Military & Security

Saudi Arabia and nuclear-armed Pakistan signed a landmark mutual defence pact on Wednesday, deepening decades of military cooperation at a time of heightened instability in the Middle East. Background: Gulf Arab states have grown uneasy about U.S. reliability as a security guarantor. Israel’s recent airstrikes on Hamas leaders …

On September 9, 2025, something unthinkable happened: Israel bombed Qatar. For a nation that had long worn the dual identity of mediator and the U.S.’ ally, hosting one of the largest U.S. airbases. The attack was not simply a military operation but a strike at the very heart …

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright has called for the complete dismantlement of Iran’s uranium-enrichment program, reinforcing a hardline stance despite recent IAEA-Iran agreements to resume inspections. NEWS BRIEF U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright has called for the complete dismantlement of Iran’s uranium-enrichment program, reinforcing a hardline stance despite …

Bushra Ikram The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), the only remaining bilateral arms control agreement between the United States (US) and Russia, is set to expire on February 5, 2026. The New START, which accounted for 90 percent of the world’s nuclear weapons, was signed in …

Dr. Dan Steinbock Recently, a high-level UN conference urged Israel to commit to a Palestinian state and gave “unwavering support” to a two-state solution. The “New York Declaration” set out a phased plan to end the eight-decade conflict and the ongoing Gaza catastrophe. Co-chaired by France and Saudi …

Dur e Adan In international relations, soft power is the ability to co-opt rather than coerce, in contrast with hard power. It entails using attractiveness and appeal to influence other people’s preferences. Soft power, which uses foreign policy, political ideals, and culture to effect change, is non-coercive. Joseph …

Hrair Balian On August 8, 2025, President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia signed a joint declaration for peace at the White House, with President Donald Trump as witness. Their foreign ministers also initialed, pending “further actions” before signing, an Agreement on Establishment …

Dimitra Staikou Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s presence at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Tianjin at the end of August underscores a shifting global order in which India is emerging not as a junior partner to China and Russia, but as a pivotal swing power. While …

Alexander Langlois In the short term, normalization between Damascus and Jerusalem is not likely. But progress is still possible. In a major moment somewhat overshadowed by the Middle East’s competing headlines, Syria’s transitional government confirmed that it held a second trilateral meeting with Israeli and US officials on …