The Syrian Timebomb is Ticking More Loudly

by Robert E. Hunter The conflict in Syria could soon take on dimensions that no one outside of that country really wants and with consequences that will have destructive effects far beyond the local issues at stake, notably intensifying US-Russian… Continue Reading

Muqtada al-Sadr’s Saudi Visit and Iraq’s Shifting Shia Politics

by Shireen Hunter   Last week, the Iraqi Shia cleric and the leader of the Sadrist movement Muqtada al-Sadr paid an official visit to Saudi Arabia and met with Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, the power behind the throne. In… Continue Reading

Rouhani’s Unlikely Supporters

by Sussan Tahmasebi According to the polls, incumbent Hassan Rouhani is the frontrunner in Iran’s upcoming presidential elections, which will be held on May 19. However observers acknowledge that the win is still not guaranteed and that Rouhani faces a tough… Continue Reading

Saudi-Iranian Rivalry Spills Over to Europe

by Eldar Mamedov On March 31, the Ahlulbayt Foundation Spain hosted a photo exhibition in Madrid dedicated to the fight of the Iraqi army and popular mobilization forces—often simplistically referred to in the West as the “Shiite militias”—against the so-called… Continue Reading