Very interesting piece from eminent historian of the Middle East Eugene Rogan: Lessons from history for the modern Middle East on.ft.com/3UJZeK7

Israel destroyed all the universities in Gaza.

Plan B is really Riyadh's Plan A to stick with Washington theguardian.com/world/2024/may…

In 1st episode of Amwaj.media's 'The Axis'—a new podcast on #Iran and its Arab allies—Ali Hashem علي هاشم and I address Iran-Israel confrontation and 3 shifts that could reshape region:

-KSA-Israel normalization
-Iran-US 'de-escalation'
-Iran-KSA/GCC business

amwaj.media/podcast/episod…

China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) will build 18 massive gas carriers for QatarEnergy by 2029 for $6 billion, the largest such deal ever made, per the latter.
h/t The China-Global South Project
Details: barrons.com/news/qatarener…

Fascinating piece on the gatekeepers to the UAE’s top echelons of power:

One Abu Dhabi royal controls a massive pile of private and state assets—and his gatekeepers can make or break a deal bloomberg.com/news/features/… via Bloomberg

At Sotheby’s this afternoon! Such a magnificent Mushaf commissioned by Munire Sultan, the daughter of Sultan Abdulmejid I, dated from AH. 1277/1860 AD.

ساعاتی قبل از جوانی نوشتم که به دلیل بدهی ۳۵ میلیون‌تومانی که بابت بیماری والدینش ایجاد شده حکم جلبش صادر شده و اگر بدهی‌اش پرداخت نشود، به زندان منتقل خواهدش شد.
چون عدد مورد نیاز تأمین‌شد توییت را برداشتم.

این اولین فراخوان کارخیر در اردی‌بهشت‌ماه ۱۴۰۳ بود.

ارادت

#کارخیر

Important thoughtful essay by Israeli historian Prof Yuval Noah Harari on Netanyahu's 'Samson syndrome.' He is taking Israel and the whole region down with him.

From Gaza to Iran, the Netanyahu government is endangering Israel's survival haaretz.com/israel-news/20…

A few points on #Isfahan attack

As customary with security incidents in #Iran , reliable information about the exact nature of the attack & its damages cannot be obtained from official Iranian media. However, the extent of the attack seems to be less than initially speculated/1

Looks like Iran and Israel are back to 'shadow war'

Israel didn't claim the attack, Tehran downplayed the attack, even Fars is calling it 'the alleged attack'

Explosions heard in Isfahan around 20 to 30 minutes ago

Unconfirmed reports

People heard 3 explosions in Isfahan

If Israel didn’t think bombing an embassy and extrajudicial assassinations was an issue, that should tell you something.

Wrote about Iran's strikes on Israel and the looming prospect of escalation Carnegie Endowment Carnegie Nuclear Policy carnegieendowment.org/2024/04/18/ira…

😳

I had to read this twice lol. Israel gets to bomb whoever it wants, and if you respond you'll get sanctioned.

A good report by Justin Olivier Salhani for Al Jazeera English about Iraqi PM Sudani's DC visit, its domestic dimensions, and wider geopolitical context ( #Iran - #Israel ). I was featured alongside good analysts: Nancy Ezzeddine نانسي عزالدين, Sajad Jiyad سجاد, Yesar Al-Maleki يَسار, & Sarhang Hamasaeed
aljazeera.com/news/2024/4/17…

I warned it would be silly & this is a contender for the silliest comment.
“Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the UAE publicly acknowledged their role”
🇸🇦publicly rejected it a day before she tweets this&🇦🇪is over 1000 miles away from 🇮🇱
We heard 🇸🇦 “royal family website” BS, &now👇🏾BS

I swear as a former British Ambassador and 22 year career diplomat.

Almost every US or British Embassy hosts a CIA or MI6 station. All house military personnel. Many service special forces.

That the Iranian diplomatic premises were qualitatively different is rubbish.