Shahmahmood Miakhel

Shahmahmood Miakhel is the Country Director in Afghanistan for the US Institute of Peace (USIP). Prior to that he was a Governance Advisor for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), and, from 2003–2005, a Deputy Minister of the Interior in the Government of Afghanistan. In 1994–1995 he worked for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in South and Southeast Afghanistan helping to establish District Rehabilitation Shuras (DRS). He also worked as a reporter for the Pashto service of the Voice of America from 1985–1990.

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Turkey Sees Short-Term Pain, Long-Term Gain in the Iran War

The Iran war has posed significant immediate challenges for Turkey, including rising energy prices. But Turkish officials think that Ankara could reap benefits from the war in the long term.

Gulf Energy Disruption and the Fragility of Global Markets

American Bases in the Gulf: Targets or Deterrents?

Did the presence of American military bases in the Gulf monarchies draw those states into the American-Israeli war against Iran, a war they had no say in initiating and no voice in prosecuting? That is certainly the feeling among some citizens of those states.

A Failure to Communicate: Stalled Talks and Next Steps for the US and Iran

The Impact of the Iran War on Iraq

Zarif’s Peace Gambit Meets Tehran’s Limits

What made Mohammad Javad Zarif’s recent Foreign Affairs article so explosive was not simply what he proposed, but when and where he proposed it.

Nazanin Boniadi: How the World Can Help Iran’s Democratic Struggle

Just weeks before President Trump’s war began, Iran was in the midst of a powerful wave of anti-regime protests spreading across the country. But once the war started, that momentum largely came to a halt. The conflict shifted the focus from dissent to survival and gave the regime an opening to crack down harder. With tighter controls, heightened fear, and everyday life suddenly more precarious, people pulled back from the streets. The protests may have paused, but the resentments that fueled them haven’t gone anywhere.

How the 2026 Iran War Is Reshaping US Foreign Policy

After Islamabad

Amb. Hale discusses three broad policy options for Washington following the failure of the US-Iran talks in Pakistan.

Syria’s 2026 Economic Outlook, Prospects, and Priorities

To Win a War, Know What You’re Fighting For

The US and Israel entered the war with three goals, and these goals were in tension from the start.

Iran, Hizballah, and Lebanon’s Future

The Long Tail of Operation Epic Fury: Structural Disorder After the Guns Fall Silent

The central failure of Operation Epic Fury is strategic. Five weeks in, neither of its declared objectives – regime change as framed by U.S. President Donald Trump, nor the elimination of an existential threat as framed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – is within reach. The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed. Iran’s leadership has reconstituted under Mojtaba Khamenei. The diplomatic track that might have constrained escalation has been shattered.

China’s quiet harvest: As America fights, Asia turns to Beijing

More than a month into the US-Israeli war with Iran, the central question is no longer whether China can avoid the costs. It cannot. The more important question is whether others will emerge even less able to bear them.