Prime mover: Boris Johnson and the UK-Iran Crisis

by Julien Barnes-Dacey and Ellie Geranmayeh As Boris Johnson becomes UK prime minister, his first foreign policy test is not Brexit but managing an unexpected crisis with Iran. The Iranian seizure of a UK-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz… Continue Reading

Europe’s Iran Dilemma

by Julien Barnes-Dacey & Ellie Geranmayeh Earlier this week, Denmark’s foreign ministry accused Iran of planning an assassination on Danish soil. According to Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen, the plot targeted the leader of Iranian separatist group the Arab Struggle Movement… Continue Reading

Aleppo under Siege

by Julien Barnes-Dacey We have reached yet another depressing inflection point in the Syrian Civil War. Syrian government forces with the support of Russian air power have cut off the last remaining major supply route to rebels in Aleppo city, setting… Continue Reading

To Fix Iraq, Don’t Lose Sight of Syria

by Julien Barnes-Dacey The designation of Haider al-Abadi as the new prime minister of Iraq is a significant step toward opposing the Islamic State if his premiership can be secured and fulfils the potential to create an urgently needed cross-sectarian coalition… Continue Reading