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Iran decries ‘cowardly attack’ on oil tanker

DUBAI (Reuters) – An Iranian government spokesman on Saturday described as a “cowardly attack” an incident that Iranian media have called the apparent targeting by missiles of an Iranian-owned oil tanker, and said Iran would respond after the facts had been studied. The tanker Sabiti was hit in Red Sea waters off Saudi Arabia on Friday, Iranian media have reported, ...

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Iran’s Mad Max Navy Could Give Donald Trump a Giant Headache in a War

Key point: In terms of ‘civilian boats,’ the IRGCN musters hundreds of fast-in-short boats are on the pattern of the open-cabin ‘Boston Whaler’ motorboat, typically fitted with unguided rocket launchers, rocket-propelled grenades, anti-tank missiles and recoilless rifles. On May 16, 2019, U.S. officials cited reports that Iran had installed missiles on civilian motorboats in the Persian Gulf as a justification for ...

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It’s Time to Talk to Iran

With tensions rising in the Middle East and Iran suffering under sanctions, this may be the last best opportunity to walk back from the brink. This month, six years ago, we were in the midst of secret talks with Iran that led to the comprehensive nuclear agreement. It was a moment when diplomacy carried considerable risk, and considerable promise. Today, ...

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Iraq protests blamed on ‘malicious hands’ as death toll passes 100

Interior ministry spokesman denies claims security forces clashed with demonstrators An Iraqi interior ministry spokesman has said an investigation is underway to determine how protesters were shot dead during six days of unrest that have killed more than 100 people and injured thousands. Twelve anti-government demonstrators were killed on Sunday in ongoing protests in Baghdad. Saad Maan, a spokesman for ...

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Iraq’s Abdul Mahdi orders inquiry into protester deaths

Prime minister forms new commissions to investigate deaths of more than 100 people in recent anti-government protests. Iraq’s Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi has established a commission to investigate the deaths of more than 100 people in recent anti-government protests. In a statement on Saturday, Abdul Mahdi said the inquiry panel will investigate and bring to justice soldiers who acted illegally ...

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Iraq protests are a cry for a better life

In Iraq, we call them the Pubg and Snapchat generations. These are youngsters born shortly before or after the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. They are generally considered a hopeless generation since they spend most of their time on social media; the only thing they care about is their hairstyles or looks. I remember the sounds of bullets and ...

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Turkish assault in Syria weakens Iraq Kurds, strengthens regional powers

A Turkish border offensive against Syrian Kurdish forces will further weaken Iraq’s divided Kurds next door and embolden regional rivals who have one thing in common – they want no Kurdish state. The assault, following an American troop pullback that in effect gave Turkey a U.S. green light, alarmed inhabitants of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region. It ended Syrian Kurdish rule ...

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