Boys Go to Baghdad, Real Men Go to Tehran

by Shervin Malekzadeh The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was as much a domestic initiative as it was a foreign policy endeavor, as analysts such as Reza Marashi and Ariane Tabatabai have been saying. It’s a way for the… Continue Reading

European Parliament Calls for Sanctions against Bahrain

by Eldar Mamedov On June 14, the European Parliament has adopted, with an overwhelming majority, a strongly worded resolution condemning Bahrain for human rights violations. The immediate trigger for the resolution was the sentencing of Nabeel Rajab, a prominent Bahraini… Continue Reading

Nukes: Intentions Matter More Than Weapons

by Graham E. Fuller  The fascinating, elaborately choreographed diplomatic pas de deux in Singapore between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un mesmerized the world over two days. Most pundits look at the (perhaps more than) half empty glass of water on the table. Indeed,… Continue Reading

The Middle East in Trump’s Wake

by Emile Nakhleh As President Donald Trump revels in his diplomatic foray into North Korea, he doesn’t have any comparable diplomatic “success” in the Middle East. None of the optimistic promises he made upon assuming office in January 2017 regarding… Continue Reading

OPEC and President Trump: His Tweets Don’t Matter

by Thomas W. Lippman There are several possible explanations for the tweet President Trump sent out on Wednesday criticizing the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) for the continuing rise in the price of oil. One is that he simply… Continue Reading