Monday, June 23, 2025 | 1:00PM Eastern Time

Silent Slaughter in Syria: The Alawite Crisis and the West’s Embrace of HTS with Wafa Sultan

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The Islamic State frames the conflict as one between two sides of disbelievers—the "Rafidites" (Shi‘a, considered by Islamic State as "apostates" from Islam) and the Jews—who are mortal enemies of Islam.
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President Donald Trump in the White House East Room.
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Iran’s missile strike on Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base (above) on June 23 was straight from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s playbook.
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Qatar’s Missile Strike Was a ‘Performative Attack’
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President Trump gave Khamenei an opening to end the Israeli campaign diplomatically, though under far worse terms than Iran could have secured weeks ago. Bizarrely, the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader chose to threaten the U.S. over its potential involvement in the attacks.
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Busting Iran’s Nuclear Gambit, Trump Breaks New Ground for U.S. Power in Region
With the U.S. Striking Its Nuclear Program Directly, Iran’s Worst Nightmare Has Come to Pass
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Lazar Berman
America’s entry into the war against Iran is the latest step up an escalation spiral that began in October 2023. An Israeli Air Force F-16 pilot readies for action against Iran; June 13, 2025.
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Iran Is Isolated Against the U.S. and Israel
June 23, 2025
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Jonathan Spyer
People protest in 2023 against the regime with the former national flag of Iran and supporters of Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi.
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Trump’s ‘Make Iran Great Again’ Strikes a Chord with Iranians amid Airstrikes
Whether the Islamic Regime Might Collapse Is a Topic of Debate, Particularly Among Iranian Opposition Activists
June 23, 2025
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Mardo Soghom
Mohammed Elahi, the imam at the Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn, Michigan, took to Facebook last week to call on President Donald Trump to pursue dialogue with the Islamic Republic of Iran, a regime that has been describing the United States as "The Great Satan" for decades. Elahi, who has long standing ties to the Iranian regime, leads a mosque whose online library included texts that promoted notions of Islamic supremacism over non-Muslims.
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Dear Imam Elahi: Stop Spreading Hate, Tell Iran to Surrender, and Warn Sleeper Cells to Stand Down
Shia Imams Who Have No Influence over Trump Need to Tell Khamenei to Surrender
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Dexter Van Zile
Reza Pahlavi, crown prince of Iran, in 2023.
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Yes, Reza Pahlavi Must Overhaul His Organization and Move to the Region
Pahlavi Has Not Expanded His Support Base Because His Followers Do Not Hear His Message of Unity and Liberalism
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Shay Khatiri
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Middle East Forum Observer
Israel Should Challenge Erdoğan’s Hypocrisy on Gaza and Cyprus
Turkey’s Refusal to Normalize Relations with Cyprus and Its Military Control in the North Contradict Erdoğan’s Criticisms of Israel
June 23, 2025
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Nicoletta Kouroushi
The city of Abu Dhabi, capital of Emirate of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, is located on a island in the Persian Gulf.
Middle East Forum Observer
The United Arab Emirates Should Seize Back Its Islands
The United States Also Might Encourage the UAE to Develop a Maritime Security Center to Protect Traffic Through the Strait of Hormuz
June 22, 2025
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Michael Rubin