Middle Orient

In an interview, Harith Hasan discusses Baghdad’s Development Road project, and sees obstacles ahead. Harith Hasan is a nonresident senior fellow at the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center, and a resercher at the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies. His research focuses on Iraq, sectarianism, identity politics, …

Turnout in Iran’s national polls was historically low, marking the third vote in a row in which most people stayed away. In parallel, conservatives tightened their hold on the Islamic Republic’s institutions. The two trends together highlight the growing gap between state and society. On 1 March, Iran held its …

Israel’s PM Netanyahu may be trying to extend his country’s conflicts to maintain his hold on power, analysts argue. After Israel killed at least one person in an attack on Baalbek, its second attack on eastern Lebanon since October 7, a reported 100 rockets were fired from Lebanon into Israel, …

The Iranian presence in Syria has always been a source of concern at a regional level, for Arab countries on the one hand, and for Israel on the other. If the partial Arab severance of relations with al-Assad has pushed the issue of Iranian presence off the negotiation table, this …

At the end of 2023, the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), the political umbrella of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that controls northeastern Syria, came out with an updated “social contract” to replace an old one that had faced criticism at home and abroad. A new formula …

The Syrian Islamic Council supported the popular movement in various towns and cities of northwest Syria, led by activists and civilians since February 26. In a statement published by the Council regarding the demonstrations, it said that it has been monitoring the protests against injustice and tyranny since their inception. …

An investigative report by the Syria Indicator team revealed violations by the Turkish army against private properties in northern Syria, due to the establishment of Turkish military bases and observation points on agricultural land. The report, published on Tuesday, March 13, states that the owners of these agricultural lands signed …

Latest Developments A Lebanon-based Hamas terrorist responsible for orchestrating attacks on Israeli and Jewish targets worldwide was killed in an IDF airstrike on March 13. Hadi Ali Mustafa died near Tyre in what Lebanese media described as a drone strike on his car. As the Palestinian terrorist group’s coordinator of …

Latest Developments The Israeli military on March 12 struck two Syrian army sites where Hezbollah was operating, according to a statement by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The strike was carried out based on “precise intelligence,” the IDF said, noting that it “holds the Syrian regime accountable for all activities …

The West’s unwavering support for Israel’s war on Gaza has left it isolated on the international stage as the Global South bands together, writes Allia Bukhari. In the aftermath of 7th October attacks in Israel, the West showed its unwavering support for Tel Aviv’s onslaught on Gaza, backing its right …