Juan Cole

Juan Cole is the founder and chief editor of Informed Comment. He is Richard P. Mitchell Distinguished University Professor in the History Department at the University of Michigan He is author of, among many other books, Muhammad: Prophet of Peace amid the Clash of Empires and The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Follow him on Twitter at @jricole or the Informed Comment Facebook Page

Iran’s Samson Option: Gulf Oil Reprisals for Kharg would Crash the World Economy

Any attack on its oil and energy infrastructure will lead to retaliatory strikes targeting facilities in the region owned by U.S. oil companies

The underpinnings of Trump’s reasoning can (or at least should) be described as Nazi in style

Iran is interfering with the commerce in petroleum and gas via the Persian Gulf, which could throw the whole world into a deep recession

Today’s increase was different, since the price skyrocketed fully 30% in one day, something that hasn’t happened for decades

To the packed crowd, he described Khamenei as a martyr, a spiritual guide, and the physician for pain.

When Iran and Iranians are being demonized, it is important to remember the beauty of Iranian civilization and the complexity of Iranians

The US petroleum companies, I think, bear blame for this war, because they want to get into Iran and develop its petroleum

The US and Israeli decapitation strikes, killing over 40 high-ranking Iranian officials, have not had the desired effect

The IRGC announced that it had closed the Strait of Hormuz to shipping, and there are reports of British and other vessels turning around