Lama Al-Rakkad After decades of fire that spared no home in Damascus, no alley in Aleppo, no street in Baghdad, Beirut, or Amman, the people of the Middle East have reached a moment of stark clarity. Entire societies have grown weary of conflicts imposed upon them—wars waged under …

By Dr. Mustafa Al-Tal In a regional moment defined by calculated ambiguity and calibrated tension, ceasefires are no longer mere pauses in hostilities—they have evolved into strategic instruments for managing conflict. The so-called “two-week truce” between the United States and Iran is no exception. Rather, it is a …

The shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz exposes global energy vulnerabilities that have triggered price shocks, food risks, and supply disruptions.   The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has abruptly severed a fifth of global oil and LNG supply. Beyond spiking energy prices, a supply chain shock …

Eric Alter So far, attempts to negotiate a comprehensive US-Iran agreement have been stymied by maximalist demands. According to most reports, diplomatic efforts to end the Iran War have fizzled out. Iran appears to have ended indirect negotiations, following President Donald Trump’s ominous and demented threats to destroy …

Michael D. Swaine Continued clashes in the Middle East could seriously destabilize US-China relations and lead to confrontation in the Taiwan Strait. The now-paused war in Iran obviously has huge implications for peace and stability in the Middle East and beyond. Among these, the impact of the conflict on the …

The political leaders of Israel are overseeing a dramatic radicalisation of Israeli society.  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has fostered a culture that is damaging for Israeli citizens themselves and is at risk of isolating Israel internationally. Actions taken at the executive level and policy-implementation level are at danger …

The ongoing confrontation between the US and Iran is also setting a stage for some novel norms of warfare – those that are less visible and transformative in nature. The emergence of the nuclear age is its best manifestation. The United States for the first time in history, …

Donald Trump’s war on Iran has done what imperial wars often do. It has stripped the familiar vocabulary to the bone. The old words are still there, of course. Security. Stability. Deterrence. Order. But they no longer conceal very much. When a president threatens to wreck power plants, …

Global bond markets might recover slightly but are not expected to fully bounce back from the selloff caused by the war, mainly because energy prices and inflation are expected to remain high for an extended period. A ceasefire between the U. S. and Iran was apparently negotiated late …