Middle Orient

Without a clear mandate, inclusivity, or enforcement mechanisms, transitional justice in Syria could become a political gesture instead of a transformative tool In a move that could redefine Syria’s post-war trajectory, the country’s interim government has announced the creation of a Transitional Justice Commission (TJC). The body, unveiled in early …

Abstract: Despite concerns about al-Qaida’s influence in Syria, the organization experienced a reversal in its fortunes over the course of the Syrian civil war. This article traces the history of the rise of Syria’s al-Qaida-loyalist outfit Hurras al-Din (“Guardians of the Religion”), its subsequent marginalization by the then dominant insurgent …

Executive Summary This report examines Iran’s strategic posture in the South Caucasus following Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh’s remarks at the Yerevan Dialogue 2025 forum. Highlighting Tehran’s stance on regional stability, his address stressed the importance of an Armenian-Azerbaijani peace agreement and the Armenia-Iran corridor’s geopolitical significance. The analysis provides …

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This paper examines the complex situation of foreign fighters in Syria after the change of the former regime, details their composition, explores the long-term challenges and risks arising from their integration into the new Syrian army, their leadership roles, and the consequences of this locally and internationally, and addresses the …

We do not report in detail on war crimes because these activities are well-covered in Western media and do not directly affect the military operations we are assessing and forecasting. We utterly condemn violations of the laws of armed conflict and the Geneva Conventions and crimes against humanity even though …

The US Treasury lifted most sanctions on Syria on May 23. The US Treasury issued Syria General License (GL) 25 to provide “immediate sanctions relief” to Syria in accordance with US President Donald Trump’s May 13 order to lift all sanctions on Syria.[i] The removal of sanctions will allow the …

The Supreme Leader of Iran reiterated his call for the Muslim world to mobilize to stop“Israel’s crimes in the Gaza Strip” and declared that the Palestinian issue is the most importantin the Islamic world. The Iranian foreign minister noted that, at this stage, there are no relations between Iran andSyria, …

U.S. President Donald Trump may have torn up the previous nuclear deal between the United States and Iran during his first term in office, but he now seems serious about signing a new one. Washington has not only held several rounds of talks with the Iranians, but also dropped many …

Fereydoon Abbasi, former head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, discussed Iran potentially building and detonating a nuclear weapon in a May 26, 2025 interview on SNN.ir (Iran). He said that he has not yet received orders to build a nuclear bomb – but if he does, he will …