Eurasia

Iran Update, February 6, 2026

Toplines Iran and the United States held talks in Muscat, Oman, on February 6 to establish a framework for future negotiations.[1] The Omani Foreign Affairs Ministry stated that the talks between the Iranian and US delegations, which were headed by Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Special Envoy …

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Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, February 6, 2026

Toplines The Kremlin continues to reject any meaningful security guarantees that would protect Ukraine from complete diplomatic or military capitulation. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated on February 6 the Kremlin’s rejection of Western-provided security guarantees in Ukraine and reiterated the Kremlin’s support of the “security guarantees” that Russia agreed …

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Maliki’s comeback: A high-stakes test for Iraq’s future

Maliki’s potential return to power highlights both Iraq’s entrenched political complexities and the wider power struggles shaping the Middle East Last month, Iraq’s Coordination Framework made a striking choice to nominate former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to reclaim the country’s top leadership position. The announcement has sparked a firestorm of …

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What SDF integration means for the future of Syria’s army

In early February, Syrian Ministry of Interior forces began a phased deployment across multiple Kurdish-held cities and towns in northeastern Syria, marking the first concrete implementation of the 30 January integration agreement between Damascus and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Syrian General Security Service (GSS) units entered Hasakah on …

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