Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- September 28, 2018

Geneive Abdo, National Interest: What Rouhani's Speech at the UN Reveals about Iran

Tehran has a narrative and they want others to believe it.

Iranian president Hassan Rouhani certainly received a warmer welcome at the United Nations General Assembly this week than President Donald Trump, but an examination of Rouhani’s misleading statements on the Middle East should raise eyebrows.

During his speech before the UN General Assembly on September 25, Rouhani reiterated Tehran’s claims that an attack on September 22 in Ahvaz , the capital of Iran’s Khuzestan Province and home to much of Iran’s Arab population, was partly caused by Western governments. “Today we mourn the martyrdom of tens of innocent people who were recently murdered in cold blood by terrorists who shamelessly accepted responsibility from a number of Western capitals for their heinous crime. . . . Why can the leaders of these terrorist operations... live and operate freely in Western countries and even openly solicit funds?”

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- September 28, 2018

Countering Iran means sanctioning terrorist militias -- Michael Pregent and Erica Hanichak, The Hill

Recep Tayyip Erdogan's pompous state visit to Germany -- Jens Thurau, DW

Syrians in Turkey feel the sting of dire currency crisis -- Ahmad Zaza, Asia Times

Is Iraqi Kurdistan on the verge of another civil war? -- Namo Abdulla, Al Jazeera

Maldives teeters towards post-election chaos -- Bertil Lintner, Asia Times

China and Russia clash with US over North Korea sanctions -- Andrew Salmon, Asia Times

Who will gain from South Sudan's expanded oil production? -- Benita van Eyssen, DW

Cholera crisis signals deeper problems for Zimbabwe -- Tendai Marima, Al Jazeera

The Albanian Miracle -- Ricardo Hausmann, Project Syndicate

The Skripal poisoning's smoking gun -- Ingo Mannteufel, DW

Polish Democracy Is under Siege—by the European Union -- Salvatore Babones, National Interest

Macedonia name change could be a game changer -- Boris Georgievski, DW

Brazil elections: A tight and turbulent race -- Sam Cowie, Al Jazeera

It’s not just Trump. Much of America has turned its back on Europe -- Timothy Garton Ash, The Guardian

China and Iran aren't much bothered by Trudeau's sweet nothings -- Terry Glavin, National Post