North Korea’s artillery attack on the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong in the hotly disputed maritime border region is a provocative move to say the least. Although North and South have clashed at sea before, most notably resulting in the sinking of the Southern warship Cheonan in March, and have exchanged gunfire at the Demilitarised… [Read more]
One of the biggest unknowns in global politics at present is the matter of whether the US and/or Israel will attack Iran’s nuclear facilities to prevent the country from developing the atomic bomb. Every now and again, reports crop up in the international media that the US is reinforcing its aircraft carrier presence in the… [Read more]
In response to Iran’s non-compliance with the UN over its nuclear programme, and its continued support for terrorist organisations, the US Congress on June 24 passed the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability and Divestment Act of 2010 – an amendment to the original Iran Sanctions Act of 1996. As expected, the act tightened restrictions against Iranian… [Read more]
On this week’s Business Monitor Podcast, BMI’s Head of Middle East Analysis Elizabeth Martins and Middle East Analyst Andrew Fargus discuss rising political risks in Iran concerning the nuclear situation. With diplomatic tensions escalating, Fargus assesses the implications of a potential Israeli strike on Iran, and discusses the latter’s retaliatory options. At home, the Iranian… [Read more]
Bloody clashes between Iranian security forces and protestors contesting last Friday’s election results have seen the largest public gathering in Iran since the Islamic Revolution 30 years ago. Liz Martins from Business Monitor International discusses the implications of a possible recount of the vote.
Former Chinese premier Zhou Enlai (1949-76) was once asked about the impact of the French Revolution in 1789, and he replied ‘It’s too early to say’. However, with today marking the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Shah of Iran, one thing that I can say with confidence is that the Iranian Revolution was… [Read more]
