Ali Khamenei

Hezbollah’s Shadow Economy in Post-Assad Syria

Iran at the Epicenter

REVIEW: ‘Stolen Revolution: Betrayal and Hope in Modern Iran’ by Yeganeh Torbati and Bozorgmehr Sharafedin

You Probably Have the Iran War Backward

The blockade proves the success of sanctions. If the U.S. keeps its chokehold, Tehran will likely break.

The Three Quiet Victors of the Iran War

Turkey, Pakistan, and Qatar have played their hands well since February 28, without disrupting their relations with either the United States or Iran.

Security Challenges in the Western Balkans

Briefing delivered to the Counter-Kleptocracy Caucus

Lebanese Army details pilot zone arms seizures, claims operational control

The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) on September 9 issued what appears to be its first official, public accounting of weapons and munitions confiscated during operations in Zawtar al Gharbiyeh, Froun,...

Houthi Propaganda Laid the Groundwork for Military Escalation

Houthis rebels are threatening Yemenis with a return to civil war, the Red Sea with resumed instability, and Saudi Arabia with attacks on its energy infrastructure and shipping....

Resistance to Taliban rule persists in Afghanistan

As the Taliban’s reign over Afghanistan enters its sixth year, the Taliban remains stronger, more unified, and better equipped than it was before September 11, 2001. Today, its flag flies across all...

Checkmate In Tehran: Converting Trump’s Economic Pressure Into Victory

A reactive Iran policy need not be an unprepared one.

Tehran’s reshuffle leaves no pragmatic opening

upreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei’s latest appointments to Iran’s top security and paramilitary institutions are not routine personnel changes but a reflection of his priorities for tighter control over...

Tehran is losing its grip on Hormuz, and with it all its leverage

All the noise around Iran’s supposed stranglehold on oil supplies transiting through the Strait of Hormuz is missing the point. The reality is that the combination of Operations Midnight...

In Iran, the New Lineup Is the Same Hardline Regime

The latest reshuffle of Iran’s government looks less like renewal than a game of musical chairs among regime veterans. Islamic Republic Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, whose status and capacity to...

U.S. Sanctions Georgia-Based Cryptocurrency Company for Supporting IRGC

Even as Tbilisi says it seeks a reset in relations with Washington, it is turning a blind eye to financial schemes that benefit Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). On August 7, the U.S....

Islamism 101

America’s leaders refuse to do their homework

Why the OSCE Shouldn’t Meet in Serbia

The OSCE’s recent decision to hold its 2027 meeting in Belgrade will reward Serbia for its democratic backsliding and pro-authoritarian foreign policy.

Amid war and persecution, Iranians remain hungry for change

What is unmistakable is the depth of loathing for the Islamic Republic among its long-suffering citizens: At 71%, “dissatisfaction with the Islamic Republic” was the top reason for joining protests, according to a survey.

The Middle East Moves Toward a Multifront Maritime War

Yemen’s Houthis have brought the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait into the conflict between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran — blocking millions more barrels of oil from easily...

Houthis announce blockade of Saudi Arabia, ships reroute to avoid Bab al Mandeb Strait

The Houthis announced a complete maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia on July 20. In response, a growing number of vessels are rerouting to avoid the Bab al Mandeb Strait, the southern...

As the Shia Crescent Wanes, Aoun Stakes Lebanon’s Future on Washington

As Iran’s once-expanding “Shia Crescent” of influence across Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen wanes, a new American-led regional order is emerging. Ahead of his first visit to the White House, Lebanese...

Iran reportedly tells Houthis to close Bab al Mandeb Strait if US strikes power grid

Three sources told Reuters on July 16 that Iran has instructed Yemen’s Houthis to close the Red Sea to shipping if the US attacks Iran’s power network, which President Donald Trump threatened to...