Alex Raufoglu is RFE/RL's senior correspondent in Washington, D.C.
As the Iran war strains ties between Washington and its European allies, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is visiting Rome and the Vatican in a trip analysts say is as much about damage control as diplomacy.
Mark Katz, professor emeritus at George Mason University and a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, tells RFE/RL in an interview that Moscow is walking a narrowing tightrope -- one that could reshape its influence both in Tehran and far beyond.
Max Meizlish, a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) and a former official at the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), looks behind the "mafia state" that makes up the Iranian regime.
Matthew Tavares, a former Pentagon analyst, tells RFE/RL the West is no longer facing a partnership of convenience between Moscow and Tehran, but a strategic alignment that spans the tactical, operational, and strategic levels of warfare.
In an interview with RFE/RL, US Senator Thom Tillis said the wars in Ukraine and Iran represent a broader conflict "between the democratic world and the totalitarian world." He said Russian President Vladimir Putin is looking far beyond Ukraine in his geopolitical aims.
Senator Thom Tillis, a co-chair of the Senate NATO Observer Group and a self-described “plain-spoken” Republican from North Carolina, has a message for those who view the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East as isolated events: they are not.
In an interview with RFE/RL, US Representative Wesley Bell, whose legislation to address threats to the Baltics has advanced with bipartisan support, discusses checking Russia’s ambitions, how the war in Ukraine shapes long-term security, the implications of Russia-Iran cooperation, and more.
RFE/RL spoke with former US Central Command (CENTCOM) communications director, retired US Army Colonel Joe Buccino, on April 27 to discuss the escalating situation in the Strait of Hormuz and the strategic "staring contest" between Washington and Tehran that is now defining the region.
RFE/RL journalist Alex Raufoglu was attending an annual event for White House correspondents when gunshots rang out, prompting Secret Service agents to rush the president and other top officials to safety. Speaking after the incident, Raufoglu said many questions remain about the shooter's motives.
A gunman charged through security at a gala dinner attended by President Donald Trump, prompting brief panic as security agents tackled the man and rushed Trump from the hotel ballroom.
By supplying Russia with drones and enabling its long-range strikes in Ukraine, Tehran has become an active participant in a major European war.
The United States will send a delegation to Pakistan this weekend for a new round of talks with Iranian officials, the White House said, as Washington tests whether a fragile cease-fire can translate into diplomatic progress.
While officials in Tehran have long emphasized self-reliance, experts say battlefield evidence points to a far more interconnected war effort, reflecting deepening partnerships that have helped Iran replenish its military, improve targeting, and blunt Western operations during the conflict.
The expiration of a US sanctions waiver on Iranian oil last weekend has brought renewed attention to Washington’s economic strategy, as policymakers seek to limit Tehran’s access to revenue while navigating global energy market pressures.
In a political climate where bipartisan unity is increasingly unique, a consensus is forming among US lawmakers and foreign policy heavyweights: the relationship between Moscow and Tehran has moved far beyond diplomatic convenience.
With a cease-fire in the US-Israeli war on Iran due to expire on April 22, US actions at sea are drawing renewed attention to a central issue: How deeply Iran’s military establishment is embedded in the country’s economy.
US Congressman Joe Wilson says Georgia has become a front line in the global struggle between democracy and authoritarianism, jointly introducing new legislation to assess Russian and Chinese influence while pressing Tbilisi for free and fair elections.
The United States has again temporarily eased sanctions on Russian oil, issuing a new waiver that allows certain shipments already at sea to be delivered and sold, even as Washington publicly insists it is maintaining pressure on the Kremlin.
In an interview with RFE/RL on April 17, Ryan Kirkley, CEO of blockchain payments company Global Settlement Network, explained the worldwide economic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, why markets are moving at varying paces, and why oil prices may already be turning.
A senior Republican lawmaker has raised concerns over continued US-origin components appearing in Russian weapon systems amid Ukrainian reports that recent drone strikes show evidence of Western microelectronics manufactured as recently as 2025.
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