Persian Gulf Stability Requires Realism and Compromise

by Shireen T. Hunter In the aftermath of attacks on two Saudi Arabian oil installations, attributed either directly or indirectly to Iran, calls in the United States for punitive military action against Tehran have once more increased. As has often… Continue Reading

After the Aramco Attack: A Middle East One Step Closer to Its “1914 Moment”

by International Crisis Group For much of 2019, Crisis Group has warned that a trigger event could spark direct military confrontation between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, on one side, and Iran on the other, precipitating a regional conflagration. The… Continue Reading

Is Iran’s Economy Sliding?

by Djavad Salehi-Isfahani Last April, in a column for this blog I predicted that sanctions are very unlikely to force Iran to renegotiate the multilateral nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). In particular, I argued that… Continue Reading

Trump’s Wall is Alive in Hungary, which is why Orban is befriending Assad

by Nicolai Due-Gundersen “You’re respected all over Europe,” Trump insisted when meeting Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban at the White House in May 2019. For his part, Orban confirmed that his views on immigration were aligned with Trump’s border wall… Continue Reading