The Iraqi government’s renewed effort to prohibit alcohol is not only worrisome for Christian and Yazidi minorities, but also raises constitutionality questions. Iraq officially banned the import, production and sale of alcoholic beverages of all kinds on March 4, in a repeat of a ban that was passed in 2016, …

The deal marks a turning point in Middle Eastern politics, but China may find its role undermined by failures in implementation. China’s role in the Saudi-Iranian deal is momentous. However, Beijing may find that its relations in the region are undermined by failures in its implementation. Last Friday marked a …

Arab states pursuing reconciliation with Syria aim to achieve what was unachievable during the war: Breaking Syria’s alliances and placing Arab troops on Syrian soil. After the devastating earthquake that shook Syria and Turkiye on 6 February, Damascus has found itself at the center of unprecedented regional diplomatic activity. Egypt …

Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby warned that the Su-35 would ‘significantly strengthen Iran’s air force relative to its regional neighbors’ The Islamic Republic of Iran finalized a deal for the purchase of Su-35 fighter jets with the Russian government, according to state media reports on 11 March. The deal between Russia …

Around 900 US troops remain illegally stationed in Syria, controlling large swathes of the country’s oil-rich regions A War Powers Resolution that would have ended the US army’s illegal occupation of Syria was struck down late on 8 March by the House of Representatives in a 103-321 vote. The bill, …

Pakistan risks major financial setbacks if it fails to construct its part of a gas pipeline with Iran. Islamabad must follow India’s lead in resisting US sanctions to secure vital national energy supply. Islamabad has formed a diplomatic channel to convince Washington to ease sanctions on Iran, which would finally …

Russian fighters said they are continuing their assault on Bakhmut, but Ukrainian military commanders claim they are inflicting heavy losses on the invading forces and at least one influential think tank says advances by Kremlin-linked mercenaries appear to have stalled around the Donetsk region city. The Ukrainian military asserted on …

As is the case of long wars, the warring parties and their affiliated media in the Russia-Ukraine conflict have painted each other using uncompromising language, making it nearly impossible to offer an unbiased view of the ongoing tragedy that has killed, wounded and expelled millions. While it is understandable that …

The Iran-Saudi Arabia rapprochement has wide reactions. An NBC report — What does the Iran-Saudi Arabia truce mean for Washington’s standing on the global stage? (March 11, 2023, NBCNews.com) — said: As some world leaders hailed the restoration of ties between long-standing enemies Iran and Saudi Arabia, there were growing …

U.S. and international officials have expressed cautious optimism for a breakthrough in the long-running civil conflict in Yemen between the Iran-backed Houthi movement and the forces of the UN-recognized Republic of Yemen government.The restoration of a truce, which has mostly held since its formal end in October, appears increasingly likely, …