Middle East/North Africa
US-Russia negotiated ceasefire in Syria unlikely to succeed
The US-Russia ceasefire framework for Syria does not adequately rein in the Assad regime, as double standards and linguisitic loopholes abound. A guest post by Syrian journalist Abdulrahman al-Masri. The
What can we expect from the elections in Iran?
On February 26th, Iran will be holding elections for both the Islamic Consultative Assembly and the Assembly of Experts. Elections to each of these bodies will be important for the
The refugee crisis: A mirror into Turkey’s growing instability
The Syrian crisis has shaken the foundations of the ‘European’ Project and polarized the European community. However, the continent is dealing with a small number of refugees in comparison to
Is partitioning Syria a viable option?
US Secretary of State John Kerry recently said that partitioning Syria may be a possibility. In this debate series, GRI asked whether Syria would remain united. Jacob Purcell presents why,
Who is funding ISIS?
While Al-Qaeda-like groups are relying on donations and convincing Muslim opinion worldwide, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) is exploiting both the local population and resources on
Sultan Qaboos and the Omani Economy
A GRI Power Brokers feature on Sultan Qaboos of Oman. In a region torn by war and civil strife, it is sometimes difficult to look at those political and economic
Breaking down the Syria peace deal
Just over a week after UN-sponsored negotiations ground to a halt in the face of a government breakthrough, the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) unexpectedly announced an ambitious agreement to
Will U.S spying hurt ties with Israel?
Will the recent leaks of the Anarchist surveillance program cause further stress for already tense relations between Washington and Israel? On Friday, January 29th, the online journal The Intercept and
Saudi-Iranian ‘cold war’ uses sectarianism as tool
Following Saudi Arabia’s execution of the Shiite Cleric, Nimr al-Nimr, observers of the Middle East are pondering a multitude of eventualities, many of which point to a hot conflict between
Assessing China’s strategy in the Middle East
President Xi Jinping’s tour of the Middle East reveals China’s willingness to expand its role in the region in order protect vital strategic interests in its quest to becoming a
