Deal or no deal, it’s suggested, Iran may soon be able to build an atomic weapon. This is a perilous, darkly portentous moment in the Middle East and specifically for the multifaceted conflict between Iran and the west. Ebrahim Raisi, who was sworn in as president on Thursday after a rigged, boycotted election, offered scant ground for optimism. Raisi’s ascent marks a definitive triumph for the fiercely conservative, anti-western factions associated with Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Such a contest between new guys Raisi and Bennett is something the Middle East cannot afford.

Source: The Guardian August 08, 2021 04:52 UTC