Iran’s Economy Recovers in Time for New Sanctions

by Djavad Salehi-Isfahani As Washington gets ready for President Trump to throw the first stone in the killing of the Iran nuclear deal next week, Iranians are trying to preserve their hard-won gains from the agreement. After three years of… Continue Reading

Turkey and the Kurdish Vote for Independence in Iraq

by Omer Taspinar Recent developments in Iraq, with the Kurdish referendum for independence taking place as scheduled on Monday, put the Turkish government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan between a rock and a hard place. According to most recent press reports, more… Continue Reading

How the GCC Blockade Reignited Qatar’s Nationalism

by Nicolai Due-Gundersen On July 21, 2017, Qatar’s emir gave his first address since the start of a two-month blockade launched by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt. “The time has come for us to spare the… Continue Reading

Why the World Will Have to Live with a Nuclear-Armed North Korea

by Rajan Menon It’s time to face reality. When it comes to a nuclear-armed North Korea, the question is no longer “if” but “when.” Denuclearization, the goal underlying UN Security Council sanctions, has become a chimera. Though there’s much that… Continue Reading

Qatar Crisis Could Lead to War: Veteran US Diplomat

by Jim Lobe Given the fast-moving events in the Persian Gulf region over the past two weeks, LobeLog decided to consult Chas W. Freeman, Jr., whose occasional lectures on key foreign policy issues have been featured on this site for… Continue Reading