Middle East
Iran’s cheerleaders are on borrowed time
Predictions ageing poorly is an occupational hazard for journalists and commentators. But few have gone as sour as those made…
Iran’s useful idiots: British complicity in Tehran’s terror
It is still unclear what will happen next in Iran. I fervently hope the current protests will cause the tyrants…
Unrest is spreading across Iran
“If they shut down the internet, you know it’s serious,” said a well-informed observer of Iran to me yesterday morning.…
Come friendly bombs and fall on Iran
It is heartening to see the lefties out marching in defence of mullahs and their enlightened rule of Iran. The…
We should welcome regime change in Iran
On the first night of what Donald Trump has called the ‘12-day war’ between Israel and Iran, someone spray-painted a…
Israel’s attack on Iran has been planned for years
It was clear at the time that what happened on 7 October 2023 would change the Middle East. What was…
Wes Anderson’s latest is as hollow as anything AI could come up with
AI is coming for everyone’s jobs, but especially mine. There is absolutely no good reason for The Spectator to keep…
The creeping Dubai-ification of London
In December 2023, a TikTok influencer called Maria Vehera opened a packet of ‘Dubai chocolate’ in her car and filmed…
War games
A satellite picture shows six American B-2 Stealth bombers parked on the runway at Diego Garcia. The planes – each…
If you have two hours to spare, spend it anywhere but here: The Years reviewed
The Years is a monologue spoken by a handful of actresses, some young, some old enough to carry bus passes.…
What Trump’s Gaza plan means for the Middle East
Donald Trump told reporters this week that he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize for helping to free some of the…
The Donald’s plans for the Middle East
The former US president Jimmy Carterdied, at the age of 100, just before news of an imminent deal to free…
A dreamy, if overly ambitious show: Silk Roads, at the British Museum, reviewed
Towards the end of the British Museum’s Silk Roads show, there is a selection of treasures found in England. Among…
Can you tell a good guy from a bad guy in the Middle East?
Please excuse the tone of jubilation, but I have been dancing around my kitchen for the past couple of days,…
Where does Lebanon go from here?
Israel’s overt ground intervention into Lebanon is now entering its third week. So far, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have…
Iran and Hezbollah don’t want a war with Israel
Hezbollah’s response to the killing of senior official Fuad Shukr, when it finally came, was a more minor event than…
Can anything stop a full-scale conflict in the Middle East?
The fact that the Middle East stands on the brink of a catastrophic war can be explained by a scene…
Inside the new Arab-Israeli alliance
As Jordanian fighter jets shot down Iranian drones heading for Israel on Saturday night, there were joyful cries of Allahu…
When righteous anger goes wrong
From abroad I’ve returned to a country where, in language to which the word ‘shrill’ hardly does justice, fellow British…
What did Hamas think was going to happen?
Much misfortune the woebegone couldn’t have seen coming: a raging fire in the house next door that spreads to yours.…
Sunak should acknowledge Jerusalem as Israel’s capital
When Liz Truss’s premiership came to an abrupt end, it appeared to spell doom for a historic policy shift raised…
Bush is leading us to tragedy (2002)
It’s 20 years since the clamour for the invasion of Iraq was at its loudest. Boris Johnson, The Spectator’s then…
Can Israelis trust the UN?
You probably think you’ve heard every story there is to hear about people getting fired over their tweets. Well, here’s…
The West cannot do business with Iran
Salman Rushdie’s would-be assassin might have been a lone wolf. He might have had no contact with military or intelligence…
Are the Abraham Accords working?
Two years ago, UAE citizens were barred from entering Israel. No longer. The inaugural Emirates flight touched down in Tel…
