International Monetary Fund

Iraq

How to Save Lebanon From Financial Ruin and Starvation

A new, gold-backed bank coupled with reforms could save the economy and prevent a new civil war.

Why Biden’s Plan to Rejoin the Iran Deal Makes No Sense

This week’s escalation of tensions by Tehran looks like blackmail to force Biden to abandon sanctions—and give up leverage over the regime.

Biden Must Act to Make Sure Sudan-Israel Peace Lasts

Unless appropriately bolstered, progress towards Sudan-Israel peace risks stalling or worse. History shows that steps towards peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors can collapse in the absence of sufficient traction.

Iran’s Access to Hard Currency Reserves Drops Precipitously

In its latest assessment of Iran’s economy, released last week, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimated that Iran’s “readily available and controlled” gross official reserves will fall to...

‘Blue Homeland’ And The Irredentist Future Of Turkish Foreign Policy

Turkey and Greece, two NATO allies, nearly experienced a full-fledged military conflict in August. Two of their warships collided during a naval standoff over hydrocarbon exploration in the Eastern...

Lebanon may be broken beyond repair

Its debt is massive, its political class corrupt, and terrorists call the shots

Crisis in Lebanon

Anatomy of a Financial Collapse

Lebanon Is Collapsing and Urgent Reform Is Desperately Needed

Lebanon is unraveling. Last year’s massive public protests over the government’s failure to collect trash or provide other key services now seem like minor quibbles. The COVID-19 pandemic has...

Cratering Economy Drives Iranian Rial to All-Time Low

The Iranian rial has lost 10 percent of its value over the past two weeks, and more than 30 percent since the start of the calendar year. The regime may still have sufficient hard currency reserves to end...

COVID-19 in Morocco

Although Morocco seems to have escaped the worst of the pandemic with a relatively low number of confirmed cases and deaths, the COVID-19 crisis has devastated the country’s economy. Morocco, which has...

Covid-19 And Middle Eastern Tyranny

In the democratic West, many expect there to be a post–Covid-19 reckoning. That politicians who did poorly in handling the pandemic will fall from office. There isn’t a clear understanding of what...

Israeli and American Strategic Opportunities Amidst the COVID-19 Crisis

Albert Einstein once said that in the middle of any difficulty lies an opportunity. The COVID-19 pandemic poses enormous challenges to the Middle East, but the strategic opportunities for the United States...

COVID-19 in Iran and Turkey: Mismanagement, Crackdowns, Economic Crises, and Corona-Diplomacy

Iran and Turkey have been the two countries in the Middle East hardest hit by COVID-19. Their respective epidemics – which both governments have largely mismanaged – have amplified their democratic...

Tehran’s Flawed Plans to Fight Inflation

The Central Bank of Iran (CBI) announced an inflation target last week of 22 percent for the current Persian calendar year, which lasts from March 2020 to March 2021. After a two-year period during which...

Why Erdogan Won’t Ask the IMF for Help

Turkey's economy is a mess, but its president won't seek an IMF loan because the conditions would mean giving up his extensive patronage network.

COVID-19 in Bahrain

As low oil prices and the pandemic strain Bahrain’s state budget, Manama may seek economic assistance from its Gulf neighbors. Less certain, however, is whether those neighbors will come to the island...

Contagion of Chinese Corruption Will Threaten Post-Pandemic Recovery In Developing World

Eventually, the COVID-19 pandemic will end. When it does, the economic devastation the pandemic has left behind will become the overriding concern of governments worldwide. Today, China is working to burnish...

The Impact of Sanctions Two Years After U.S. Withdrawal From the Nuclear Deal

Two years into President Donald Trump’s maximum pressure campaign against the Islamic Republic of Iran, U.S. sanctions – when enforced – have pushed Iran into a deep, multi-year recession, slashed...

Below the Belt and Road

Corruption and Illicit Dealings in China’s Global Infrastructure