This report considers the lack of Palestinian political agency as a driver of regional insecurity that must be resolved before wider conflicts can be settled. The author analyses the conditions that contributed to the destruction of Palestinian political capacity, including Israeli policies, Palestinian shortcomings, and exploitation by Iran, and makes recommendations for an Arab strategic initiative.
Iran’s New Grand Design: The Next Evolution of the Axis of Resistance
Iran is transforming its Axis of Resistance into a decentralized, Yemen-centered network that leverages the Houthis to threaten both the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb, extending Tehran’s coercive reach over the world’s key maritime chokepoints and reshaping the post-war balance in the Middle East and Red Sea.
The Islamic Republic, the most unpatriotic in Iranian history?
It is no exaggeration to say that the Islamist political system in Tehran is on the brink of experiencing perilous blowback for the foreign policy choices it has made. Whether Tehran continues to prioritize the fight against Israel or decides to look for ways to deprioritize the conflict as a national security matter will not be settled in the foreseeable future — or perhaps the matter will be taken out of Iran’s hands.
خلال الشهر الماضي، عانت إيران وشبكة حلفائها ووكلائها الإقليميين – محور المقاومة – من سلسلة من الخسائر والهزائم الدراماتيكية. ما هو مستقبل المحور وأعضائه، وما الذي يمكن أن تفعله الولايات المتحدة وحلفاؤها لمواجهة وتعطيل هذه الشبكة التي تقودها إيران؟
Key takeaways from new polling on Iran’s foreign policy and regional role
Arash Ghafouri and Alex Vatanka break down key takeaways from a new survey conducted by Stasis Consulting among Iranians living in Iran on Tehran’s foreign policy, regional influence, and diplomatic relations.
New polling highlights Iranians’ views on Iran’s foreign policy and regional role
The results of the latest public opinion survey from Stasis Consulting provide key insights into how Iranians view Tehran’s foreign policy, regional influence, and diplomatic relations at a time of heightened tensions in the Middle East, including how they perceive the economic costs of Iran’s current approach and its support for its regional proxy groups.
Kurdish elections arrive — finally, and with challenges
Iraq’s Kurdistan Region will hold elections for its devolved parliament for the first time since 2018, on Oct. 20. The polls are more than two years late and come at a time of major economic and political challenges for the semi-autonomous zone.
Iran’s missile attack on Israel on Oct. 1, 2024, marked a significant escalation in the ongoing regional tensions. This assault, reportedly involving 180 missiles, was the Islamic Republic of Iran’s largest yet against Israel, targeting military and security sites in retaliation for Israeli assassinations of leaders of Hezbollah and Hamas in Tehran and Beirut. Iranian officials framed the attack as an act of self-defense, warning that further Israeli actions could provoke even stronger retaliation from Tehran.
From Nasrallah to Khamenei: The power vacuum shaping the Middle East
Israel’s targeted killing of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah has not only caused a succession crisis for Hezbollah, but has also highlighted the problem of succession for the Islamic Republic of Iran. Coupled with the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash earlier this year, Nasrallah’s assassination has scrambled the dynamics of the supreme leadership transition with an aging 85-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at the helm, and is likely the reason his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, a key figure in the Office of the Supreme Leader, has recently emerged from the shadows.
الإمارات والولايات المتحدة ترفعان التكنولوجيا إلى مرتبة حجر الزاوية في علاقاتهما
عندما زار الرئيس محمد بن زايد آل نهيان (MbZ) رئيس دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة البيت الأبيض في 23 سبتمبر، كان البيان المشترك بين الولايات المتحدة والإمارات العربية المتحدة أحد أكثر البيانات شمولاً حتى الآن، حيث تضمن تعهدات بالتعاون في جميع القطاعات التكنولوجية تقريباً، وأشار إلى هدف واضح يتمثل في تحويل العلاقات الثنائية بعيداً عن الهيدروكربونات.
Washington must make sure this is the last war between Israel and Lebanon
The assassination of Hezbollah’s secretary-general, Hassan Nasrallah, marks an inflection point that will redefine the security landscape of the Middle East. His deputy, Naim Qassem, has pledged “continued resistance,” claiming Hezbollah was steadfast and will not retreat, while Israel has pressed ahead with a ground invasion of southern Lebanon. The United States must act decisively to ensure this is the last war between Israel and Lebanon.
مدير برنامج شبه الجزيرة العربية في معهد الشرق الأوسط جيرالد فيرستاين يتحدث إلى الباحثتين نضوة الدوسري وفاطمة أبو العسرار أثناء استعراضهما للذكرى العاشرة للحرب الأهلية في اليمن.
مرت عشر سنوات منذ سيطرة الحوثيين على العاصمة صنعاء، مما أدى إلى بدء دورة من القتال الذي يستمر حتى يومنا هذا. ماذا حدث، وما هو الوضع الحالي للصراع، وإلى أين يتجه البلد؟
