The days when Iran and Israel worked jointly to produce advanced missiles - Project Flower (1977)

Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles against #Israel on April 13, most of which were downed before they reached Israeli territory. While mass casualties were averted in Saturday’s attack, MEI’s Alex Vatanka
breaks down the repercussions of such an escalation. #Iran #MEI

In Dec 2023, a single Iranian drone hit an Israeli-linked ship off the coast of India

With some 300 drones/missile launched at Israel, one has to wonder if it was pure incompetence or something else that led to no serious Israeli damage

reuters.com/markets/commod…

Hard to tell but unlikely. This is Islamic Republic's fight with Israel and not an Iranian-Israeli conflict

This Iranian regime opted in 1979 to make Israel into its enemy for ideological reasons

Israel is no Saddam; no territorial dispute, etc. Its Khamenei/IRGC war of choice

All good re this bluster but IRGC's main enemy is not Israel, it is Iranian people fed up with IRGC

IRGC does not have Iranian people on its side in this war

'If the Zionist regime reacts to the IRGC operations, our next response will be more severe'

en.mehrnews.com/news/213830/Ir…

The fact that Hezbollah in Lebanon and no other pro-Iran proxy is involved in this attack on Israel confirms that Iran wants to save face and move on

But Israel does not want to go back to pre-April 1: its strike on Iran consulate was meant to make Iran choose its priorities

Thanks to Natalie Brand for the opportunity and for the great report on ongoing tensions in the Middle East
Middle East Institute Global and National Security Institute (GNSI)

Alex Vatanka joined the WarCast to discuss the strike on the Iranian embassy in Damascus and how it could affect the situation in the Middle East. ow.ly/PKqX30sBm1w

Some 45 years ago, Ayatollah Khomeini told Yasser Arafat that he had to choose Islam over Arab-nationalism to fight Israel

mei.edu/publications/t…

آیا اسرائیل توانایی از بین بردن تاسیسات هسته‌ای ایران را دارد؟
گفت‌وگو با الکس وطن‌خواه، مدیر برنامه ایران در سازمان خاورمیانه

IRGC condemns Israeli strikes on IRGC's Qods Force members; provides burial information but that's about it

At this rate of Israeli strikes on IRGC, there is no need to speak of 'hard revenge' any more

IRGC men in Syria are sitting ducks. Russia silent
rb.gy/e6bmwt

“I examined the videos coming from #Damascus of the bombing of the #Iranian ambassador’s residence.

There is no security cordon, no police, no intelligence, no rescue equipment, no ambulances.
In fact, a video taken a good time after the bombing reveals that the Iranians are…

On the latest episode of The New Arab Voice, we looked at the elections in #Iran , and what the record turnout means for #Khamenei 's succession.

Feat. Alex Vatanka from Middle East Institute and Ali Vaez from Crisis Group.

newarab.com/podcast/poor-r…

A senior commander of Rev Guards in reaction to US support for Israel in Gaza war:

'Day will come when people of region will hang American soldiers from electric poles in streets of Baghdad and Manama'

Somewhat unusually harsh, even for Cmdr Naghdi

mei.edu/publications/i…

On March 12, U.S. sanctioned four individuals for supporting Iran-linked al-Ashtar Brigades in Bahrain

This might suggest Iranian-Bahraini relations are about to take a nose-dive, but this is unlikely to happen

It's not about Bahrain but the Saudis

mei.edu/publications/i…

'The dollar’s share of global reserves has dropped from 73 percent in 2001 to 58 percent in the last quarter of 2022'

nationalinterest.org/feature/will-c…

Join Narges Bajoghli, @Vali_Nasr, Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, & Ali Vaez, discussing their newly released book, How Sanctions Work with Alex Vatanka. 3/21, at 10am ET. Register below.

mei.edu/events/how-san…

This past week’s turbulence in US-Israeli relations is the public surfacing of a dynamic that heretofore played out beneath the surface & mostly behind closed doors.

Middle East Institute briefing w/ Eran Etzion ערן עציון Alex Vatanka Gönül Tol Charles Lister

mei.edu/blog/monday-br…

Do join us for this panel tomorrow at 10am DC time