Jonathan Fenton-Harvey | 19 July 2021
What does the Saudi-Emirati spat over Opec+ mean for the GCC? A standoff has recently erupted between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), allies in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and fellow [...]
Valentina Pegolo | 16 July 2021 | TR
Will the Raisi administration reinforce Iranian pragmatism in Afghanistan? The electoral victory of Ebrahim Raisi, the favored Principalist candidate and rumored successor of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has left the clerical establishment now in [...]
Kamaran Palani | 09 July 2021
This piece considers whether an early election in Iraq will lead to change, or merely reinforce the status quo and current power structure. Considering the key challenges confronting Iraq’s democratic process and genuine popular participation across the country, this piece highlights the ongoing and polarizing public debate in Iraq regarding whether early elections will take place on the planned date of October 10, or their possible postponement to 2022
Mohsen Shariatinia | 09 July 2021 | TR
How will the Raisi administration shape Iranian-Chinese relations? One of the most important changes in Iran's foreign policy over the past decade have been its deepening relations with China. During this time, China has [...]
Ester Sigillo | 07 July 2021 | TR
By declaring the dissolution of the National People’s Assembly in February 2021, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune hoped to open a new political cycle for Algeria after years of massive protests. The snap legislative elections held on June 12 took place in a tense climate of generalized repression amid a political and economic crisis
Betul Dogan Akkas | 02 July 2021
Will Qatar Return to a Mediator Role in the Yemen Conflict? Yemen has been devastated by a civil war ongoing since 2014. The atmosphere following the Arab uprisings led to drastic unrest in one [...]
Khaldoun El Charif | 31 May 2021 | AR
Reading the New Chapter of the Palestinian Struggle Originally scheduled for 22 May 2021, the 2021 elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) and the presidency of the Palestinian Authority (PA) were indefinitely postponed [...]
James Shires | 25 May 2021
Cyber insecurity is a multifaceted problem, and one further complicated by the political divides in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). This paper tackles two questions: first, what are the main sources of cyber insecurity in the region?
Ali Akbar Dareini | 11 May 2021
Israel’s dangerous shadow war with Iran Multiple acts of sabotage in 2020 and 2021 targeting Iran’s sensitive nuclear facilities and commercial vessels prompted Iran to blame Israel as the probable culprit. Whether Israel received [...]
Khaldoun El Charif | 05 May 2021
What Awaits Lebanon 100 Days after Biden’s Inauguration? The region is witnessing unusual diplomatic activity: Vienna talks between the United States and Iran serve as the headline. The “negotiation kit” is employed in parallel [...]
