The mutual defense pact signed on September 17, 2025, between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan is more than a symbolic gesture of friendship between two long-time partners. It marks a turning point in the security architecture of the Middle East and South Asia, signaling that old assumptions about dependence on external protectors, sectarian divisions, and regional alliances are Read more
Continue Reading
The recent remarks by Iran’s Supreme Leader, who described uranium enrichment as an “inviolable right,” have drawn a clear line. This position highlights the fundamental dilemma in the nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States: either the U.S. acknowledges Iran’s sovereign right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes — which could introduce a new Read more
Continue Reading
The recent developments surrounding former jihadist Ahmed al-Sharaa—formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani—and his transformation from a wanted terrorist leader into a sitting president welcomed by the President of the United States illustrate a deeply troubling fact in international relations: the arbitrary use of the “terrorism” label and economic sanctions as tools of political convenience Read more
Continue Reading
Syria, long plagued by civil war, foreign interventions, and deep sectarian divides, is entering a new and uncertain chapter. Recent statements by key actors in the country underscore the growing fragmentation of authority and the crystallization of competing visions for Syria’s future. From the Druze-led resistance in Suwayda to the Kurdish push for federalism in Read more
Continue Reading
What happens in SWANA will not Stay in SWANA by Ahmed Souaiaia Abstract: The ongoing crises in Syria and Turkey are deeply intertwined with broader regional dynamics, including the ongoing instability in the Southwest Asia and North Africa (SWANA) region. This article analyzes these events through the lens of the Systems Thinking Framework (STF), which Read more
Continue Reading
by MK Bhadrakumar * A curious thing happened in Vienna on Sunday just as the 35th Ministerial Meeting of OPEC+ was about to start at its headquarters. Three princely western news organizations – Bloomberg, Reuters, and the Wall Street Journal – were barred from entering the OPEC premises. When asked about it, pat came the Read more
Continue Reading
by Mohamad Kawas * Summary: During the past weeks, the United States has pushed its envoys to Saudi Arabia in a way that is almost shameful in the eyes of any American observer. It seemed that the United States was seeking to appease the Kingdom. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham visited the Kingdom in April. The Read more
Continue Reading
The public statement that announced the deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia contains only the contours of a detailed deal whose terms are guaranteed by China and whose terms will be revealed gradually in the next few weeks. One such details concern the long terms security agreement as well as the immediate action to be Read more
Continue Reading
by Emad Abshenass * When the former Soviet Union collapsed, and the eastern bloc called the “Warsaw Pact” collapsed, there was hope to end the role of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and start a new era of international relations, based on dealings between countries instead of hostility, with the starting point of competition Read more
Continue Reading
A meeting among leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states, during any other year in the past, would not make the news. This year’s meeting, however, should matters. Yet, it was hardly covered in Western media. There are important reasons for why the world should pay attention to this 21-year-old intergovernmental organization (IGO). Read more
Continue Reading