Free Republic

Secretary of State John Kerry mourned the passing of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's mother on Wednesday as U.S. negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program enter their final weeks. “We extend our deepest condolences to the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Dr. Hassan Rouhani and his family on the passing of his mother, Mrs. Sakineh Peivandi,” he said in a statement. “Such a loss is especially hard coming on the eve of Nowruz, traditionally a time when families gather together in joy and hope.” “We share in his grief and that of his brother, Presidential Special Advisor Hossein...

Israel's Defense Minister, Moshe "Boogy" Ya'alon, is facing criticism from the opposition after slamming U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. The Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot reported earlier on Tuesday that the outspoken Ya'alon had said that Kerry, who recently completed his tenth trip to the region in less than a year on the job, "turned up here determined and acting out of misplaced obsession and messianic fervor" for a peace deal. Ya'alon added: "In reality, there have been no negotiations between us and the Palestinians for all these months --but rather between us and the Americans. The only thing that...