A scene in Tehran, March 4, 2026 -- Tasnim News Agency, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Ali Abutalebi On April 7, the Prime Minister of Pakistan posted on X a call for an ‘extension of the deadline,’ following Donald Trump’s threat to destroy Iran’s ‘civilization.’ Shortly afterward, diplomatic sources announced that U.S. and Iranian authorities had agreed to a ‘ceasefire’ and to resume talks in Islamabad. These developments came after 40 days of unprovoked aggression aga

Gathering in Tehran on April 7 in memory of the Minab students killed on the first day of the war -- Tasnim News Agency, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Carlos Ron and Vijay Prashad The United States has agreed with Iran to cease hostilities for two weeks. The illegal US and Israeli imposed war has not ended but has a break, although not in Lebanon which was supposed to be part of the deal. Just before the ceasefire was announced, the Iranian authorities released a  ten-p

Trump with Pete Hegseth on March 23 -- public domain image By Vijay Prashad US President Donald Trump has increasingly become unhinged as the war on Iran has not gone as he imagined. Both the United States and Israel felt that a series of domination strikes against Iran would decapitate the leadership of the country and force the remaining mid-level leaders into surrender. The miscalculation of the Trump-Netanyahu agenda has been total: a depth of wartime leadership has emerg

Trump addresses the nation, April 1, 2026 -- public domain image By Dae-Han Song Trump is infamous for his cavalier disregard for the truth. So, we, in South Korea, should inspect his words and claims critically. In fact, many of the claims in his recent 1 April (US time) address are false and constitute disinformation. So, let’s cut through the fog of war: Lie One: The US is Winning the War Against Iran. The US might have air and naval superiority, but Iran’s control of the

Signs at a No Kings protest in Washington DC, March 28 -- G. Edward Johnson, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Biljana Vankovska We are living through times where the architecture of global peace is not merely crumbling; it is being deliberately dismantled. The drums of global war beat louder than ever, drowning out the voices of reason. Across the globe, imperial power grinds forward, indifferent to human lives. In the face of such force, silence is complicity. We are com

Trump and Vance at a ceremony for the return of the remains of six U.S. soldiers killed in an Iranian drone strike in Kuwait, Saturday, March 7, 2026 -- public domain image By Vijay Prashad Last year, in July, the United States and Israel bombarded Iran’s nuclear energy and nuclear research facilities over twelve days. After a few days, the two belligerent powers—who had no United Nations authorisation for this war of aggression—opened the door for a ceasefire . At that time,

The Cayman Islands sits at the heart of a network of British financial jurisdictions. Together, they manage trillions in assets, influencing global capital flows and investment networks. Flag of the Cayman Islands -- Dickelbers, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons By John P. Ruehl China, which was the largest holder of U.S. government debt as recently as 2019 , has cut its holdings to the lowest level since 2008 , driven by changing trade patterns, geopolitical concerns, and

Trump on March 19, 2026 -- public domain image By Biljana Vankovska A few days ago, I had the honor of participating in an international webinar organized by SHAPE —Serving Humanity and Planet Earth. As its name suggests, this project is focused on safeguarding humanity and the planet, and its acronym carries a meaningful symbolism: shaping. The theme I addressed, alongside distinguished figures such as Richard Falk, Joseph Camilleri, Chandra Muzaffar, and Helena Cobban, was

Flag at a ceremony on Wednesday March 18, 2026 -- Tasnim News Agency, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Vijay Prashad Wars are rarely decided on the battlefield alone. Military campaigns can destroy cities and kill large numbers of people, but political outcomes are defined by endurance, legitimacy, and the historical currents that flow beneath the immediate violence. While the war that US President Donald Trump imposed on the people of Iran may produce tactical victories f

U.S. military action is disrupting key energy suppliers, putting China’s reliance on foreign sources to the test. Even as Beijing strengthens domestic capacity and diversifies imports, the crisis exposes the limits of its energy strategy. A tanker docked in the Chinese port of Qingdao -- Benlisquare, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Brittani Banks (WP User) and John P. Ruehl China’s energy security may be put to its first true test in 2026 with the seizure of Venezuelan

The US-Israeli strikes against Iran are part of a decades-long war against the Islamic Republic which has refused to bow to US demands that it surrender its sovereignty. Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance fires a Tomahawk Land Attack Missile at Iran, February 28 -- public domain image By Vijay Prashad Having just formed the Board of Peace, the United States and Israel have begun the board’s first war, this time on Iran. The US-Israel attack launched ear

Cuban and Palestinian flags outside the University of Havana, May 2024 By Biljana Vankovska Últimamente, me encuentro pensando en una personaje de la antigua película partisana yugoslava La batalla de Sutjeska . La película está dedicada a la heroica batalla y a la brillante maniobra táctica de Tito para liberar a las unidades partisanas rodeadas. Sin embargo, ese no es mi tema aquí, aunque ahora estemos hablando de un cerco mucho mayor que se cierne sobre la humanidad. En un

Cubans march in solidarity with Gaza in Havana, October 2024 By Biljana Vankovska These days, I find myself thinking of a character from the old Yugoslav partisan film Battle of Sutjeska . The film is dedicated to the heroic battle and Tito’s brilliant tactical maneuver to extricate the surrounded partisan units. However, that is not my subject here, even if we are now speaking of a far greater encirclement tightening around humanity. In one scene, the young nurse Dana tries

By Vijay Prashad and Dae-Han Song The atomic bomb has been humanity’s most dangerous creation; that the United States government used the...

From the Pentagon briefing after the US attack -- U.S. Secretary of Defense, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Vijay Prashad On 21...

Palestinian and Iranian flags at a huge rally in Tehran, June 20 -- Avash Media, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Ali Abutalebi 19...

In the aftermath of the attack in Tehran -- Student News Agency, Attribution, via Wikimedia Commons By Vijay Prashad Israel’s consistent...

By Peiman Salehi Economic sanctions are often described as ‘peaceful’ alternatives to war. Yet for millions in countries like Iran and...

Trump and Netanyahu at the White House, February, 2025 -- public domain image By Prabir Purkayastha After a White House meeting between...

By KPNO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/R. Sparks (NSF’s NOIRLab) - Geminids Over Kitt Peak National Observatory, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.o...