The “secret” Iran-China 25 year deal: Documents and sources
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN Since early July 2020 there has been increased interest in a China-Iran agreement that could be part of a wider 25-year strategic deal. This has become […]
Category Archives: Articles
Battling the invisible enemy: All of Israel’s IDF statements and Ministry of Defense details amid coronavirus battle
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN Since the battle against the coronavirus began in Israel the government has sought out various methods to contain the virus. Many of these have blended initiatives […]
THERE IS NO PLAN B: The study that governments are following which could see 18 months of coronavirus hell
Donald Rumsfeld would have been a reliable health czar during this coronavirus crises. His “unknown knowns” and “known unknowns” serve us well now. The tautological “we don’t know what we […]
US statements on SDF show attempt to avoid past commitments
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN In a December statement US Secretary of Defense sought to portray the SDF as seeking a Kurdish state as a way for the US to […]
Everything you NEED to know about Iran’s Imam Ali base at Albukamal, Syria
Iran is building a base near Albukamal in Syria near the Iraqi border. The base was built next to a site occupied by Kataib Hezbollah, an Iraqi Shi’ite militia with […]
After Al-Jazeera airs documentary on Israeli raid, Hamas brags
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN Al-Jazeera ran a documentary looking at an Israeli operation in 2018 that didn’t go according to plan. Hamas is now celebrating what […]
Did Israel fight a 48 hour conflict in Gaza to stop a two-front war with pro-Iran proxies?
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN A version of this appeared at The Jerusalem Post on November 15 ‘On both the northern and southern fronts, the situation is tese and fragile and […]
NATO exercise with Israel ‘Crystal Sea’ 2019 increases partnership and medivac cooperation
NATO conducted an exercise with Israel, called “Crystal Sea” in late October, 2019. NATO notes that it was “designed to develop regional medical support to ensure that any health issue among […]
Jeffrey, Satterfield head to Turkey to jazz up relations on eve of Erdogan visit
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN US officials who view Turkey as America’s natural ally are heading a State Department delegation to Ankara that will seek to work closely with Turkey on […]
Syria withdrawal, Baghdadi and a momentous October: Seth J. Frantzman looks at the Middle East
The month of October were momentous for the Middle East, with the US withdrawal from Syria, Turkey’s invasion and protests in Iraq. Rising Israel-Iran tensions are also on the map. […]
