Sina Toossi
@sinatoossi.bsky.social
senior fellow at the @CIPolicy.bsky.social | write a lot about Iran, US foreign policy, Middle East | bylines Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, the Guardian & elsewhere | check out my substack: dissidentforeignpolicy.com
Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in Gaza continues unabated despite ceasefire
Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in Gaza continues unabated despite ceasefire
More than a month after a ceasefire was announced and all living Israeli hostages were released, Israeli authorities are still committing genocide against Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip, by c...
www.amnesty.org
December 1, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in Gaza continues unabated despite ceasefire
Reposted by Sina Toossi
I don't think pro Israel political groups and media organizations understand yet that this is a new era and none of the rules old apply anymore.
Jewish Insider, a right wing "non partisan newspaper", laments that the Democratic nominee in TN-07 is anti-Israel
Long-shot Tennessee special election candidate stakes out anti-Israel stance
Aftyn Behn’s bid has attracted significant interest and support from national Democrats hoping for a show of Democratic strength in an upset victory
jewishinsider.com
November 30, 2025 at 7:52 PM
I don't think pro Israel political groups and media organizations understand yet that this is a new era and none of the rules old apply anymore.
There’s still a segment of the liberal political & foreign-policy pundit class that, even now, can’t bring itself to criticize Israel — though they’d condemn any other state for the same actions.
At this point, that silence says something deeper and darker about many of them.
🧵>>>
At this point, that silence says something deeper and darker about many of them.
🧵>>>
November 30, 2025 at 3:19 PM
There’s still a segment of the liberal political & foreign-policy pundit class that, even now, can’t bring itself to criticize Israel — though they’d condemn any other state for the same actions.
At this point, that silence says something deeper and darker about many of them.
🧵>>>
At this point, that silence says something deeper and darker about many of them.
🧵>>>
Israeli analysts are whipping up a more fervor against Syria as Israel expands its attacks.
On Telegram, Eran Lahav, fresh off a program with FDD, casts Syria’s internal dynamics as “Al-Jolani’s sophisticated jihad.”
The narrative is clearly primed for more attacks.
🧵>>>
On Telegram, Eran Lahav, fresh off a program with FDD, casts Syria’s internal dynamics as “Al-Jolani’s sophisticated jihad.”
The narrative is clearly primed for more attacks.
🧵>>>
November 29, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Israeli analysts are whipping up a more fervor against Syria as Israel expands its attacks.
On Telegram, Eran Lahav, fresh off a program with FDD, casts Syria’s internal dynamics as “Al-Jolani’s sophisticated jihad.”
The narrative is clearly primed for more attacks.
🧵>>>
On Telegram, Eran Lahav, fresh off a program with FDD, casts Syria’s internal dynamics as “Al-Jolani’s sophisticated jihad.”
The narrative is clearly primed for more attacks.
🧵>>>
Reposted by Sina Toossi
Apartheid South Africa waged endless regional wars under a “total strategy,” claiming it was fighting the Soviets while feeding off Western backing.
Israel now does the same with Iran.
But Pretoria’s militarism only brought isolation, economic strain & accelerated collapse.
🧵>>>
Israel now does the same with Iran.
But Pretoria’s militarism only brought isolation, economic strain & accelerated collapse.
🧵>>>
November 28, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Apartheid South Africa waged endless regional wars under a “total strategy,” claiming it was fighting the Soviets while feeding off Western backing.
Israel now does the same with Iran.
But Pretoria’s militarism only brought isolation, economic strain & accelerated collapse.
🧵>>>
Israel now does the same with Iran.
But Pretoria’s militarism only brought isolation, economic strain & accelerated collapse.
🧵>>>
Reposted by Sina Toossi
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it's about gratitude.
It reminds us how interconnected we are.
Even in foreign policy, the suffering we cause elsewhere reshapes us at home.
Gratitude brings us back to our better nature.
Some thoughts ⬇️
It reminds us how interconnected we are.
Even in foreign policy, the suffering we cause elsewhere reshapes us at home.
Gratitude brings us back to our better nature.
Some thoughts ⬇️
On Thanksgiving & Gratitude
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it’s devoted to one simple, profound act: being grateful.
www.dissidentforeignpolicy.com
November 27, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it's about gratitude.
It reminds us how interconnected we are.
Even in foreign policy, the suffering we cause elsewhere reshapes us at home.
Gratitude brings us back to our better nature.
Some thoughts ⬇️
It reminds us how interconnected we are.
Even in foreign policy, the suffering we cause elsewhere reshapes us at home.
Gratitude brings us back to our better nature.
Some thoughts ⬇️
Apartheid South Africa waged endless regional wars under a “total strategy,” claiming it was fighting the Soviets while feeding off Western backing.
Israel now does the same with Iran.
But Pretoria’s militarism only brought isolation, economic strain & accelerated collapse.
🧵>>>
Israel now does the same with Iran.
But Pretoria’s militarism only brought isolation, economic strain & accelerated collapse.
🧵>>>
November 28, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Apartheid South Africa waged endless regional wars under a “total strategy,” claiming it was fighting the Soviets while feeding off Western backing.
Israel now does the same with Iran.
But Pretoria’s militarism only brought isolation, economic strain & accelerated collapse.
🧵>>>
Israel now does the same with Iran.
But Pretoria’s militarism only brought isolation, economic strain & accelerated collapse.
🧵>>>
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it's about gratitude.
It reminds us how interconnected we are.
Even in foreign policy, the suffering we cause elsewhere reshapes us at home.
Gratitude brings us back to our better nature.
Some thoughts ⬇️
It reminds us how interconnected we are.
Even in foreign policy, the suffering we cause elsewhere reshapes us at home.
Gratitude brings us back to our better nature.
Some thoughts ⬇️
On Thanksgiving & Gratitude
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it’s devoted to one simple, profound act: being grateful.
www.dissidentforeignpolicy.com
November 27, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it's about gratitude.
It reminds us how interconnected we are.
Even in foreign policy, the suffering we cause elsewhere reshapes us at home.
Gratitude brings us back to our better nature.
Some thoughts ⬇️
It reminds us how interconnected we are.
Even in foreign policy, the suffering we cause elsewhere reshapes us at home.
Gratitude brings us back to our better nature.
Some thoughts ⬇️
"But nothing has stirred my soul quite like Persian – the language of mystics and lovers."
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Out of all the languages I know, Persian is the one that speaks directly to my soul and offers a new way of being | Shadi Khan Saif
I’ve found metaphors that mirror my own journey, phrases that feel like home and poetry that speaks directly to the soul
www.theguardian.com
November 20, 2025 at 4:51 PM
"But nothing has stirred my soul quite like Persian – the language of mystics and lovers."
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Sina Toossi
⭕️ Newly shared footage from Tehran captures the aftermath of Israel’s strike on a packed intersection during the war in June:
New footage shows the aftermath of Israel’s strike on a busy traffic intersection near Tehran’s Tajrish Bazaar in the June war.
Cars & surrounding infrastructure destroyed, streets flooded, many killed or injured, people trying help each other at the scene.
Cars & surrounding infrastructure destroyed, streets flooded, many killed or injured, people trying help each other at the scene.
November 17, 2025 at 11:54 PM
⭕️ Newly shared footage from Tehran captures the aftermath of Israel’s strike on a packed intersection during the war in June:
New footage shows the aftermath of Israel’s strike on a busy traffic intersection near Tehran’s Tajrish Bazaar in the June war.
Cars & surrounding infrastructure destroyed, streets flooded, many killed or injured, people trying help each other at the scene.
Cars & surrounding infrastructure destroyed, streets flooded, many killed or injured, people trying help each other at the scene.
November 17, 2025 at 7:25 PM
New footage shows the aftermath of Israel’s strike on a busy traffic intersection near Tehran’s Tajrish Bazaar in the June war.
Cars & surrounding infrastructure destroyed, streets flooded, many killed or injured, people trying help each other at the scene.
Cars & surrounding infrastructure destroyed, streets flooded, many killed or injured, people trying help each other at the scene.
Reposted by Sina Toossi
Yes! Understand this, you’ll understand 99% more than many Iran “experts!”
“Eat grass before becoming a colony again.”
The Polish Foreign Minister's line echoes across the world, from Iran and Taiwan to Latin America and Palestine.
I wrote about the universal struggle to resist domination and the hard tradeoffs nations face 👇
The Polish Foreign Minister's line echoes across the world, from Iran and Taiwan to Latin America and Palestine.
I wrote about the universal struggle to resist domination and the hard tradeoffs nations face 👇
Why Some Countries Fight So Hard to Stay Independent
Poland’s foreign minister has remarked that his country would “eat grass” before ever becoming a Russian colony again.
www.dissidentforeignpolicy.com
November 13, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Yes! Understand this, you’ll understand 99% more than many Iran “experts!”
“Eat grass before becoming a colony again.”
The Polish Foreign Minister's line echoes across the world, from Iran and Taiwan to Latin America and Palestine.
I wrote about the universal struggle to resist domination and the hard tradeoffs nations face 👇
The Polish Foreign Minister's line echoes across the world, from Iran and Taiwan to Latin America and Palestine.
I wrote about the universal struggle to resist domination and the hard tradeoffs nations face 👇
Why Some Countries Fight So Hard to Stay Independent
Poland’s foreign minister has remarked that his country would “eat grass” before ever becoming a Russian colony again.
www.dissidentforeignpolicy.com
November 13, 2025 at 4:04 PM
“Eat grass before becoming a colony again.”
The Polish Foreign Minister's line echoes across the world, from Iran and Taiwan to Latin America and Palestine.
I wrote about the universal struggle to resist domination and the hard tradeoffs nations face 👇
The Polish Foreign Minister's line echoes across the world, from Iran and Taiwan to Latin America and Palestine.
I wrote about the universal struggle to resist domination and the hard tradeoffs nations face 👇
Reposted by Sina Toossi
The new Epstein emails are the most incriminating evidence to date on Trump & Epstein & let's be clear, there has been plenty of incriminating evidence for many years. So, can we stop treating this like a process story and start focusing squarely on the likelihood Trump is a pedophile sex criminal.
November 12, 2025 at 2:09 PM
The new Epstein emails are the most incriminating evidence to date on Trump & Epstein & let's be clear, there has been plenty of incriminating evidence for many years. So, can we stop treating this like a process story and start focusing squarely on the likelihood Trump is a pedophile sex criminal.
Beware of narratives that serve to manufacture consent for another war, especially a new one against Lebanon or Iraq.
Both are in the Netanyahu government's crosshairs, even as Israel’s military is worn down.
They're hunting for another war & trying to drag the U.S. along.
Both are in the Netanyahu government's crosshairs, even as Israel’s military is worn down.
They're hunting for another war & trying to drag the U.S. along.
November 10, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Beware of narratives that serve to manufacture consent for another war, especially a new one against Lebanon or Iraq.
Both are in the Netanyahu government's crosshairs, even as Israel’s military is worn down.
They're hunting for another war & trying to drag the U.S. along.
Both are in the Netanyahu government's crosshairs, even as Israel’s military is worn down.
They're hunting for another war & trying to drag the U.S. along.
The fact that the NYT even entertains such an outlandish, agenda-driven accusation isn’t just bad journalism.
It’s how establishment outlets police the boundaries of “acceptable” debate and manufacture controversy over positions & people they want to keep on the margins.
It’s how establishment outlets police the boundaries of “acceptable” debate and manufacture controversy over positions & people they want to keep on the margins.
November 10, 2025 at 4:01 PM
The fact that the NYT even entertains such an outlandish, agenda-driven accusation isn’t just bad journalism.
It’s how establishment outlets police the boundaries of “acceptable” debate and manufacture controversy over positions & people they want to keep on the margins.
It’s how establishment outlets police the boundaries of “acceptable” debate and manufacture controversy over positions & people they want to keep on the margins.
Centrist Dems aren’t built for moments like this. They rose in a politics designed to preserve status quo institutions of power, not challenge them.
This is why they'll crumble even when "democracy" is on the line.
Their instincts simply aren't fit for this Trump-era authoritarian moment.
This is why they'll crumble even when "democracy" is on the line.
Their instincts simply aren't fit for this Trump-era authoritarian moment.
November 10, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Centrist Dems aren’t built for moments like this. They rose in a politics designed to preserve status quo institutions of power, not challenge them.
This is why they'll crumble even when "democracy" is on the line.
Their instincts simply aren't fit for this Trump-era authoritarian moment.
This is why they'll crumble even when "democracy" is on the line.
Their instincts simply aren't fit for this Trump-era authoritarian moment.
Reposted by Sina Toossi
Iran’s postwar politics are in flux.
Beneath the surface noise, one trend is unmistakable:
Tehran is pivoting more decisively toward China, out of necessity.
@sinatoossi.bsky.social
foreignpolicy.com/2025/09/11/i...
Beneath the surface noise, one trend is unmistakable:
Tehran is pivoting more decisively toward China, out of necessity.
@sinatoossi.bsky.social
foreignpolicy.com/2025/09/11/i...
Iran’s Foreign Policy Is Changing in Real Time
The debate in Tehran is heating up—and moving in unexpected directions.
foreignpolicy.com
September 11, 2025 at 11:42 PM
Iran’s postwar politics are in flux.
Beneath the surface noise, one trend is unmistakable:
Tehran is pivoting more decisively toward China, out of necessity.
@sinatoossi.bsky.social
foreignpolicy.com/2025/09/11/i...
Beneath the surface noise, one trend is unmistakable:
Tehran is pivoting more decisively toward China, out of necessity.
@sinatoossi.bsky.social
foreignpolicy.com/2025/09/11/i...
Reposted by Sina Toossi
Important analysis from @sinatoossi.bsky.social:
“The lesson in Iran is that international law and institutions no longer matter, so Tehran must act on its own national interests.” thebulletin.org/2025/10/why-...
“The lesson in Iran is that international law and institutions no longer matter, so Tehran must act on its own national interests.” thebulletin.org/2025/10/why-...
Why Europe's snapback gamble against Iran will backfire
European and US officials have said that diplomacy remains an option. But Europe's "snapback" of UN sanctions on Iran shrinks the possibility of successful diplomacy and fuels escalation.
thebulletin.org
October 2, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Important analysis from @sinatoossi.bsky.social:
“The lesson in Iran is that international law and institutions no longer matter, so Tehran must act on its own national interests.” thebulletin.org/2025/10/why-...
“The lesson in Iran is that international law and institutions no longer matter, so Tehran must act on its own national interests.” thebulletin.org/2025/10/why-...
Reposted by Sina Toossi
Trump believes he can get more than a nuclear deal from Iran, but pressure will make Tehran stick to its guns and turn to China and Russia – @sinatoossi.bsky.social told @theguardian.com
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Trump’s Middle East ‘peace’ pitch to Iran falls flat in Tehran and Jerusalem
In a Knesset speech, Trump urged Israel to reconcile with its longtime foe Iran. Both governments dismissed the idea
www.theguardian.com
October 16, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Trump believes he can get more than a nuclear deal from Iran, but pressure will make Tehran stick to its guns and turn to China and Russia – @sinatoossi.bsky.social told @theguardian.com
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Reposted by Sina Toossi
Very valuable @nonzeronews.bsky.social podcast conversation about this weekend's US-Iran talks between @sinatoossi.bsky.social and @connorechols.bsky.social. www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwYz...
How Trump could strike a deal with Iran | NonZero World feat. Sina Toossi
YouTube video by Nonzero
www.youtube.com
April 13, 2025 at 4:16 AM
Very valuable @nonzeronews.bsky.social podcast conversation about this weekend's US-Iran talks between @sinatoossi.bsky.social and @connorechols.bsky.social. www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwYz...
I spoke to The Hill about the Trump-Iran talks set to begin. This could be a real opening — if both sides recognize that serious diplomacy, not threats or ultimatums, is the only viable path to avoid conflict.
thehill.com
April 10, 2025 at 1:24 PM
I spoke to The Hill about the Trump-Iran talks set to begin. This could be a real opening — if both sides recognize that serious diplomacy, not threats or ultimatums, is the only viable path to avoid conflict.
Trump blindsided Netanyahu by announcing high-level talks with Iran. It’s a rare opening for diplomacy—and the war camp is scrambling to shut it down.
I've written in Mondoweiss on why the US must not waste this chance:
I've written in Mondoweiss on why the US must not waste this chance:
Trump must continue to move toward Iran talks, even as Netanyahu tries to derail it
Donald Trump’s surprising announcement that talks are starting with Iran gives the White House a pivotal choice: follow pro-Israel hawks calling for a military confrontation with Iran, or chart a dipl...
mondoweiss.net
April 9, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Trump blindsided Netanyahu by announcing high-level talks with Iran. It’s a rare opening for diplomacy—and the war camp is scrambling to shut it down.
I've written in Mondoweiss on why the US must not waste this chance:
I've written in Mondoweiss on why the US must not waste this chance:
🧵In a striking moment at the White House today, Trump told reporters that direct talks with Iran have begun—and will continue this Saturday.
The implications could be huge.
Here's why this matters and what could really be happening behind the scenes.
>>>
The implications could be huge.
Here's why this matters and what could really be happening behind the scenes.
>>>
April 7, 2025 at 10:08 PM
🧵In a striking moment at the White House today, Trump told reporters that direct talks with Iran have begun—and will continue this Saturday.
The implications could be huge.
Here's why this matters and what could really be happening behind the scenes.
>>>
The implications could be huge.
Here's why this matters and what could really be happening behind the scenes.
>>>