Middle Orient

“Iran stands by the Palestinian people and their resistance.” — Ali Akbar Velayati, senior Iranian official, to leaders of the Palestinian terror groups, almayadeen.net. August 22, 2023. “The victories that have been achieved are the result of the support of friendly peoples, especially Iran.” — Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, thanking …

Tehran’s diplomatic persistence has yielded a second major breakthrough this year: Securing full BRICS membership to dismantle isolation, navigate sanctions, and bolster political and economic influence with Eurasian power centers. In his address at the 15th BRICS summit in Johannesburg on 24 August, Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi highlighted his country’s …

Clashes in Kurdish-held northeast Syria between the army and Turkey-backed armed factions killed 23 people on Sunday after pro-Ankara rebels attempted to infiltrate the area, a war monitor said. The violence comes amid days of separate clashes in Kurdish-held parts of neighbouring Deir Ezzor province after US-backed, Kurdish-led fighters detained …

The Lebanese Forces have the largest Christian bloc in parliament, but you wouldn’t know that from their policy of splendid isolation. On Sunday, Sheikh Nabil Qaouq, a Hezbollah official, denounced the continued deadlock in Lebanon over electing a new president, but offered (what he considered) a sliver of good news. …

Kurdish-led forces guarding Syria’s Islamic State prisons have been on high alert amid spreading clashes in Deir Ezzor province. Tribal backlash. The Kurdish-led alliance of Syrian militias backed by the US military to fight the Islamic State group is facing a fresh challenge to its authority in the oil-rich eastern …

Turkey tries to dial down confrontations in the eastern Mediterranean before the Greek minister’s visit as part of its push to improve relations with the West. Greek Foreign Minister Yorgo Gerapetritis will travel to Turkey on Tuesday as the historic rivals continue efforts to reset their decadeslong dispute over territorial …

Russia withdrew from the deal two months ago after claiming the West was not keeping its side of the bargain by allowing for greater Russian agricultural exports. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan failed to persuade Russia’s Vladimir Putin to return to a critical Black Sea grain deal Monday after meeting …

Abstract: This article explores what is known regarding the Islamic State’s leaders since the killing of the group’s second caliph Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi (conventionally dubbed “al-Mawla” for shorthand) in February 2022. In contrast with the group’s first caliph, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the organization has publicized little information on his …

In a surprise move earlier this month, Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas fired the majority of the governors in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. The round of sackings targeted the governors of eight provinces under Palestinian administration. Four governors were also dismissed in the besieged Gaza Strip, where …

In light of Human Rights Watch’s report on the killing of Ethiopian refugees by Saudi Arabian border guards, Anthony Harwood argues that Britain should reconsider its unconditional relations with Riyadh Imagine, if you will, Rishi Sunak setting up gun turrets on the white cliffs of Dover to pop off migrants …