US President Donald Trump recently offered to meet Iran’s President Rouhani without any preconditions. What would be the purpose of such a meeting and its impact on Israel and the Middle East?

While Western powers negotiated and signed the Iran Nuclear Deal which provided Iran with a huge influx of cash, the Islamic Republic is busy spending money on building up its military capabilities.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was also quoted as saying that Western nations are capitalizing on the conflict between Sunni and Shi'a Muslims in order to sway global attention away from the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

In an address during a National Army Day parade on Sunday, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani praised Iran's role in helping Syria and Iraq, saying "if tomorrow your capitals face danger from terrorism or Zionism, the power that will give you a positive answer is the Islamic Republic of Iran."

No matter how you look at it, this is bad. If Iran demanded it, then it is clear Iran is intolerant and refuses to accept other cultures. If Italy covered up the "offending" artwork on its own initiative, then it shows it is attempting to appease the Iranians.

Is the Middle East on the path to a full-blown Sunni-Shiite confrontation? In what may be a precursor to a military conflict, Saudi Arabia cut off diplomatic ties after Iranians attacked its embassy over the Saudi execution of a Shiite cleric.

Iran has halted the dismantling of its centrifuges at two uranium enrichment plants, days after conservative lawmakers complained to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani that the disassembly process was moving too quickly and that he was going against directives from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.