Category: Reasoned Comments

Original essays, research notes, and reports

Iran P5+1 nuclear deal: Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action — JCPOA (full text) — page 9

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Attachment: Arak conceptual design Fundamental Principles: •    Maximize use of the current infrastructure of original design of Arak research reactor, designated by the IAEA as IR-40, according to their respective ratings.•    Modernizing of the original design in order to be a multi-purpose research reactor comprising radio-isotope production, structural materials and fuel (pins and assembly prototypes) Read more

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Iran P5+1 nuclear deal: Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action — JCPOA (full text) — page 10

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1.   Arms 1.     Sanctions on arms (Articles 1(1)(c), (3) and (4), and 3 of Council Decision 2010/413/CFSP; Articles 5(1)(a) and (c), 17(1) and (2)(a), and 19 of Council Regulation (EU) No 267/2012); and 1.   Sanctions on associated services for the category above (see the references above). 1.   Listing of persons, entities and bodies (asset freeze Read more

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Iran P5+1 nuclear deal: Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action — JCPOA (full text) — page 11

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1.       5.                     Other trade measures 5.1.                        The United States commits to: [11] 5.1.1. Allow for the sale of commercial passenger aircraft and related parts and services to Iran by licensing the (i) export, re-export, sale, lease or transfer to Iran of commercial passenger aircraft for exclusively civil aviation end-use, (ii) export, re-export, sale, lease Read more

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Iran P5+1 nuclear deal: Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action — JCPOA (full text) — page 12

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EP-CFD        IRAN AIR        Aircraft                                                        IRAN AIR            Aircraft                EP-CFE                                                                                                    EP-CFH        IRAN Read more

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Iran P5+1 nuclear deal: Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action — JCPOA (full text) — page 13

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D. Nuclear Safety, Safeguards and Security 8.     Nuclear safety E3/EU+3 parties, and possibly other states, as appropriate, are prepared to cooperate with Iran to establish a Nuclear Safety Centre in Iran, engage in workshops and training events in Iran to support interactions between Iranian nuclear regulatory authorities and those from the E3/EU+3 and elsewhere to, Read more

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The controversial rule that benefited the Justice and Development Party now diminishes its chances to quickly form a government

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by Ahmed E. Souaiaia* Turkey’s democracy has had many pitfalls since the early days of the modern republic. The ruling elite, initially from the military and recently from the conservative Justice and Development Party (AKP), have tweaked the rules of the game to exclude others and preserve their stay in power. Since 2002, Turkey’s powerful Read more

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Will the rulers of Saudi Arabia, and perhaps other GCC, fall and why?

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by Ahmed E. Souaiaia* Saudi rulers use war on Yemen to remain relevant The war on Yemen removed the last fig leaf and exposed the tools and advantages the rulers of Saudi Arabia have used for nearly a century to control its population and project power and influence outside the kingdom’s border. The first tool Read more

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Saudi Arabia’s attempt to create a Sunni-Shia sectarian war hinges on fragile alliances and a retrograde worldview

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What is happening in Yemen and why? by Ahmed E. Souaiaia* In the post-Arab Spring Middle East, the rulers of Saudi Arabia see no place for neutrality. Their default position has become that declared by President Bush after 9/11: You are either with us or against us. Even the winner of the 2011 Nobel Peace Read more

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The rulers of the Gulf States are bent on destroying countries that refuse or escape their influence

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Saudi Arabia and Yemen by Ahmed Souaiaia During the early days of the so-called Arab Spring, nervous for their own continued rule, the rulers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), led by the King of Saudi Arabia, proposed the expansion of the GCC to include Jordan and Morocco—but not Yemen. Yemen shares borders with two Read more

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Saudi and Qatari dilemma: Can they support al-Sisi in his war on ISIL and support ISIL in its war on Assad?

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by Ahmed E. Souaiaia*   GCC   When Prince Salman became King Salman, world leaders wanted to know about the man now controlling the country that exports more oil than any other, Saudi Arabia. Several leading publications claimed that the 79 year old king suffers from serious chronic illnesses. The Economistproposed that his predecessor, King Read more

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