Vali Nasr

Iranian-American academic and author (born 1960)

56 stories

36 quotes

I think whether this rhetoric would alienate Iranians was no more a concern than President [George W] Bush’s Islamophobia was a concern alienating Muslims,
They’ve come to the conclusion that the only way they survive is to shoot their way out,
The whole point Iran is making is that ‘We’re not going to let him decide the sort of ebb and flow of this war,
They are determined to make him pay the consequences of starting this war at the midterm elections,
The current leadership in Tehran is far more risk-taking,
He (Trump) is trying his hand now at a diplomatic solution to avoid military escalation. But there's no clear path, either diplomatically or militarily, to get Trump to a place where he can declare victory,

Earlier

The US and Iran have blown past red lines as they lurch back toward all-out war

The Independentindependent.co.uk/news/strait…

Now a leader who once owned some of the world’s best-known casinos may be about to take the biggest gamble of his presidency by restarting a war with Iran less than a month after agreeing to a ceasefire that he hailed as necessary to stop an economic crisis on a par with the Great Depression

Guardiantheguardian.com/world/2026…

Trump is edging towards another American ‘forever war’ in Iran

CNNcnn.com/2026/07…

In the past week, Trump has ordered a resumption of strikes against Iranian military and infrastructure targets after concluding that the memorandum of understanding (MoU) he signed in the Palace of Versailles on 17 June was dead in the water

Guardiantheguardian.com/world/2026…

Iran deal is 'a major setback for the United States', ex-adviser to State Department says

France 24france24.com/en/tv…

Christiane Amanpour speaks to Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon to get his reaction on how the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the U.S. and Iran will affect Israel's interests in the region and whether it will change its strategy in Lebanon

CNNcnn.com/2026/06…

China pledges ‘strategic coordination’ with Pakistan to help end US war on Iran

South China Morning Postscmp.com/news/china…

Over the weekend, Islamabad hosted the foreign ministers of Turkiye, Egypt and Saudi Arabia for a quadrilateral meeting aimed at pushing the United States and Iran towards negotiations, a month into a war that has rapidly expanded to multiple theatres across the entire Middle East while leading to soaring energy prices and the mounting risk of a global recession

Aljazeeraaljazeera.com/news/2026…

Oil prices spike over fears of prolonged conflict; Iran rallies around new leader

The Washington Postwashingtonpost.com/world/2026…

Oil prices briefly surged early Monday to almost $120 per barrel, their highest level since the Covid pandemic, as President Trump’s plans for the next steps in the war, let alone its endgame, remained unclear, and Iran showed no sign of bowing to his demand for unconditional surrender

The New York Timesnytimes.com/live/2026…