Tag "Iran"
Will Drones Push the Middle East Past the Point of No Return?
Unmanned aerial systems (UASs) or drones, both armed and unarmed, have altered how states and insurgents conduct warfare in the Middle East.
Houthi threat to Saudi Arabia’s oil industry
The increasing missile, drone, and naval capabilities of the Houthis make the Saudi oil industry vulnerable to attack.
Sanctions and social media: Civil unrest and Iran-US relations
Recent domestic and international developments have negatively affected the stability of the Iranian regime.
Iran partially exits the nuclear deal: is war on the horizon?
President Trump’s most recent sanctions and deployment of an aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf has raised fears about another US war in the Middle-East. Iran’s decision to cease compliance with key parts of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) intensifies anxieties.
America and Europe: Growing differences over Iran
The United States’ and Poland’s co-hosted conference in Europe is a controversial event. It has united some American allies around President Donald Trump’s aggressive anti-Iran posturing while alienating some others.
US troops withdrawal from Syria and the threat of Islamic State
President Trump’s decision to withdraw troops from Syria has infuriated allies and strengthened adversaries on the ground. This has allowed Turkey to potentially eliminate a key Kurdish fighting force. This article assesses who stands to win and lose from this decision and the long-term impact for relations in the Middle East.
Serbian visas as diplomacy
Serbia has ensured that its passport holders have visa-free access to a wide range of countries, from Belarus to Indonesia. Many new visa waiver agreements have been signed in the past 5 years, but the most recent agreement, with Iran, was cancelled after one year alone. The failure of the Iran agreement highlights the unique role that visas play in Serbian diplomacy.
The Special Purpose Vehicle and the future of the Iran deal
In yet another sign of the US’ waning global leadership role on the Iran nuclear deal, the EU, Russia and China have set up an alternate payment mechanism called the Special Purpose Vehicle or SPV as a means to bypass any additional US sanctions.
Sanctions, oil, and the emerging China-Russia-Iran axis
Although China has backpedalled on proposed tariffs on U.S. crude imports, the move is indicative of its need to diversify sources and steps may now be taken to enable China to play the oil card in the future – including imports from Iran despite sanctions, and drawing closer to Russia.
Why Iran and Syria still need each other
Bashar al-Assad’s reliance on Tehran might have at some point upset the balance of power between the Iran and Syria, but recent developments, most notably the US withdrawing from the nuclear deal, have emphasized the significance of the alliance for both countries.
