Special to WorldTribune.com By Geostrategy-Direct Iran’s Assembly of Experts which is responsible for electing and overseeing the work of Iran’s supreme leader has chosen hard-liner Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati as its leader. The 88-member Assembly of Experts elected Jannati with 51 votes on May 24, according to media reports. Jannati is a critic of President Hassan […]
Special to WorldTribune.com Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty A top International Monetary Fund official warned Iran not to count on a big jump in oil revenue to boost its economy, but said it should seek other opportunities to re-engage with the global economy. “I speak here today at a pivotal moment for Iran’s economy,” […]
Special to WorldTribune.com Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty Chinese president Xi Jinping (foreground left) and Iranian President Hassan Rohani (foreground right) in Tehran on January 23. Iranian President Hassan Rohani says Iran and China have agreed to expand bilateral relations and boost trade to $600 billion over the next 10 years. Rohani made the […]
Special to WorldTribune.com Israel’s killing of terrorist Samir Kuntar was condemned as an “assassination” by Iran, Syria and Hamas while analysts say Russia likely allowed Israel to carry out the strike near Damascus. “The dean of liberated detainees from Israeli prisons, brother Mujahid Samir Kuntar, was martyred along with several Syrian citizens in the strike,” […]
Special to WorldTribune.com Ukraine’s 90 percent increase in military spending prompted by Russia’s annexing of Crimea marked the largest defense budget growth in the world for 2015. Iran and Israel paced the Middle East in defense spending growth while several Gulf Arab states cut spending as oil prices continued to slide, according to IHS Jane’s […]
Special to WorldTribune.com Saudi Arabia is going all out in its war on U.S. shale oil and to preempt the return of Iran’s oil production after sanctions are lifted. Even as the price of crude sunk below $40 per barrel, the Saudis and OPEC decided on Dec. 4 to increase production by 31.5 million barrels […]
Special to WorldTribune.com Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (center) receives a copy of an ancient manuscript of the Koran from Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) during their November 23 meeting in Tehran. It may not be the original version of the first handwritten edition of the Koran, dating […]
Special to WorldTribune.com By Golnaz Esfandiari, Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty Nothing says “America” quite like the opening of a bogus Kentucky Fried Chicken in the Iranian capital. Too American, it seems, for Iranian authorities, who apparently spoiled the grand opening of a Turkish-born, Muslim-focused, “KFC Halal” restaurant in Tehran because they considered it […]
Special to WorldTribune.com Russia announced a major escalation in its air campaign as troops from Syria, Hizbullah and Iran began an offensive aimed at anti-Assad regime rebels in Aleppo. Russia said it will increased the number of sorties its warplanes carry out to 300 per day and Moscow will also build a new runway to […]
Special to WorldTribune.com Iraq’s military said on Sept. 27 that it will coordinate with Russia, Iran and Syria on “security and intelligence” details in the ongoing battle against Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL). Iraq will “help and cooperate in collecting information about the terrorist Daesh (ISIL) group,” according to a statement from the […]