Yearly Archives: 2025

How Europe is dodging Trump’s 5% NATO defence spending demand

NATO’s new spending plan expected to be adopted this week will expose just how creative some of the alliance’s members have been with their accounting. That’s because some reluctant military spenders in NATO have used an expansive definition when tallying their defence spending for the current 2% of GDP target, …

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The Trump Administration’s South Caucasus Policy: Main Expectations – Analysis

Donald Trump’s re-election as U.S. President in 2024 sparked wide discussions regarding possible shifts in Washington’s foreign policy. It is worth noting that the three South Caucasus countries – Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia – each have distinct expectations from the new administration. During Trump’s first term (2017-2021), the South Caucasus …

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Ceasefire or Not, Iran Looks for Ways to Reduce the Risk of a U.S. Reprisal

It looked at first as though the Middle East war was about to kick into a new gear. On Monday, fewer than 36 hours after the U.S. bombed three Iranian nuclear enrichment facilities, Iran shot about 14 ballistic missiles at the Al Udeid military base north of Doha, Qatar—an American …

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Why Trump Must Now Ban the Muslim Brotherhood

The letter [from the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, Salah Abdel Haq] shows that the Muslim Brotherhood has officially endorsed the Iranian regime’s slogans of “Death to Israel!” and “Death to America!” The [Muslim Brotherhood’s] founder, Hassan al-Banna, accepted the utility of political violence, and members of the Muslim Brotherhood …

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Iran Update Special Report, June 23, 2025, Morning Edition

NOTE: CTP-ISW is tracking early reports of Iranian missile attacks on US forces in Qatar and Iraq at the time of this publication. CTP-ISW will cover these events in our evening edition. We have published an assessment of Iran’s calculus and response options here. Key Takeaways The Israeli Air Force …

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Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, June 22, 2025

Russia condemned the recent US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities on June 22 amid reports that Iran’s foreign minister will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on June 23. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) condemned the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities on June 22, claiming …

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Iran Update Special Report, June 22, 2025, Morning Edition

Key Takeaways The United States conducted strikes targeting three nuclear facilities with bunker-buster bombs and Tomahawk cruise missiles. The US chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said all three sites sustained “extreme damage.” Israeli officials echoed that statement, though they added the Fordow nuclear facility was “not destroyed.” Iran …

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Iran Update Special Report, June 21, 2025, Evening Edition

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has begun implementing emergency succession measures in response to escalating Israeli strikes and the potential for US military involvement.[1] Unspecified Iranian sources told the New York Times on June 21 that Khamenei has relocated to a secure bunker, suspended digital communications, and now communicates with …

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L’Iran frappe en représailles la plus grande base américaine du golfe Persique

La base aérienne d’Al-Udeid, dans la capitale qatarie, a été frappée par au moins trois missiles balistiques en réponse au bombardement par Washington des installations nucléaires iraniennes. Le Corps des gardiens de la révolution islamique (CGRI) iranien a annoncé tard dans la soirée du 23 juin le lancement de l’opération …

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Extensive IDF Strikes Target Iranian Regime Sites, Evin Prison, Fordow Entrances

Latest Developments Prison Gate and Doomsday Clock: The Israeli Air Force carried out extensive airstrikes against Iranian regime targets in Tehran on June 23, reportedly eliminating hundreds of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) members. Israel said that it had dropped over 100 munitions in two hours on several sites, including …

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