Author: Steven Sahiounie

Citing the upcoming inauguration of Democrat Joe Biden, Facebook has banned the phrase “stop the steal,” used by supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump to question the 2020 election, saying it could incite violence. Any content with the blacklisted phrase is being removed from Facebook and Instagram, under the Coordinating Harm policy, the company announced on Monday evening. VP for Integrity Guy Rosen and VP for Global Policy Management Monika Bickert claimed that the phrase was used “by those involved in Wednesday’s violence in DC” and cited “continued attempts to organize events against the outcome of the US presidential election that can lead to violence,” …

India says it will go ahead with the purchase of Russia’s S-400 air defense system despite the US sanctions threat, reminding Washington of New Delhi’s independent foreign policy. “India has always pursued an independent foreign policy. This also applies to our defense acquisitions and supplies which are guided by our national security interests,” said the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava in a Friday statement as quoted by Time of India daily. The ministry further emphasized that while India and the US have a “complete world strategic partnership,” New Delhi maintains “a particular and privileged strategic partnership with Russia.” The development came…

The Israeli Air Force carried out a new round of flights over the Lebanese capital, Beirut, after violating the Levantine country’s airspace. The Israeli warplanes were seen flying over the southern suburbs (Dahieh) of Beirut, marking the second time in the past four days that they flown over the Lebanese capital. While Israel often violates Lebanese airspace, their presence above Beirut has sparked further outrage from the government, as these flights are carried out over the most densely populated city inside the country. Lebanon has sought to end Israel’s violations of their airspace by issuing complaints to the U.N. forces…

HomeIran Cuba joins Iran and Syria on US state sponsor of terrorism list by News Desk2021-01-12 Reading Time: 2min read”Cuba flag” by @Doug88888 is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.023SHARES BEIRUT, LEBANON (11:40 A.M.) – US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday that he will put Cuba back on the list of countries that sponsor terrorism, an obstacle to the expected efforts of President-elect Joe Biden to ease tensions. “With this measure, we will once again hold the Cuban government accountable and send a clear message that the Castro regime must end its support for international terrorism and sabotage of American…

An explosion targeted military vehicles in the Abdul Aziz area of ​​the Mansoura district in the Yemeni governorate of Aden last night. Colonel Muhammad Qaid Aqib, Director of Al-Drain Police in the Aden Governorate, was seriously injured after an explosive device was detonated in his vehicle. Aden Security Director General Mutahhar Ali Naji Al-Shuaibi said: “The security services in Aden will never be lenient with those who beg themselves to destabilize security and stability in the city of Aden to achieve miserable goals that seek to show Aden as an insecure city, and to put obstacles and problems before the…

The spokesman for the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization, Behrouz Kamalandi, revealed on Monday that his country produces heavy water to meet its needs and exports it to 8 countries around the world. In a statement to the Iranian media, Kamalandi said that “heavy water is produced in the country to cover the necessary need and even exported to about 8 countries in the world.” He stressed that the development of the Iranian nuclear industry will not stop, pointing out: “We should not allow any obstruction to the nuclear industry.” In the nuclear industry, we must have our nuclear plants and…

Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator With an end to the Qatar blockade and a possible rapprochement with Turkey, Saudi Arabia may soon move towards reconciliation with Syria. The Persian Gulf states’ opposition to Iran’s role in the region, while limiting Turkey’s influence, may bring Saudi Arabia and the Gulf back to Damascus. The Gulf monarchies did not support the Muslim Brotherhood ideology of the terrorists in Syria, such as the Free Syrian Army and other Al Qaeda affiliated terrorists. However, the oil-rich Gulf states did the bidding of their main western ally, the US administration of Barak Obama, who…

Azerbaijan has officially refuted reports that Turkey was going to build three air bases on its territory. “The reported information is not true,” Azerbaijani Defense Ministry spokesman Vagif Dargyakhly said. Dargyakhly stressed that Azerbaijan held the rotating presidency of the Non-Aligned Movement from 2019 to 2022 and did not host foreign troops. Earlier, some Turkish media reported that Ankara had plans to establish its military bases in Ganja, Lankaran and Gebele. Turkey has not officially confirmed these claims. Azerbaijan and Armenia were engaged in another round of fighting over the Nagorno-Karabakh region in South Caucasus between September and November last…

Retired Brigadier General Amin Muhammad Hoteit of the Lebanese Armed Forces said that Iran has the ability to access 54 military bases scattered in the region and threaten the security of 65,000 American soldiers. In an interview with the Tasnim Agency of Iran, Hoteit said that the Iranian attack on the US forces at the Ain Al-Assad Airbase in Iraq showed that the Islamic Republic is capable of targeting up to 54 bases across the Middle East. The university professor explained his point of view, saying: “Because Iran, when it proves its ability to reach a military base of this…

Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator The Persian Gulf monarchies have met today at the 41st annual six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit held at Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia.  This marks the first step toward ending a three-year diplomatic crisis that divided US defense partners.  “The 41st summit marks the beginning of a new chapter for the GCC as it enters its fifth decade,” the secretary-general of the GCC, Nayef Falah al-Hajraf, said. Qatar, which hosts a major base for the US military’s Central Command, was under a naval, air and land blockade imposed in June 2017 by Saudi Arabia, the…