Middle Orient

The Lebanese government measures taken against Hezbollah and its decision to open direct negotiations with Israel increased the tension between Hezbollah and the Lebanese leadership, as senior figures in the organization and its supporters accused President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam of betraying the “resistance”[2] and collaborating with …

The leader of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Mazloum Abdi, announced the arrival of new understandings with the Syrian government to address the failure of the judicial file in the province of Hasaka, in light of the continued protests of the supporters of the SDF associated with the Justice Palace …

Key Takeaways Iranian officials continue to frame control over the Strait of Hormuz as a key strategic interest and a critical component of long-term Iranian deterrence. Iran likely views control over the strait as essential to restoring deterrence against the United States and Israel following the degradation of its other …

Leaked meeting minutes show Russia’s deputy defense minister leaning on Syria to pay a $37-million bill for keeping oil flowing. Months after that meeting, the regime of Bashar al-Assad fell to a rebel coalition. Syria’s new government has continued to negotiate with Russia over its total debt of at least …

Far from weakening the IRGC, the war has entrenched its power, pushing Iran towards a military-run state with clerical cover In its war against Iran, the US and Israel have heavily targeted the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), striking its command structure, intelligence networks, air and naval assets, as well …

Recent missile and air strikes on the UAE during a period of ceasefire, unlike other countries, have undermined confidence in the “safe haven” model. The United Arab Emirates, in general, and Dubai in particular, are facing a critical test of their international image as an economic oasis of stability in …

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Expecting Hamas to disarm voluntarily is like expecting ISIS or Al-Qaeda to renounce jihad (holy war) and become peaceful political movements. [D]espite these repeated rejections, the “Board of Peace” continues its embarrassing efforts to negotiate with Hamas over the surrender of its weapons. The entire spectacle has become surreal. Instead …

My latest piece for the online magazine ‘Syria in Transition’ is reprinted below. Based on visits to the Sayyida Zaynab shrine in the Damascus area, the piece examines what the shrine’s status tells us about the general situation of Syria’s Twelver Shia minority. The last banner of ZaynabSyria’s Shia find …

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