Can Qatar Hedge Its Bets on Security Guarantors?

by Matthew Hedges and Giorgio Cafiero Saddam Hussein’s invasion and occupation of Kuwait in 1990/1991 taught Qatar that its alliance with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)’s powerhouse—Saudi Arabia—was an insufficient guarantee of security. One of Doha’s key takeaways from the… Continue Reading

Israel’s Threats Could Push It into Unnecessary War with Iran

by Shemuel Meir  Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu are striving together to cancel the JCPOA nuclear agreement with Iran. Even Netanyahu’s new mantra, that he only wants to “fix” the deal, is actually mean to bring about its cancelation in a… Continue Reading

Murder in The Hague: Saudi-Iranian Proxy War Heats Up

by James M. Dorsey Shot dead this week on a street in The Hague, Ahmad Mola Nissi may have died the violent life he lived, but his murder suggests a possible retching up of the proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran… Continue Reading

Don’t Let Misplaced Concerns over Missiles Jeopardize Iran Deal

 by Tytti Erästö and Sina Azodi  One of the main grievances of President Trump and other critics of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA) has been its silence on ballistic missiles. In connection with his recent… Continue Reading

Saad Hariri’s Saudi Resignation: Good News for Iran and Hezbollah

by Aurélie Daher At the end of October, Sunni Prime Minister of Lebanon Saad Hariri, an ally of the West and of Saudi Arabia, went to Riyadh for an official visit. On November 1, back in Beirut, he announced that… Continue Reading