Middle Orient

Key Takeaways Syria: The Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) agreed to extend their ceasefire in northeastern Syria for 15 days on January 24. The continued ceasefire will help ensure that the government offensive does not inflict lasting harm on US counter-Islamic State in Iraq and al Sham …

The US-backed, Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) capitulated to the Syrian government in a ceasefire agreement on January 18.[1] The government compelled the SDF to agree after a combination of government operations and tribal uprisings caused the SDF to withdraw from nearly half of its territory and most of the …

Introduction It’s the strongman’s dilemma. When one leaves power — one way or another — does one pave the way for a successor? With an aging leader, Turkey may have to face that question sooner rather than later. There is no official confirmation, but sources allege that Turkish President Recep …

Toplines The Iranian regime is conducting a concerted campaign that involves diplomatic, informational, and military lines of effort to try to prevent US military action against Iran. Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Abbas Araghchi, President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Secretary Ali Larijani have conducted a flurry of …

Introduction This report is part of MEMRI’s repository of contemporary and historical foundational documents of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) movement. It presents statements by the Khaled Mash’al, the leader of the Hamas movement abroad, in which he asserts that Hamas is rooted in the MB and is ideologically part of …

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered the start of nuclear talks with the United States, local media said, as his counterpart Donald Trump threatened “bad things” if no deal with the Islamic republic was struck. Following the Iranian authorities’ deadly response to anti-government protests that peaked last month, the US …

They’re all connected to its role in jointly building the “New Syria”. Syrian President Ahmed “Jolani” al-Sharaa’s second trip to Moscow in several months was widely interpreted as having to do with the future of Russia’s air and naval bases there. That may be true, especially since they play a …

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been accused of serving as a “Zionist Trojan horse” within the Arab world, enabling Israeli influence and destabilising the region to serve Tel Aviv’s ambitions. In a scathing article by Saudi academic and former Shura Council member, Dr Ahmed bin Othman Al-Tuwaijri, the Emirates …

Amid ambiguity and the absence of a clear institutional framework, implementation of the agreement signed between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is set to begin tomorrow, Monday, February 2. Although the start of procedural steps has been announced, the past hours have seen an escalation in …

Mike Huckabee tells Israeli TV that decision on US strike on Iran yet to be made; says embassy surprised by cancellation of flights to Israel; vows Turkey won’t receive F-35s US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said in an interview aired Saturday that US President Donald Trump will not disappoint …