Middle Orient

Armenia–Azerbaijan deal worries Iran

Washington brokered an agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan on August 8 aimed at opening a transit corridor through the South Caucasus. The new agreement replaces the original Zangezur Corridor plan with the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP). Unlike the model preferred by Azerbaijan and Turkey, TRIPP will …

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A Sigh of Relief in Iraqi Kurdistan

A group of 30 Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) fighters ceremonially threw their weapons into a fire on July 11 in the Jasana cave of Sulaymaniya in Iraqi Kurdistan as part of a new peace process between the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Turkish state. In the 1920s, the cave …

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Iran Update, August 11, 2025

Iranian Supreme Leader International Affairs Adviser Ali Akbar Velayati discussed the threats that Iran perceives to its regional influence in an interview on August 9 that underscored Iran’s commitment to its strategic goals despite recent setbacks.[1] Velayati’s statements demonstrate significant continuity between Iran’s pre- and post-war approach to the region …

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Le Corridor David, une offensive israélienne pour balkaniser la Syrie et imposer les accords Abraham

Cela paraît difficile à imaginer, pourtant Israël se lance aujourd’hui dans un projet d’extension qui devrait le conduire à annexer prochainement la capitale syrienne, Damas. Déjà le président autoproclamé, le jihadiste Ahmed al-Charaa, s’est réfugié à Idleb sous la protection de la Türkiye. À l’époque du «collectif Biden» – groupe …

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Israel kills Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif in Gaza strike

Israel killed prominent Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif alongside four other journalists in a targeted strike on their tent in Gaza City on Sunday. “Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif has been killed alongside four colleagues in a targeted Israeli attack on a tent housing journalists in Gaza City,” the Qatar-based …

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North and East Syria Conference Calls for Inclusive, Decentralised Syrian State – The Syrian Observer

Representatives of the diverse communities of north and east Syria convened this week for a landmark conference, issuing a final declaration that set out a vision for a democratic, decentralised Syria built on equal citizenship and shared governance. The gathering brought together Kurdish, Arab, Syriac Assyrian, Turkmen, Armenian, and Circassian …

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Israel’s Druze Community and the Question of Suweida: Between Leverage and Limitation

In Israel, the Druze community occupies a complex position: celebrated as loyal citizens by the state, yet subject to systemic inequalities that have persisted since the 1950s. Their story has returned to the spotlight amid speculation about Israel’s intentions toward Syria’s Druze-majority Suweida province — a prospect that analysts say …

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Lebanon Comes Under Pressure to Disarm Hezbollah

Bottom Line Up Front Trump officials have given Lebanon’s government an ultimatum to take control of Lebanese Hezbollah’s arsenal of heavy weapons or forgo U.S. efforts to compel Israel to withdraw from its positions in southern Lebanon. U.S. officials expect Lebanon’s cabinet, at a meeting this week, to issue an …

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