The Islamic Revolution’s Impact on Political Islam and the Middle East

by Emile Nakhleh Iran celebrates the fortieth anniversary of the Islamic Revolution during the first 10 “Days of Dawn” in February, beginning with February 1, the day Ayatollah Rouhallah Khomeini’s plane landed in Tehran in 1979. Middle East observers generally… Continue Reading

Baghdad-Riyadh Rapprochement?

by Maya Yang In late July, the Iraqi Shi’ite cleric and leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr, paid an official visit to Saudi Arabia for the first time in 11 years. Sadr’s visit was preceded by the visit of… Continue Reading

Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood: Frenemies?

by Mahmoud Pargoo Saudi Arabia’s decision to sever ties with Qatar in response to the latter’s claimed support of terrorist organizations such as the Muslim Brotherhood as well as its relationship with Iran has raised a crucial question. Namely, is… Continue Reading

Aligning with Iran Necessary to Combat Sunni Extremism

by Emile Nakhleh In the past quarter century, the United States and its Western allies have suffered much from terrorism, mostly perpetrated by Sunni extremists. America has spent billions of dollars fighting al-Qaeda and its affiliated groups and more recently… Continue Reading

Can Rouhani Meet the Expectations of Iran’s Sunnis?

by Fatemeh Aman Sunni religious minorities had a high turnout in Iran’s recent presidential election that led to Hassan Rouhani’s victory. Is there now a better prospect for improving the rights of minorities, or were they only used as a… Continue Reading