Our best articles of 2025 on Gaza: dispossession & dehumanization of Palestinians, Saudi & Iranian impotence, prospects for normalization, Israeli peace movements & resistance M.T. Samuel @banafshkeynoush.bsky.social @zivguy.bsky.social Yagil Levy Mahmood Monshipouri more mepc.org/commentaries...

As the ceasefire plan bogs down ahead of phase 2 and Palestinians face devastating storms, we look back at our year of covering the Gaza war. Featuring M.T. Samuel @banafshkeynoush.bsky.social @zivguy.bsky.social Yagil Levy Mahmood Monshipouri and many others from 2025 mepc.org/commentaries...

With Iran pulling out of UN nuclear inspections regime, an open-access article by @banafshkeynoush.bsky.social in our Fall 2025 issue explains how the June war with Israel refocused the regime on survival and defying the West. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

A key reason why #SaudiArabia postpones joining the #AbrahamAccords, discussed b/w President Trump & the Crown Prince, is to avoid being outflanked by ensuing tensions b/w its neighbors #IsraelIran, I explore at length in my article @mideastpolicy.bsky.social: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Discussions between President Trump & Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman on the #AbrahamAccords ties into my recent book talk on the topic hosted by @MENA_2050 in conversation with Dr. Najwa Al Saeed, columnist at Al Ittihad and Arab News: mena2050.org/webinar-the-...

Crown Prince #MBS repeats in DC the Saudi position to not join #AbrahamAccords before a #PalestinianIsraeli two-state solution. The point I make in my book is this: As long as Saudi Arabia is outflanked by Israel on its right, Iran on its left, it will stick with its position.

Link to my interview with #AlJazeera @AJEnglish today, on #Saudi investments in US #companies, and how it helps the ongoing Saudi-US security partnership: www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-AF...

New issue! Our 165th issue analyzes the Iranian perspective on war with Israel, the future of nuclear talks, pan-Arab fighters in Syria, and regional economics. @banafshkeynoush.bsky.social, Yagil Levy, Ali Bagheri Dolatabadi, many more onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/14754967...

IAEA chief demands Iran verify enriched uranium stockpile. Iran will not verify it readily b/c it aims to retain what I term a "fluid #nuclear regime" one that is not easily verifiable, I write for @mideastpolicy.bsky.social. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... www.reuters.com/world/china/...

Special thanks to The Royal Society for Asian Affairs and our Moderator Sir Richard Dalton, for a rich conversation on Iran and its future, with my co-panelists Dr. Ali Ansari and Holly Dagres. . youtube.com/watch?v=N_mc...

Join me tomorrow for a conversation on Iran and its security and nuclear program, with Sir Richard Dalton, at The Royal Society for Asian Affairs. rsaa.org.uk/upcoming-eve...

VP @jd-vance-1.bsky.social speaks of strengthening the #AbrahamAccords to promote peace and prosperity in #Gaza, as countries come on board to help #USIsrael restore a ceasefire and build security. My co-authored book explains which Arab countries (and, how, why, and when) support the accords.

VP @jd-vance-1.bsky.social speaks in #Israel about an international security force shaping to ensure the ceasefire in #Gaza. My piece @mideastpolicy.bsky.social shows how US preponderant power over Gaza shaped, and why #SaudiArabia & Iran enabled it. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

VP @jd-vance-1.bsky.social says US to exhaust diplomacy over Iran nuclear program. Iran says it will not negotiate on certain parameters. I explain why both sides talk past each other, and what can be done, in my article @mideastpolicy.bsky.social onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

It is October 7, and my new article @mideastpolicy.bsky.social reviews what it means in terms of the #Trump administration's nuclear policy on #Iran and #Israel: "Perils of Nuclear Talks After The US-Israel War on Iran": lnkd.in/gEbVygy3

Middle East Policy marks October 7 with a special issue providing insights into which aspects of Trump 20-point plan have any chance. Featuring @banafshkeynoush.bsky.social @ianlustick.bsky.social @zivguy.bsky.social Chas W. Freeman Jr. and many others onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/toc/10.1...

I argue for @mideastpolicy.bsky.social Iran is unable to autonomously shape the debate to build a #nuclear #weapon, due to lack of #elite consensus on the issue. In similar fashion, to maintain elite consensus, a requirement for regime survival, it will retain the option to weaponize.

Iran's Pezeshkian says UN General Assembly, his country does not seek to weaponize. To see if an inward-looking regime is more likely to seek to build nuclear weapons, read my latest analysis for @mideastpolicy.bsky.social : "The Perils of Nuclear Talks" onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Over 70 Iranian MoPs call for revising supreme leader's fatwa banning use of nuclear #weapons. They urge for building the weapon. For history of the fatwa & debates leading by 1998 to building nuclear weapons knowhow, see my article @mideastpolicy.bsky.social onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Hezbollah calls on Saudi Arabia to unite, tapping into the group's influence over the Gulf Shias, support for #Palestine & a pan-Arab sentiments opposed to the #AbrahamAccords. My book chapter on #SaudiIsrael details how Riyadh navigates these terrains. www.reuters.com/world/middle...

Western powers win over #Iran bid to delay #UNSC snapback sanctions. For Iran's nuclear dealings with the West, #Russia, #China, #India, see my book: "The World Powers and Iran: Before, During and After the Nuclear Deal":

"In June, #Israel launched a preventive war against Iran. While Benjamin #Netanyahu declared his intention as destroying Tehran’s nuclear & ballistic-missile capabilities, the war aim began to shift toward regime change"-my piece @mideastpolicy.bsky.social onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/1475...

Writing @mideastpolicy.bsky.social I show how Tehran's "end of time" ideology drives a #nuclear program: "Mahdi represents a utopian quest for justice, if need be thru a nuclear program, even if it means persistent struggles in earthly dealings with the US". onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

US @secrubio.govpeeps.us says at press conf with PM Netanyahu max pressure on Iran continues till it changes behavior. My piece published @mideastpolicy.bsky.social shows why & how Iran will respond to change America's position: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... www.state.gov/releases/202...

US Energy Sec Wright says at the IAEA Iran's enrichment program must be completely dismantled. My piece published @mideastpolicy.bsky.social explains root cause of why Iran ignores the demand, "The Perils of Nuclear Talks": onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... www.reuters.com/world/china/...

Early View of Fall 2025 issue examines dehumanization in Gaza, what’s next after the US-Israel war on Iran, pan-Arab corporate elite, regional trade and conflict. Analyses by Yagil Levy, @banafshkeynoush.bsky.social, @hannesbaumann.bsky.social, many others. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/14754967...

Open access link to my latest piece for @MidEastPolicy The Perils of Nuclear Talks After US-Israel War on Iran onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

I am extremely honored to return to The Commonwealth Club of California @cwclub, as Chair of the Member-Led Middle East Forum. www.commonwealthclub.org/member-led-f...

The new "modalities" deal b/w Iran-hashtag#IAEA remains vague and loose. Iran says it will break the deal if attacked. My forthcoming piece @mideastpolicy.bsky.social details what's at the root of the problem, entitled: "Perils of Nuclear Talks with Iran after the US-Israel War" lnkd.in/g7gXk24Q

At the #stupa in #Nepal #Kathmandu

I was recently in #Nepal. It was in shambles, worse than a failed state as though there was no "state" no "government", run by the will and wit of its good people. I wish them well. No clean air or water, in land of the mighty #Himalayas! www.nytimes.com/live/2025/09...

Link to video of the #Catholic #Shia #Dialogue Series I had the honor to co-lead with Dr. Gabriel Said Reynolds at the Ansari Institute on Global Engagement with Religion at the University of Notre Dame, on: "A dialogue on #geopolitical tensions" ansari.nd.edu/conference/c...

Link to video of the #Catholic #Shia #Dialogue Series I had the honor to co-lead with Dr. Gabriel Said Reynolds at the Ansari Institute on Global Engagement with Religion at the University of Notre Dame, on: "A dialogue on #gender" ansari.nd.edu/conference/c...

Link to video of the #Catholic #Shia #Dialogue I had the honor to co-lead with dr. @GabrielSaidR @AnsariUND @NotreDame on: "A dialogue on dialogues among civilizations" ansari.nd.edu/conference/c...

I am excited and honored to return as an Affiliate Faculty in the Fall of 2025 to the Ansari Institute for Global Engagement with #Religion @AnsariUND at the University of Notre Dame @NotreDame: ansari.nd.edu/people/affil...

Iran and Saudi Arabia ceded the Gaza endgame to the US due to their continuing enmity, @banafshkeynoush.bsky.social argues. Kertcher and Hitman (tinyurl.com/MidPowers), by contrast, see such limited balancing as a tendency of these middle powers. Open access! onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

New piece contends Iran and Saudis, as middle powers, practiced limited balancing early in Gaza war. Will this continue? By contrast, @banafshkeynoush.bsky.social (onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...) argues they could not overcome their enmity and cooperate. Open access! tinyurl.com/MidPowers

Delighted to announce that the Middle East Policy Journal @mideastpolicy.bsky.social is publishing my forthcoming paper entitled: "The Perils of Nuclear Talks after the #US-#Israel War on #Iran"--available through open access--in the forthcoming issue of the highly regarded academic journal.

Open access to my journal article @mideastpolicy.bsky.social #SaudiIran role in #IsraelGaza #war: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

After US-brokered #Armenia #Azerbaijan deal, Iran expresses concern. For details, see my article for @GulfIntlForum below & a forthcoming book chapter @CornellPress on Iran's policies on #Armenia #Azerbaijan & #Zangezur corridor, edited by Dr. Mehran Kamrava: gulfif.org/bakus-distan...

Other UN member states join in recognizing an independent #Palestinian state since this map was drawn: www.independent.co.uk/news/world/m...

My #interview @BostonGlobe , on my life, education, and professional experiences as the best senior English-Farsi/Persian #simultaneous#interpreter, including what it was like to interpret the #words of #presidents. www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2012/0...

My article on Iran-Azerbaijan ties "Iran’s attempt to repair ties with #Azerbaijan faces deep-rooted mistrust, growing #Israeli influence, and Baku’s strategic pivot toward #Turkey and the West." Read the full #article from Dr. Banafsheh Keynoush here: gulfif.org/bakus-distan...

In my report on #BRICS Plus, I describe in detail #SaudiIran #IranGCC #IranBRICS dynamics, including in the #nuclear arena, discussed in the latest meeting today b/w Iran FM & Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman. www.reuters.com/world/middle...

BRICS condemned Israel-US strikes on #Iran. In this analytical report @TrendsRA, I describe the dynamics between BRICS members and Iran: trendsresearch.org/insight/bric... www.timesofisrael.com/brics-forum-...

My article on #Iran #Azerbaijan relations will be published soon. Here, I discuss part of their relations, speaking on a panel in #Doha #Qatar. www.youtube.com/watch?v=gauM...

My interview L'Orient Today "Iran isn't ready to sign an agreement that amounts to capitulation & defeat. It wants to protect the nuclear program, not dismantle it completely. It's ready to negotiate enrichment based on a No War No Imposed Peace doctrine." today.lorientlejour.com/article/1467...

I had the honor to be invited to the 75th Birthday of His Holiness The Dalai Lama. Today, "a simple monk" whose presence has profoundly influenced our understanding of the word "#compassion" celebrates his 90th Birthday. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

"Iran’s #wartime #doctrine is not rhetorical—it drives policy decisions into concrete actions across six strategic priorities designed to ensure regime survival and regional deterrence," I write for the Gulf International Forum: gulfif.org/tehrans-defe...

"We'll use the word unacceptable, that Iran chose to suspend cooperation with the IAEA at a time when it has a window of opportunity to reverse course and choose a path of peace and prosperity," State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said. uk.news.yahoo.com/iran-suspend...