Diplomacy

Qatar’s diplomacy should worry Trump in Iran talks

From Hamas to Hezbollah and Iran, Doha's deals carry dangerous long-term costs

US moves to rescind Syria’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism

US President Donald Trump “informed Congress of his administration’s intent to rescind Syria’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism (SST),” the US State Department announced on...

U.S. Quietly Shelves Proposed Hezbollah ‘Deconfliction Mechanism’

The new U.S.-brokered Israel-Lebanon framework has its strengths and weaknesses. But one immediate and unequivocal benefit is that it buries the misguided idea that Hezbollah should have a seat at the...

Why Is Saudi Arabia Appeasing Iran?

Normalization with Israel would be far more beneficial for Saudi security than conciliation with the regime that has bombed its territory.

Of Presidents and Persians

Israel is walking towards an Iranian trap with its eyes open

From Iran's perspective, military pressure is not meant to defeat the enemy, but to influence the terms of the agreement reached through negotiations. Lebanon has become leverage over Washington and a means of increasing friction between the US and Israel. This is precisely the point that the Israeli government is struggling to internalize, or refuses to understand.

To Police Any New Nuclear Deal, IAEA Access Is Needed — Urgently

Will the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN nuclear watchdog, journey to Iran following the inking of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Tehran and Washington? According to Vice...

War and Peace and Other Possibilities

Modi Era India displays geopolitical acumen

The massive positive changes in India during the Modi Era may not be fully understood in the think-tanks in DC, but they have been noticed by Beijing.

6 Essential Requirements for a Good Iran Nuclear Deal

A new U.S.-Iran nuclear deal may soon emerge — or at least an initial memorandum of understanding (MOU) to be fleshed out over 60 days. President Donald Trump pledged on May 27 that the United States...

Can Syria Be Friends with Both Europe and Russia?

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has sought to open up relations with Europe while retaining the country’s longstanding ties with Moscow.

The U.S.-China Superpower Stalemate

For two days in Beijing last week, U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping leaned into the familiar theater of great-power diplomacy. Trump said it was an “honor” to be Xi’s friend...

Lebanon and Israel Agree on Peace, Disagree on Sequence

The Lebanese and Israeli governments are fully aligned on the goal of their diplomatic talks. When all is said and done, Hezbollah will be fully disarmed, Israel will have ended its security actions in...

Europe is writing itself out of the Middle East

The case for suspending the EU-Israel Association Agreement on grounds of human rights is a powerful argument – as long as one doesn't look at what else Europe is doing in the region

The Final Lebanon War?

A security zone in southern Lebanon could help Israel degrade Hezbollah faster than it can recover.

The Vatican’s Deal with the CCP is Not Working—But Washington Can Help

Last week, news broke that the Hong Kong government is working to confiscate millions from Hong Kong democracy advocate and devout Catholic Jimmy Lai, 78, funds that it claims are tied to his ...

Will the Next UN Leader Be Good for America?

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s time in office is coming to an end, which raises the question: Who will lead the world’s most important multilateral body next? The 2026 secretary-general...

When Aoun Meets Netanyahu

Lebanese President Michel Aoun is expected to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House in the coming weeks, according to President Trump, who said he would invite both leaders....

From Budapest to Beirut to Tehran

Perspectives from Across the Pond

Hamas Reiterates Refusal To Disarm, Placing Gaza Ceasefire in Jeopardy

The ceasefire plan in Gaza has hit a roadblock in the shape of Hamas’s continuing refusal to disarm. The Iran-backed terrorist group conveyed that exact message to representatives of President Donald...