Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- April 29, 2019

Reuters

Karim Sadjadpour, The Atlantic: The High-Stakes Confrontation Between Trump and Khamenei

Neither leader appears to want escalating conflict—yet that’s precisely where things seem to be headed.

President Donald Trump doesn’t want conflict. Ayatollah Khamenei doesn’t want economic collapse. Yet that is where things are headed.

Put yourself in the shoes of Iran’s 80-year-old supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. His regime is beset by nearly 50 percent inflation, a collapsed currency, persistent labor strikes, and an irrepressible women’s-rights movement. Epic floods recently killed more than 75 people and caused nearly $3 billion in damage. A locust plague is threatening 300,000 hectares—$9 billion worth—of farming land. “Things have never been this bad” is a refrain commonly heard from Iran these days.

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- April 29, 2019

Why Russia, Iran seek deeper ties with North Korea -- Lewis Sanders IV, DW

Explainer: What's at stake for Libya's oil as conflict flares? -- Ahmad Ghaddar and Aidan Lewis, Reuters

An Afghan peace on whose terms? -- The Diplomat

The Middle East comes to Sri Lanka -- A.J. Caschetta, The Hill

From 9/11 to Sri Lanka: the terrorists’ deadly message we have failed to grasp -- Jason Burke, The Guardian

A look back at Japanese Emperor Akihito's three-decade reign -- France 24

Jakarta fired up over clash with Vietnam vessels -- Asia Times

Spain's socialist PSOE party mulls next move after victory without majority -- Sam Jones, The Guardian

A Cold War solution for Serbia and Kosovo? -- Nenad Kreizer & Darko Janjevic, DW

The Spies Who Came In From the Continent -- Calder Walton, Foreign Policy

Spanish PM's three options after election win -- France 24

Freedom and democracy are under siege. The West must step up -- Stan Grant, ABC News Online