozens of top military leaders and scientists and inflicted major damage on critical facilities, yet the regime has survived. The Iranian people have not risen up; to the contrary, they have rallied around the flag amid a surge in anti-Western sentiment. However, the regime will need to embark on serious reforms to keep the people on its side, says Iranian American academic Vali Nasr (Listen here).
26
June
The Art of the Iran Deal? Trump Pushes for Peace After US Strikes on Iran
Over the weekend, the president decided to launch an attack on Iranian nuclear sites, which included deploying B-2s loaded with bunker busters, in an operation called Midnight Hammer. Shortly after the operation, Trump began calling for a ceasefire to allow the president and his team to negotiate a new nuclear deal with Iran. The sabre-scribblers could not be satisfied with anything short of a regime change war. Of course, they have no intention of going to the battlefield themselves—let alone sending their sons. More often than not, they are Never Trumpers who don’t even trust the commander in chief to lead the wars they call for (Listen here).
26
June
Trump forced an end to the Iran war. Is Israel’s war in Gaza next
Israel’s military achievements in its war with Iran will mean little if they are not “anchored to a diplomatic agreement that will ensure that Iran will not develop nuclear weapons,” Shira Efron, research director of the Israel Policy Forum, said on the Haaretz Podcast. Without such a guarantee, she fears, the “fragile cease-fire” in place will not hold and there will be a regression into the “tit-for-tat war of attrition” that the Trump-imposed cease-fire managed to halt. Bringing the Iranians back to the negotiating table in good faith, however, she said, will be challenging. From their perspective, after they showed willingness to negotiate, Israel and the United States struck militarily (Listen here).
Edited by Issa Adeli (isadeli.bsky.social)
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