Leonid M. Issaev | 02 March 2017 | AR | TR
Orthodox Christianity arguably constitutes the foundation of the entire Russian cultural spectrum. The majority of Russians feel close to the eastern Christian tradition and identify with it to varying degrees.
Yury Barmin | 24 February 2017 | AR | TR
Against the backdrop of instability in the global energy industry, Moscow is seeking to consolidate its share of the oil and gas markets as well as ensure that its revenue stream from the oil trade does not thin out.
Mesut Ozcan | 17 February 2017 | TR
A new U.S. president means a new foreign policy for the world. With the election of Donald Trump as president, his priorities and diplomatic style will have its effect on different parts of the world, including the Middle East and Iraq.
Yury Barmin | 23 January 2017
The success of the Russian military in Syria against all odds has reignited the debate as to what guides Vladimir Putin in the Middle East and whether Syria is only a harbinger of its ambitions.
Dimitar Bechev | 18 January 2017 | TR
With Donald Trump on the brink of being sworn in as the new president, relations between U.S. and Russia are also on the verge of rapprochement. The incoming administration, which sees Moscow as an ally in the fight against the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) in Syria,
Abdullah Yegin | 16 January 2017 | AR
Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, one of Iran’s most important political actors and a man who took on crucial roles at some of the most critical times from the 1979 Islamic revolution to the present day, has passed away from a heart attack at the age of 82. Despite his advanced years, Rafsanjani’s death was not an expected development, and came as a shock to the
Mesut Ozcan | 16 January 2017 | AR | TR
After critical statements were exchanged between Turkish and Iraqi politicians over the last quarter of 2016, the New Year began with the visit of a Turkish delegation to Baghdad and Erbil led by Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım.
Ammar Kahf | 29 December 2016 | AR | TR
The fall of Aleppo is not the end of the opposition in Syria, but perhaps marks the beginning of a Russian attempt to consolidate spheres of influence that are controlled by its regional allies and then push for a political track within its interpretation of political transition.
Mesut Ozcan | 22 December 2016 | TR
The operation to liberate Mosul has hit delays due to limited advanced preparations, ISIL resistance, weather conditions, and the inherent challenges of waging a war inside a city. The hopes of scoring a quick victory in Mosul are fading away.
Muhanad Seloom | 23 November 2016 | AR | TR
The possibility of a direct Turkish military intervention in Iraq illustrates how ethno-sectarian conflict is spreading ever faster across the Middle East. At the moment, a heterogeneous
