U.S. Policy

Death in Custody: Qasim Hammoud Al-Zirjawi.. From Rejecting Food Basket Deals to Death Under Torture – Will Ali Al-Zaidi Open His File or Bury It in the Name of Fighting Corruption?

Executive Summary In August 2021, Engineer Qasim Hammoud Mansour Al-Zirjawi, Director General of the General Company for Trade in Foodstuffs at the Iraqi Ministry of Commerce, died after a few weeks of his arrest. His family and close sources confirm that he was subjected to brutal torture inside the detention cells, and the photos provided by the family show severe bruises all over the body and the loss of several…

U.S. Central Command to Enforce Maritime Blockade on Iranian Ports: Strategic Implications and Global Repercussions

  In a significant and potentially transformative development, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has announced that it will begin enforcing a comprehensive maritime blockade on all shipping traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports. The measure is scheduled to take effect on April 13 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time and is being implemented in accordance with a presidential directive. This decision signals a major escalation in U.S. policy toward Iran…