Policy Analysis

In light of Tehran’s concerted efforts to reverse last year’s electoral setback, it has become too risky to let Baghdad’s nascent democracy simply fend for itself.

Although it is still unclear if the Supreme Leader will approve the necessary compromises, regime officials are maximizing their room for maneuver by preparing the country either way—assuming the economy doesn’t force their hand.

Turkey’s involvement in the reconstruction of Mosul Airport could cause problems amidst regional tensions with France and Iran, but it is also emblematic of the growing economic ties between Turkey and Iraq.

Iran’s free trade zone project was intended to create jobs, boost investment, and integrate Iran’s economy. Instead, poor infrastructure and corrupt officials turned the zones into monopolized markets that do more harm than good.

Why do Iranian officials keep ordering hits on U.S. soil in the middle of sensitive negotiations? Because they know they can get away with it.

Following the drone strike against al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, many variables are up in the air that could significantly alter the stability of a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan as well as the future of the al-Qaeda framework.

The group’s international profile has risen substantially with help from China, Turkey, and other states, but Western leaders should curtail their engagement so long as Kabul keeps gaslighting them about its al-Qaeda ties.

A Diyala-based militia that offered its services to Nouri al-Maliki on a leaked audiotape from July 2022.

Whether or not Tehran is proven to be involved, the incident holds significant implications for the regime's international diplomacy and terrorist activity—not to mention its claims about the applicability of Khamenei’s “nuclear fatwa.”

10 months after Iraqi elections, intra-Shia feuding between the Sadrist movement and the Coordination Framework has led to several public demonstrations but few viable solutions.

The involvement of Turkish military forces in Northern Syria could allow thousands of Syrians to return to their homes after being forced out by the YPG, the SDF, and other entities for many years.

By pushing the government to make more efficient use of higher hydrocarbon prices and a budget surplus of $2 billion, the sultan has helped reduce anxiety about the stability of the strategically positioned Gulf state.

What the latest round of fighting against PIJ—and not, conspicuously, Hamas—means, and why it will probably happen again.

The ongoing war in Ukraine, with its recrystallization of allegiances, can provide Algeria the opportunity to return from a shift towards Russia and China back to a more balanced relationship with great powers.

Although anti-democratic measures continue to mount, now is not the time for cutting assistance, but rather for bolstering the country’s imperiled private sector, robust civil society, and compromised judiciary.

Despite the troubling trends and escalatory incidents described in the latest UN report, the Security Council seems intent on maintaining a failed policy instead of taking urgent action to curb the growing threat of war.

Kurdish women use art as a powerful tool to represent what it means to be a Kurd, a woman, and a human being.

The Kurdish Region of Iraq, rife with economic and security challenges, is witnessing increased censorship and suppression of free speech.

The militia leader is being constrained by other members of the Iran-dominated Shia Coordination Framework regarding how to respond to Sadrist protests.

The Maliki audio leaks highlight the inherent fragility of Iraqi politicians while offering an insight into the dynastic politics of Iraq.