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Al-Qaida's local branch set to dominate Syria rebels

Location:

SYRIA

JaN's standing among the Syrian rebel movement has been bolstered by a series of major strategic wins against the regime in north western Syria. The capture of Idlib city and Jisr…

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…

Iranian-US relations will remain fraught

Location:

IRAN/UNITED STATES

The warning comes despite the announcement on August 10 of an ‘understanding’, which could see US dual nationals freed in a prisoner exchange in return for unfreezing Iranian…

Gaza war will test Saudi-Iranian rapprochement

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IRAN/SAUDI ARABIA

The call was the first between the leaders since Tehran and Riyadh restored diplomatic relations in March 2023. As well signalling a positive step in building relations, it was…

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…

Middle East states will look to Europe’s gas market

Location:

MIDDLE EAST/EUROPE

Eastern Mediterranean countries are scrambling to step up production and develop export channels for their gas to meet demand from Europe due to the Ukraine war. However, they…

China’s COVID-19 aid may boost Mideast role, US clash

Location:

MIDDLE EAST

This came during a visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif, who was seeking to negotiate a 25-year strategic partnership and move forward with collaboration on a…

Russian presence will constrain Israel in Syria

Location:

ISRAEL

Putin's comments follow Russia's sudden military build-up in north-west Syria in early September, and an Israeli artillery attack on the Syrian army in the Golan Heights on…

Syria will struggle to address acute energy shortages

Location:

SYRIA

This is part of a wider energy crisis that is also evident in the long queues outside petrol stations and in the difficulty that bakeries face in securing fuel, on top of the…

Rising Lebanese chaos may hinder elites and protesters

Location:

LEBANON

COVID-19 cases have spiked in the wake of the devastating August 4 explosion that destroyed parts of Beirut, causing mass casualties and forcing the resignation of Prime Minister…