Iran
High life
I switch personalities at Spectator parties, depending who the guests are: for our readers’ tea party, I am a warm…
Meet the fans who risk death for heavy metal
We in the West may snigger at heavy metal, but in some parts of the world its practitioners face the death penalty. Karen Yossman reports
Why the World Service is worth every penny
What makes the World Service so different from the rest of the BBC? I asked Mary Hockaday, the controller of…
Portrait of the week
Home David Cameron, the Prime Minister, decided to allow ministers to campaign for either side in the referendum on membership…
Why we have to stand by foul, brutal Saudi Arabia
The Saudis have got the new year off to a busy start, haven’t they? The authorities executed 47 people, including…
Islamic State is making its threats a reality
Isis could be on the brink of creating a terrifying new world order
Iran’s hidden war with the West – and what we can do to fight back
It’s up to Britain to ensure that the nuclear dealdoes not allow a greater threat to the Middle East
Letters: The Assad option, and a pre-nup for Taki
Don’t write off Assad Sir: Ahmed Rashid refers to our ‘Arab allies’ supporting al-Qaeda (‘The plan to back al-Qaeda against…
Iran can’t be trusted
Iran is, beyond doubt, a sponsor of terrorism and this week it has been made much stronger. It has (again)…
Portrait of the week
Home The government postponed a Commons vote on relaxing the Hunting Act in England and Wales after the Scottish National…
Some good came out of the negotiating chamber this week, but it concerned Iran rather than Greece
As an occasional lecturer on the abstruse topic of the efficacy of sanctions in conflict resolution, I find myself much…
Why Saudi Arabia is kicking back against the USA
Why America’s once-cautious ally suddenly looks so skittish
Smash Isis now – or we’ll all pay later
Assassinate its leadership, destroy its sense of destiny
Forget Geneva: the real US-Iran carve-up is happening in Iraq
While Obama talks centrifuges in Geneva, Iranian-backed militia are redrawing the map of Iraq
Portrait of the week
Home The man seen in several Islamic State videos of hostages being beheaded, nicknamed Jihadi John by the British press,…
Darius III: Alexander’s stooge
The ‘Great Kings’ of Persia were renowned for their good looks and imposing stature, but they will always, throughout history, be eclipsed by the Greeks, says Tom Holland
Please, Cameron – no moral grandstanding over Iraq
If there’s a bright spot in the murky mess of Iraq, it’s that finally we have a war that it…
Is Hamas finally losing its grip on Gaza?
The party is out of favour with its foreign neighbours and with ordinary Gazans
Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the Middle East's 30 year war
Sunni vs Shia, Saudi Arabia vs Iran. A new great war has begun
The Navigators
The 2014 winner of The Spectator’s award for unconventional travel writing
Vive la France! Everyone else, led by Obama, is capitulating to Iran
President Obama’s flagship foreign policy of ‘leading from behind’ has had some surprising consequences. Not least among them is that…
A place of paranoia, secrecy, corruption, hypocrisy and guilt
‘Is he a good writer? Is he pro-regime?’ an Iranian journalist in London once asked me of Hooman Majd. Majd…
As an Anglican ex-bishop, I can tell you: Iran's new president could be our best hope for peace
If President Hassan Rouhani is anything like his mentor, peace has another chance
