NPR

U.S.-Iran Strife 'A Very Interesting Situation,' Says Former American Diplomat In Middle East

How is the region reacting to rising tensions between the U.S. and Iran? Here & Now's Jeremy Hobson gets perspective from Douglas Silliman, former U.S. ambassador to Iraq.
An Iranian man walks past a mural painted with the Iranian flag in Tehran. (Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty Images)

President Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner is in Bahrain Tuesday to kick off a peace conference between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

But right now, the major focus when it comes to the Middle East is Iran. The country lashed out at the U.S. after new sanctions were announced Monday, saying the move represents a “permanent closure” of diplomacy. Trump responded Tuesday, threatening to meet any Iranian military action with “great and overwhelming force.”

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR4 min readCrime & Violence
Heated Arguments At The Supreme Court In Newest Abortion Case
At issue is a clash between federal and state law about how pregnant women must be treated in the emergency room.
NPR5 min readAmerican Government
First Day Of Trump's Hush Money Trial Kicks Off With Opening Statements And A Witness
The prosecution is arguing that Donald Trump wanted to keep information out of the public fearing that it would turn off voters in 2016. The defense argues Trump did nothing illegal.
NPR5 min read
A Woman With Failing Kidneys Receives Genetically Modified Pig Organs
Surgeons transplanted a kidney and thymus gland from a gene-edited pig into a 54-year-old woman in an attempt to extend her life. It's the latest experimental use of animal organs in humans.

Related Books & Audiobooks