In a rare interview, a wounded Hezbollah commander tells NPR about his secretive Shia Muslim militia's new command structure and how it has managed to keep firing rockets into northern Israel.
Trump’s trifecta, fraught with risk, has effectively put the United States on a path of global dominance. Iran is understandably the number one news story with primary focus on the progress of U.S. military and diplomatic engagement and the responses of the Shiite mullah regime in Tehran. Almost no one is thinking or talking about […] The post Trump’s Trifecta: Advancement for America and Setbacks for China appeared first on StoneZone .
Trump’s trifecta, fraught with risk, has effectively put the United States on a path of global dominance. Iran is understandably the number one news story with primary focus on the progress of U.S. military and diplomatic engagement and the responses of the Shiite mullah regime in Tehran. Almost no one is thinking or talking about the equally important spiritual and cultural ramifications for Iran, and the region, if the United States prevails — driving the current regime in Iran out of power. There’s even less analysis of the shifting geopolitics resulting from the combined effects of successful U.S. operations restoring control of the Panama Canal, Venezuela and its resources, the collapse of Cuba, and the degradation of…Open
Watch now | Dr. Setareh Sadeqi, assistant professor of World Studies at the University of Tehran, speaks to The Grayzone's Max Blumenthal from Isfahan, Iran as her country defends itself against a vicious combined assault by the US and Israeli militaries. Sadeqi addresses the teachings and legacies of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and explains how his assassination has galvanized the Shia masses and united Iran in a battle for its national integrity.
Dr. Setareh Sadeqi, assistant professor of World Studies at the University of Tehran, speaks to The Grayzone's Max Blumenthal from Isfahan, Iran as her country defends itself against a vicious combined assault by the US and Israeli militaries. Sadeqi addresses the teachings and legacies of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and explains how his assassination has galvanized the Shia masses and united Iran in a battle for its national integrity.Open
Not surprisingly, there is early criticism from some quarters of President Trump’s base of supporters because of his decision to authorize massive regime-change military strikes on Iran. Such opposition is natural given Trump’s commitment to peace and his vocal “America First” policy orientation, an important part of which was ending wars and prioritizing domestic initiatives. […] The post Ultimate Success in Iran Is Not As Elusive As Critics Charge appeared first on StoneZone .
Not surprisingly, there is early criticism from some quarters of President Trump’s base of supporters because of his decision to authorize massive regime-change military strikes on Iran. Such opposition is natural given Trump’s commitment to peace and his vocal “America First” policy orientation, an important part of which was ending wars and prioritizing domestic initiatives. What these critics need to better appreciate is that sometimes circumstances and opportunities arise that require a change of course. What differentiates us from most of our adversaries is precisely that we want our government to be pragmatic and flexible rather than ideologically rigid. Additionally, with Iran being unwilling to negotiate an agreement to…Open
State of the Union: Mojtaba Khamenei is the son of the late former supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. The post Reports: Iran to Elect Hardliner as New Supreme Leader appeared first on The American Conservative .
The New York Times reports that Iran’s clerics are close to selecting the hardliner Mojtaba Khomeini as the new supreme leader of Iran. Khamenei is the son of the deceased supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, who was killed in U.S.–Israeli strikes this weekend. He will be the third supreme leader of Iran, following both his father, Ali Khamenei, and his predecessor Ruhollah Khomeini. Mojtaba Khamenei served in the Iran-Iraq war in the Habib Battalion and later attended seminary in Qom, the religious center of Iran. Khamenei, like his father, is a Shia cleric. His presumed selection as supreme leader comes after a political career of over 2 decades. Khamenei supported hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during the 2005 and 2009 elections in…Open
If Mojtaba Khamenei is chosen by Iran’s senior clerics, it may signal a victory for hard-liners, an analyst said.
PULSE POINTSWHAT HAPPENED: Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has announced “the immediate ban of all Hezbollah security and military activities… considering them illegal.”WHO WAS INVOLVED: Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Hezbollah, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Hezbollah leader Mohammad Raad, and Iran’s deceased Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.WHEN & WHERE: The announcement was made on Monday, March 2, 2026.KEY […] The post Lebanon Bans Hezbollah, Demands Iranian Terror Proxy Surrender to Military. appeared first on The National Pulse .
PULSE POINTS WHAT HAPPENED: Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has announced “the immediate ban of all Hezbollah security and military activities… considering them illegal .” WHO WAS INVOLVED: Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Hezbollah, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Hezbollah leader Mohammad Raad, and Iran’s deceased Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. WHEN & WHERE: The announcement was made on Monday, March 2, 2026 . KEY QUOTE: Salam says the Lebanese government is enforcing “the immediate ban of all Hezbollah security and military activities… considering them illegal.” IMPACT: The move against Hezbollah could trigger violent internal conflict in Lebanon. The country is nearly evenly split into sectarian thirds,…Open
Originally published by jns
Strategy in the Middle East emanates not from Western concepts or culture, but from a mastery of manipulation, even irrespective of balance of power. U.S. President Donald Trump has done much to stabilize the Middle East and support Israel, but as during the Iran-Israel 12-day war in June 2025, it is imperative that Israel should once again do this operation as much alone as it can. Not only should it initiate and go first, but it must also remain the heavy-lifter and guide this through. In retrospect, one can argue that it would have been better last summer to avoid having “Operation Rising Lion” become “Operation Midnight Hammer,” although managing American pressure to intervene was complicated. And yet, had the war required…Open
PULSE POINTSWHAT HAPPENED: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D), a member of the extremist “Twelver” sect of Shia Islam, invoked the Prophet Muhammad and the history of Islam to defend his support for even more expansive sanctuary laws while speaking before 400 faith leaders at the annual Interfaith Breakfast.WHO WAS INVOLVED: Zohran Mamdani, illegal immigrants, […] The post Mamdani, from Islam’s Extreme ‘Twelver’ Sect, Says He Supports Immigration Because It ‘Built’ His Religion. appeared first on The National Pulse .
PULSE POINTS WHAT HAPPENED: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D), a member of the extremist “Twelver” sect of Shia Islam, invoked the Prophet Muhammad and the history of Islam to defend his support for even more expansive sanctuary laws while speaking before 400 faith leaders at the annual Interfaith Breakfast. WHO WAS INVOLVED: Zohran Mamdani, illegal immigrants, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and New York residents. WHEN & WHERE: The Interfaith Breakfast occurred on Friday, February 6, 2026, in New York City. KEY QUOTE: “I consider my own faith, Islam, a religion built upon a narrative of migration. The story of the Hijrah reminds us that Prophet Muhammad, was a stranger too, who fled Mecca and was welcomed…Open