Iran’s IRGC chief: Saudis wouldn’t ‘dare’ send troops to Syria

Iran’s IRGC chief: Saudis wouldn’t ‘dare’ send troops to Syria

Special to WorldTribune.com Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty The commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) says Saudi Arabia lacks the courage to send ground troops to Syria. “They claim they will send troops [to Syria], but I don’t think they will dare do so,” IRGC commander Mohammad Ali Jafari was quoted as […]

Raqqa residents said overjoyed as U.S.-led coalition planes drops leaflets vowing ISIL’s defeat

Raqqa residents said overjoyed as U.S.-led coalition planes drops leaflets vowing ISIL’s defeat

Special to WorldTribune.com U.S.-led coalition warplanes dropped thousands of leaflets over Islamic State of Iraq and Levant’s (ISIL’s) de facto capital in Syria vowing that ISIL will soon be defeated. The leaflets were dropped over Raqqa during a break in coalition airstrikes. ISIL opposition group “Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently” (RBSS) said on Twitter that […]

Saudi Arabia and Turkey weigh military action in Syria

Saudi Arabia and Turkey weigh military action in Syria

Special to WorldTribune.com Saudi Arabia and Turkey are considering sending ground troops into Syria to support rebels fighting the Russia-backed Bashar Assad regime, analysts say. “The Saudis believe that the chance of a peaceful solution for the Syrian crisis is very limited,” said Mustafa Alani of the independent Gulf Research Center. “They don’t see that […]

Iraq building moat, wall around Baghdad to keep out ISIL

Iraq building moat, wall around Baghdad to keep out ISIL

Special to WorldTribune.com Iraq has begun construction on fortifications in Baghdad that include a moat and a 10-foot high wall. Interior Ministry spokesman Brig. Gen. Saad Maan said the military’s Engineering Corps has started work on a 100 kilometer (65-mile) stretch of the wall and trench on the northern and northwestern approaches of the capital, […]

Russia suspects Turkey is preparing for incursion into Syria

Russia suspects Turkey is preparing for incursion into Syria

Special to WorldTribune.com Moscow said it has reason to suspect that Turkey is planning a military incursion into Syria. The Russian Defense Ministry said it has observed “a growing number of signs of hidden preparation of the Turkish armed forces for active actions on the territory of Syria.” Ankara responded by saying it has the […]

Republican Iran critics apply to make ‘inspection’ trip; would be first Congressmen to visit since 1979

Republican Iran critics apply to make ‘inspection’ trip; would be first Congressmen to visit since 1979

Special to WorldTribune.com Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty Republican Representatives Mike Pompeo, Lee Zeldin and Frank LoBiondo filed visa applications to visit Iran on February 4. Three U.S. Republican lawmakers who are highly critical of Iran applied for visas to visit Tehran and observe this month’s elections, inspect nuclear sites, and meet with the […]

Russia’s Lukoil to be first post-sanctions buyer of Iran oil as part of $40 billion deal

Russia’s Lukoil to be first post-sanctions buyer of Iran oil as part of $40 billion deal

Special to WorldTribune.com Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty Iran and Russia have initialed contracts worth around $40 billion for nuclear power construction, railways, and other projects, the top adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on February 4. Ali Akbar Velayati, at the end of a visit to Moscow, said he discussed […]

Iraqi lawmaker: ‘Whole of the ruling political class is involved in corruption’

Iraqi lawmaker: ‘Whole of the ruling political class is involved in corruption’

Special to WorldTribune.com The Baghdad government is infested with corruption and lawmakers “are all in cahoots with them,” an Iraqi lawmaker said. Mishaan al-Jubouri admitted in a television interview he received bribes to close corruption cases, adding that the “whole government is corrupt…including me.” “The whole of the ruling political class is involved in corruption […]

Drone strike in Yemen kills Al Qaida commander who reportedly defected to ISIL

Drone strike in Yemen kills Al Qaida commander who reportedly defected to ISIL

Special to WorldTribune.com An Al Qaida commander who is said to have defected to Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Yemen. Jalal Baleedi, who had previously run Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) operations in southern Yemen, was killed while traveling in a car with […]

Palestinians praise killers of Israeli policewoman as ‘role models’

Palestinians praise killers of Israeli policewoman as ‘role models’

Special to WorldTribune.com Three Palestinian terrorists who murdered an Israeli policewoman are being hailed as “role models” by the Palestinian Authority’s Fatah movement. A photo of the three murderers, Ahmed Abu Al-Rub, Ahmad Zakarneh, and Mohammed Kmeil, published by Fatah on its official Facebook page was captioned: “They were three men who competed with each other […]