Stephanie Nebehay

Spotted this vanity plate with a purpose - campaign against repression of the Uyghur people in #Xinjiang #China

If you haven’t seen Gladiator (the original), the opening scene is quite applicable to the situation between the U.S. and Iran today. The Roman forces are assembled, hoping for a surrender. The Germanic tribes behead the negotiator. Quintus: “People should know when they’re conquered.” Maximus: “Would you, Quintus? Would I?” That’s where the U.S. and Iran are right now. The US and Iran are fundamentally misunderstanding each other. Washington seems to think that if it ratchets up the pressure enough on Iran by striking energy infrastructure, or putting in ground troops to take Kharg or one of the other islands, or deploying along or in the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran will eventually capitulate and decide it needs a negotiated settlement. That would probably have been wrong under Iran’s leadership that has been killed during the war, it’s almost certainly wrong now under an even more hardline regime controlled more fulsomely by the IRGC . Iran will retaliate and strike back against valuable energy and infrastructure in the Gulf, it could still. Employee asymmetric terrorist attacks in Europe. Likewise Iran seems to think the US threats are hallow because surely the US after its experiences of ground wars in Afghanistan and Iraq won’t reasonably think to strike infrastructure that has significant civilian uses or to put in ground forces in Iran. This is also almost certainly wrong. President Trump may not have a clear strategy (which he should), but he has shown time and again a willingness to move forward concretely without clarity on how something might end. Negotiations are almost certainly not going to provide a meaningful off-ramp right now, U.S. and Iranian minimum requirements are too far apart, and Iran truly thinks it’s winning — just as President Trump seems to think the U.S. is. But for Iran, it need only not to lose to claim victory, the U.S. needs to not only ensure Iran cannot threaten Israel and Gulf allies, but have resolution on the 440kg of HEU and ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait. There’s been lots of understandable questions about how this ends. But here’s something to consider: implicit in that question is that this conflict does concretely end. It might. But if U.S. or allied militaries are required to remain in the region indefinitely to keep the Strait open; if Iran begins to rebuild its ballistic missile program (which it almost certainly will) leading to an Israeli “mowing the grass strategy; if the HEU isn’t destroyed, then this conflict won’t end as many expect it to, it will simply, eventually, enter a new phase of low intensity but sustained posturing and conflict. Rarely do people know when they’re conquered. @AtlanticCouncil @ACMideast

As things now stand, it is easier to see regime change coming to Congress this fall than to Tehran. My latest take in Home & Away on the war with Iran. open.substack.com/pub/richardhaa…

Switzerland halted payments for US Patriot systems last autumn after learning deliveries would be delayed. But SRF reveals this is having little effect: the US has been redirecting Swiss payments intended for the F‑35 fighter jet to cover Patriot costs. buff.ly/1BingFc

A month after the US and Israel began striking Iran, BBC Eye has gathered exclusive material from independent Iranian journalists about the devastation caused by the bombing. 🎧 #GlobalNewsPod bbc.in/4dTytwC

The @AP is now calling Israel’s military actions in southern Lebanon an invasion. Here's why we made that decision: apnews.com/article/iran-l…

SCOOP!!! -- The United States can only determine with certainty that it has destroyed about a third of Iran's vast missile arsenal. The status of around another third is less clear but bombings likely damaged, destroyed or buried those missiles in underground tunnels and bunkers, according to the U.S. intelligence, our sources say. w/@idreesali114 @JonathanLanday @ErinBanco

FT Exclusive: Moscow has close ties with Tehran and has provided its ally with crucial support including satellite imagery, targeting data and intelligence support, people familiar with the matter said. ft.trib.al/IsseW1G

Iran has informed the U.S. through intermediaries that it rejects the Trump administration's 15-point proposal for negotiations, Iran's English-language Press TV reported on Wednesday. My report on @axios axios.com/2026/03/25/ira…

BREAKING: A jury in Los Angeles finds Instagram and YouTube liable in a landmark social media addiction trial. apnews.com/article/social…

(Reuters) - Pakistan has delivered a U.S. proposal to Iran, a senior Iranian source told Reuters on Wednesday, but the venue of any talks between Tehran and Washington to end the war has yet to be decided.

The laws of war aren't being followed in the US-Israel-Iran conflict. But how many ways can you name? And the harder question: is there anyone who can actually enforce them? Here's where international law stands: simplelaw.blog/p/the-us-israe…

"A major story that probably doesn’t get talked about enough is the reality that the president of the United States is, well, out of his mind." publicnotice.co/p/mark-jacob-i…

Quite a lede:

Explainer: With top figures dead, who is now running Iran? - reuters.com/world/middle-e…

COMMENTARY: Donald Trump’s decision to join Israel in a war against Iran is a far bigger strategic error than George W. Bush’s invasion of Iraq. It is also one with far greater strategic consequences. 🔗 politico.eu/article/iraq-i…

Americans need to know which officials traded stocks before Trump posted about Iran last night.

Veteran war reporter Fergal Keane on PTSD among children in conflicts worldwide. 🎧 #GlobalNewsPod bbc.in/3NRItMs

On @bbcpersian I commented on #Iran firing missiles with 2k km range at Diego Garcia 4k km away using North Korean tech. Is Europe in danger? #IranWar‌ youtube.com/live/i95uV3lt6…

Is this the end of the war in the Gulf? Not yet, no.