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Added US sanctions on Syria may prove self-defeating

Location:

SYRIA/US

This comes as the US Congress is finalising a bill, the Caesar Act, that would substantially increase the sanctions pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government. As…

Damascus will likely fail to stem currency collapse

Location:

SYRIA

The Syrian pound’s weakening beyond 1,000 to the dollar on the parallel market has exposed the chronic weakness of the economy, even as President Bashar al-Assad’s forces move…

Nuclear deal will not moderate Iran's regional policy

Location:

IRAN

Tehran's regional ties have been strained by its support for Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Shia militias in Iraq, and sectarian groups in the Gulf. The…

Syrian Arab League return hopes will stall

Location:

SYRIA

The effort to restore Syria's membership, supported by most members but not all of the leading ones, has slowed following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the start of protests in…

Lebanon will bargain for more Syrian refugee returns

Location:

LEBANON/SYRIA

The country’s economic crisis and the Christian community's demographic fears have increased anti-refugee sentiment, which politicians weaponised around the May 2022 elections. In…

Southern Syria faces rising security problems

Location:

SYRIA

Together with Syrian government budget cutbacks, the decreased Russian presence has resulted in an increase in inter-communal clashes, forced disappearances, demonstrations and…

State role will entrench Syrian-Lebanese drugs trade

Location:

SYRIA/LEBANON

Key to the new pattern is the increased association of state and state-linked actors with the trade in narcotics, primarily Captagon and hashish. The new environment creates risks…

Saudi Arabia will seek Arab diplomatic leadership

Location:

SAUDI ARABIA

This comes as the US Yemen envoy engages on a new Saudi-Huthi peace mission, while Washington and Iran intensify Vienna talks on a return to the nuclear deal. Riyadh is…

Blowback may eventually restrain Gulf interventionism

Location:

GULF STATES

The wealthier Gulf states have become increasingly active in nearby countries over the past decade. They have intervened significantly across the Middle East and Horn of Africa…

Middle East regimes will survive lasting instability

Location:

MIDDLE EAST

Regime resilience in the Middle East.