Parsi: New Iran sanctions may spell death of the JCPOA | Responsible Statecraft

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Analysis | Middle East

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According to the state department on Wednesday, Washington is slapping new sanctions on Iran’s petroleum and petrochemical producers, along with Hong Kong and Emirati companies accused of selling the oil on East Asia markets in violation of existing embargoes.

In a tweet, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that “absent a commitment from Iran to return to the JCPOA, an outcome we continue to pursue, we will keep using our authorities to target Iran's exports of energy products.”
But is this really the best way to get back into a deal that Washington was the first to leave, and for which talks have been on thin ice and time is ticking away? Quincy Institute's Trita Parsi, author of “Losing an Enemy: Obama, Iran and the Triumph of Diplomacy,” weighs in.

Analysis | Middle East

Nigeria violence

Top photo credit: Solomon Maina, father of Debora, one of the 276 schoolgirls kidnapped from their dormitory by Boko Haram Islamist militants in 2014, reacts as he speaks during an interview with Reuters, at his home in Chibok, Nigeria April 7, 2024. REUTERS/Temilade Adelaja TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

What Trump should know before going 'guns-a-blazing' into Nigeria

In one weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump not only damaged previously cordial relations with an important African ally, he also pledged U.S. military action in one of the world’s most complex conflict landscapes.

On October 31, Trump designated Nigeria, Africa’s largest country by population and one of its economic powerhouses, a “Country of Particular Concern” for the ”existential threat” purportedly faced by Christians in the West African country who he alleged are undergoing “mass slaughter” at the hands of “Radical Islamists.”

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Trump Netanyahu

Top image credit: President Donald Trump hosts a bilateral dinner for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Monday, July 7, 2025, in the Blue Room. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

The signs for US Middle East retrenchment are increasingly glaring

A sneak peek at how Americans view Trump foreign policy so far

Washington Politics

Like domestic politics, American public opinion on foreign policy is extremely polarized and that is not likely to change soon as new polling from my team at the Institute for Global Affairs at Eurasia Group shows striking partisan splits on the top Trump issues of the day.

Among the most partisan findings: 44% of Americans support attacks on drug cartels in Latin America, even if they are unauthorized by Congress, while 42% opposed. Breaking down on party lines, 79% of GOP respondents support such strikes, while 73% of Democrats are against them.

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Read this Evangelical Zionist leader’s leaked suspense novel

Top image credit: Dr. Mike Evans with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2023 (Creative Commons license)

Read this Evangelical Zionist leader’s leaked suspense novel

Writing a novel is a vulnerable experience. After months or years of work, many authors come to view their book as an extension of themselves. So when a writer starts looking for a fresh pair of eyes, it can be hard to decide who to trust. But for Evangelical pastor and Trump adviser Mike Evans, the choice was simple: just ask the Israeli government.

Leaked emails reveal that, back in 2018, Evans sought help from Israeli officials on his new novel about an all-out war on Israel, masterminded by a rogues’ gallery of Iran, Hamas, ISIS, and, to a lesser extent, the media. The outline that Evans shared offers a unique look into the thinking of an informal Trump adviser, as well as the Israeli reserve colonel who edited the story (and seemingly received about $1,150 for his troubles).

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