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Engaging with Afghanistan will get harder for West

Location:

AFGHANISTAN

This was a reference to criticism of Taliban rule by certain international players. While engagement between the emirate and the West remains limited, the Taliban are drawing…

Iraq’s Sunnis and Kurds face a more peripheral future

Location:

IRAQ

Discussions on the future of the US-Iraq security relationship will be followed with intense interest by both Iran-backed Shia forces in Iraq and their increasingly sidelined…

Afghanistan’s marginalised groups face increasing woes

Location:

AFGHANISTAN

The Taliban have increasingly fraught relations not only with Shia, most of whom are ethnic Hazaras, but also with other marginalised communities, including Salafis -- a small…

Choice of Supreme Leader will shape Iran’s future

Location:

IRAN

The sucession matters greatly for Iran's for direction. President Ibrahim Raisi and the Supreme Leader’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, are currently the most likely successors. The two…

Intra-Shia strains in Iraq could spiral out of control

Location:

IRAQ

Sadr’s resignation was triggered by his failure to form a government after ten months. His attempts have resulted in a hardening of divisions within the Shia community. The latest…

Iraq undermined by Iranian and factional interests

Location:

IRAQ

The US Treasury believes the dollars have gone to Iran, highlighting the extent of Tehran's involvement in Iraqi political, economic and security affairs. Sudani himself is…

Afghanistan's neighbours irritated by US rapprochement

Location:

AFGHANISTAN

After a series of conciliatory moves, the Biden administration is trying to persuade the Taliban to make concessions in return for financial assistance. Taliban leaders are…

Influencing Iraq and Syria will have costs for Turkey

Location:

TURKEY

Turkey's attempts to expand its military role in both Iraq and Syria are entangled with major shifts in its relations with the United States and Russia, and in its overall…

Iraq’s upcoming government will have a limited mandate

Location:

IRAQ

He promised the protesters -- who reject him as a member of the ruling establishment -- wholesale reforms, a say in the new cabinet and an end to the security crackdown. This came…

Improved Turkish-US relations may only be temporary

Location:

TURKEY/US

Turkish-US relations under a Trump presidency.