April, 2021

• 1 April

  Muhammad Bin Salman: The Delusions Of Borrowing Protection – OpEd

  Ever since Muhammad Bin Salman otherwise known as MBS assumed the de facto leadership of Saudi Arabia, his rule has evidently been synonymous with one controversy after the next. Arbitrary detentions of critics, torturing family members during shakedowns, executing a revered cleric, creating a catastrophe in Yemen and of course …

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• 1 April

  China’s FM Iran visit represents shift for the region

  

  Iran wants to leverage China’s role in the region and show that it can resist the US. China also wants to reassure the West that Iran will safeguard the nuclear deal. For Iran, the visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Tehran on an official two-day visit to hold …

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• 1 April

  What is Iran saying about their agreement with China? – analysis

  

  “This agreement is somewhat ambiguous, and on the other hand, in some cases, Iran has had bitter experiences in dealing with other countries. It has pros and cons.” Iran is celebrating a new agreement with China. But what is inside the new 25-year plan? According to Fars News in Iran …

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• 1 April

  China-Iran: Bad news, but it could be worse for Israel – analysis

  

  China would also receive a major discount on Iranian oil and become a near monopsony, as long as sanctions on Iran remain. When the details of a multibillion dollar, 25-year economic and security agreement between Iran and China leaked last summer, the headline in The Jerusalem Post was: “Proposed China-Iran …

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• 1 April

  Palestinian elections: What is happening?

  The deadline for submitting lists for the Palestinian Legislative Council outlines a clear difference in profiles of candidates. Gearing up for the elections has shaken the Palestinian scene and highlighted the strong dichotomy among the different groups.

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• 1 April

  Chances for Israeli alliance with Saudis against Iran fading

  Saudi Arabia is reluctant to showcase any cooperation with Israel, including security cooperation against the Iranian regional threat. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is slated to participate at a leaders’ climate summit organized by the Biden administration on April 22. With the summit online, Netanyahu will not get the chance …

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• 1 April

  What UAE’s growing presence in Somaliland means for its Horn of Africa strategy

  The UAE reorients its strategy from one of military intervention to economic investment and power. Abdullah Muhammad al-Naqbi was sworn in on March 17 as director of the United Arab Emirates Trade Office in Somaliland. This appointment sparked immediate controversy due to contradictory messages from Somaliland’s official Twitter channels. Somaliland’s …

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• 1 April

  Turkish-Russian Adversarial Collaboration in Syria, Libya, and Nagorno-Karabakh

  Russia and Turkey are backing opposing warring parties in three active conflicts. How­ever, this adversarial positioning has not hindered cooperation between Moscow and Ankara. They reign in opposing sides and, in effect, stage-manage their respective theatres of wars. Through multilateral arrangements, Europe is an enabler of Tur­key’s position and could …

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• 1 April

  Nord Stream 2: Don’t Make a Bad Deal Worse

  

  Rather than antagonize its European partners with more sanctions in a crusade to preserve the status quo, the Biden administration should direct its resources toward preparing for a world in which Nord Stream 2 becomes a reality. The Biden administration faces an urgent decision on the controversial Nord Stream 2 …

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• 1 April

  With Huge Iran Deal, China Hopes Deep Pockets Further Boost Influence In Middle East

  Beijing has pledged to invest $400 billion in Iran over 25 years in a deal that could see China’s economic, political, and military influence there and across the Middle East expand. China and Iran signed the expansive deal during a ceremony in Tehran on March 27 between their respective foreign …

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