Changing label of Iran’s sanctions to make it harder to remove sanctions: NephewTEHRAN –Richard Nephew, who served as the lead sanctions expert for the US team negotiating with Iran, is of the opinion that “It is true that this is the Trump Administration's intention: to make it much harder to remove the sanctions in the future because now entities and individuals are considered “terrorists” in addition to “proliferators”.”
The fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, says that it is harder to see US pressure on Iran “the president has the authority to remove these designations no matter what they are, provided that they are not required explicitly under US law. The term “nuclear-related sanctions” has no legal standing in US law, only in the JCPOA as a term of art.”
Following is the text of the interview:
Q: The United States recently sanctioned Iran's central bank under the label “fight against terrorism”. What changes has this label made to Ir..

As the Islamophobia index increases: On being Muslim in America“I think the real question is not whether America is afraid of Islam (and its adherents) but whether Muslims should be afraid of the US and Americans especially in this post-9 /11 world.” —Attorney Diana Mae Cabili
Being Muslim in America carries the risk of being reviled, insulted, discriminated against, humiliated publicly or, worse yet, physically attacked. Despite having been a part of the American landscape since 1501, Muslims have faced discrimination, suspicion and hatred bordering on public hysteria, especially since the 9/11 attacks. With the ascendancy of Donald Trump and his virulent anti-Muslim diatribes, the prospect of a McCarthy-era-like internment of Muslims in the United States does not appear to be off the table given current policy trends.
Make no mistake about it; Islamophobia in the U.S. not only is on the rise but also is condoned public policy. The Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU)..

Why terrorist act by Saudi Air Force officer faced media boycott!On December 5, a Saudi Air Force lieutenant, named Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani, opened fire at a U.S. naval base in Pensacola, Florida
The gunman, who began training in the U.S. in August 2017, killed three people and wounded eight. Alshamrani was shot by a deputy sheriff.
Shortly after the shooting, Saudi Arabia's King Salman contacted Trump to express regret for what had happened and sympathize with families of the victims. The Saudi king insisted that the assailant did not represent the Saudi people.
Regarding the reaction by Saudi and U.S. officials, as well as the way media outlets are dealing with the issue, some points need to be mentioned about the incident:
a. Restricted and controlled media coverage
The Saudi and U.S. media outlets have covered the incident in a restricted and controlled manner. Interestingly, Qatari media such as Al Jazeera were not also very active in this regard. These approaches can ..

U.S. security agencies; slimmer than ever!TEHRAN-In recent days, along with media leaks in the United States, US security agencies have been more critical of analysts and citizens than ever before. News and analysis in some US media shows that the CIA and FBI have been monitored and, of course, heavily criticized by American public opinion. Here's a look at some of the analysis and news:
Barr Blasts Inspector General for Whitewashing FBI
As Antiwar reported, Attorney General William Barr on Monday disparaged the long-awaited findings of the Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz into FBI conduct in the investigation of alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign. Barr, in effect, accused Horowitz of whitewashing a litany of proven misfeasance and malfeasance that created the “predicate,” or legal justification, for investigating candidate-and-then-president Donald Trump on suspicion of being in cahoots with the Russians.In grammatical terms, ther..

Algeria’s landmark televised trial: Court convicts, imprisons 2 ex-PMs, ministers, tycoons for corruptionALGERIA – For the second time since Algeria’s pro-democracy mass protests, following the first trial with long prison terms handed to former spy chiefs, leftist political party SG, and the brother of the ousted President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, over charges of plotting against the state and undermining the army, senior political officials and oligarchs, including two former Algerian prime ministers, went on live trial on groundbreaking corruption charges in the most high-profile act of transparency and accountability.
The exceptional trial came few days before the historical presidential election for the replacement of the long-serving president Abdelaziz Bouteflika, forced to step down, this April, following mass protests. It resulted from the sweeping investigations into graft allegations launched after the resignation of former president Bouteflika.
The televised trial took place ..

UAE, a virus threatening IraqThe United Arab Emirates is the name of a country that did not exist until 1971 and its geographical area was known as “the Trucial States”.
The United Arab Emirates is the name of a country that did not exist until 1971 and its geographical area was known as “the Trucial States”.
On December 2, 1971, the UAE appeared as a country on the map of the world. Today, the UAE interventions in the Arab states’ affairs and its role in creating instability is clear to everyone.
Regarding the destructive role of the UAE, the al-Monitor newspaper wrote that after the 2011 incidents, the role of the UAE, especially in quelling popular movements, became more obvious. The UAE, along with its allies, made every efforts to prevent the success of popular movements in Arab countries.
Arab media outlets have recently released reports that reveal the UAE interference in the Iraqi domestic affairs. The Al Mayadeen news channel reported that three UAE planeloads of arms were..