Amir Taheri

As the new political season in Europe begins this autumn, a number of trends might be studied. The first trend represents a growing global disaffection with international organizations to the benefit of the traditional nation-state. Supporters of the status quo regard that trend as an upsurge…

On October 10, as the committee that chooses this year’s Nobel Peace Prize laureate, US President Donald Trump is expected to be in Transcaucasia to inaugurate work on a 166-kilometer-long railway line in one of the world’s most rugged terrains. The planned line is already dubbed the Trump…

Even before today’s scheduled meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska had happened, conflicting views were aired about its purpose and possible outcome. Trump bashers, that is to say usual suspects such as the New York Times and CNN dismissed it as…

Even long after Deng Xiaoping had led China out of the Marxist impasse created by Mao Zedong, official discourse was always centered on the letter P for Proletariat. The leadership emphasized its legitimacy with reference to the working class that is to say producer in supply side economics. From…

The recent attack by Israel and the US on parts of Iran’s nuclear project has already been dubbed by some commentators as the 12 Day War. However, that cut-off time was chosen by Tehran to back a claim that Iran managed to fight twice as long as Arab states led by Egypt did in the Six Days War…

According to an adage, the history of any war is written by the victor. This is because the loser is either dead or too wounded to have the energy to write or, in some cases, hopeful of turning the victor into friend. But for that adage to apply, a war must end with an acknowledged winner. And…

After a week in purdah, “Supreme Guide” Ali Khamenei broke his silence on Wednesday with a brief and enigmatic message taped in his current secret location. Well, the location may be secret to most of us but not to Israel and its US allies who claim they know where the “Guide” is hiding. This…

While President Donald Trump prepares for G-7 and NATO summits later this month political circles and media in Europe are busy trying to cut him down to size before the two events. “Trump will come empty-handed,” says one commentator. “None of the things he announced with fanfare has been achieved…

Will they, won’t they? This is the question that those interested in current talks between Tehran and Washington on Iran’s nuclear program are darting around in the hope of getting a straight answer. Public statements from both sides offer no clear answer. President Donald Trump seems…

In one of his memorable comments on the current state of Europe, the late Pope Francis expressed the wish that in a world gripped by turmoil and war the old continent becomes a field hospital for victims from the four corners of the globe. The comment implies that real or imagined victimhood…