Central Asia

January 22, 2025 | Dr. Brenda Shaffer, Svante Cornell

The Hidden Renewable Energy in Central Asia

One of the biggest threats to human health, and a major source of air pollution, is regularly hidden in statistical reports as “renewable energy:” the burning of dung, wood, and lump coal. While most...

December 11, 2024 | Svante Cornell, Dr. Brenda Shaffer

Europe’s Nuclear Energy and Central Asian Uranium

The drive toward electrification coupled with the political decision to reduce fossil fuel consumption is creating a situation where, by necessity, there is renewed interest in  nuclear energy. In...

December 4, 2024 | Svante Cornell, Dr. Brenda Shaffer

Central Asia in the Energy Transition

Excerpt The Central Asian region, in terms of energy, has long been known mostly for its vast endowments of oil and gas. Indeed, some of the largest new discoveries of oil anywhere in the world in the...

December 4, 2024 | Jack Burnham |

China Retaliates Against U.S. Semiconductor Restrictions by Banning Critical Mineral Exports

In the latest sign of its growing efforts to cut off American access to crucial inputs for advanced technologies, China introduced new export controls on several critical minerals used in both civilian...

November 7, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Iran deepens Central Asia ties amid shift away from western economies

The talks with Central Asian states come after a recent BRICS meeting that Iran attended.

September 18, 2024 | Emanuele Ottolenghi |

Iran Is Using Foreign Islamic Centers to Spread Terror and Hatred; the World Must Close Them

Last month, Germany announced that it would deport Mohammed Mofatteh, the former director of Hamburg’s Shi’a Islamic Center, which local authorities had ordered shut down five weeks earlier for propagating extremism, and for its financial links to Hezbollah. ...

September 4, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Iran’s president backs Palestinians amid spats with UK, Australia

Iranian state media characterized this as support for more “resistance.”

September 2, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Hamas is demanding the Philadelphi Corridor for a reason

It stands to reason that the control of the border was a key ingredient in Hamas’ strength and this is why it wants it back.

July 13, 2024 | Caleb Weiss |

Jihadis mount prison mutinies across Africa

Over the last few days, jihadis have mounted two attacks inside prisons in Somalia and Niger. While the mutiny inside the Nigerien prison was successful, the Somali prison assault appears to have been...

June 19, 2024 | Sinan Ciddi, Bill Roggio

Turkish charity leaders meet with Taliban officials

On June 13, representatives from two Turkish charities met with Salam Hanafi, the Taliban’s deputy prime minister, in Afghanistan. Mehmet Ubeyd Kosger, representing the Hayrat Foundation, accompanied...

June 12, 2024 | Janatan Sayeh |

Islamic State operatives arrested after illegally crossing the US border

On June 11, eight Tajik nationals with ties to the Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP), the terrorist group’s branch in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia, were arrested in New York,...

June 10, 2024 | Janatan Sayeh |

ISKP’s transnational reemergence

By leveraging its stronghold in Afghanistan, in conjunction with its networks in Central and South Asia, the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) is reemerging as a transnational actor with the capacity...

May 22, 2024 | Saeed Ghasseminejad, Janatan Sayeh

U.S. Should Revoke Chabahar’s Sanctions Waiver

India Ports Global Limited (IPGL) and the Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran signed a 10-year deal on May 13 that allows New Delhi to develop and operate the Iranian port of Chabahar. Washington issued...

May 20, 2024 | Dr. Brenda Shaffer |

Don’t Forget the Air Highways

While U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg is focusing his remaining months in office on attaining  compensation fees for U.S. air travelers, a much bigger threat to air travel and transport...

May 9, 2024 | Ivana Stradner, Jason Jay Smart

The Great Lie Behind Russia’s Victory Day

Russians believe their nation contributed more than any other to winning World War II. The uncomfortable truth is that Moscow actually started the war in 1939 as Nazi Germany’s ally.

May 3, 2024 | Bill Roggio |

Architect of Doha agreement wrongly claims: ‘Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent has been dismantled’

Zalmay Khalilzad, the former Special Repressive for Afghanistan Reconciliation and the key architect of the Doha Agreement which aided the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, claimed that Al Qaeda’s...

March 27, 2024 | Dr. Brenda Shaffer |

Türkiye’s Energy Engagement in Central Asia and the Caucasus

Excerpt In recent years, Türkiye has significantly increased cooperation with the states of Central Asia and Azerbaijan. One of the most important geopolitical developments in recent years in Eurasia...

February 21, 2024 | Clifford D. May |

Murder in the Gulag

Alexei Navalny, Vladimir Putin’s only serious rival, has been eliminated

November 8, 2023 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Tehran predicts Russia-China-Iran triangle of power – analysis

Iran hopes to ally with Eastern powers to gain economic and political power in the Middle East.

November 7, 2023 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Iran begins diplomatic offensive against Israel and US

The key leaders in Iran’s efforts are President Ibrahim Raisi and chief diplomat Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.