An air strike on two sites in Iraq housing US forces has revived US-Iran tensions. For the Iranians, it was payback for a targeted US drone strike that killed Iran’s top general. The escalation in tensions has left many Democrats up in arms. They fear Trump is abusing his power and putting America in an uncomfortable position. Our correspondent Matthieu Mabin takes a closer look.
“Democrats” usually refers to the The Democratic Party of the United States – one of the two major political parties in the country, along with its main, historic rival, the Republican Party.
It was founded on 8th January 1828 and has its contemporary headquarters in Washington, D.C., United States. The present leadership is Nancy Pelosi (Party leader) and Jaime Harrison (Party chair).
Iran, also called Persia, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, is a country in Western Asia. Its central location in Eurasia and proximity to the Strait of Hormuz give it significant geostrategic importance. Tehran is the capital and largest city.
Iran is home to one of the world’s oldest civilizations, beginning with the formation of the Elamite kingdoms in the fourth millennium BC. The Iranian Revolution established the current Islamic Republic in 1979.
Iran’s political system combines elements of a presidential democracy and an Islamic theocracy. Iran is a founding member of the UN, ECO, OIC, and OPEC. It is a major regional and middle power and has large reserves of fossil fuels — including the world’s largest natural gas supply and the third largest proven oil reserves.
The country’s rich cultural legacy is reflected in part by its 22 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Historically a multi-ethnic country, Iran remains a pluralistic society comprising numerous ethnic, linguistic, and religious groups, the largest being Persians, Azeris, Kurds, Mazandaranis and Lurs.