Recent Posts

Russia to host Turkey, Syria, Iran diplomats on Wednesday

Senior Turkish, Syrian, Iranian and Russian diplomats are set to meet to advance the stalled rapprochement between Ankara and Damascus. Turkey’s Deputy Foreign Minister Burak Akcapar and his Syrian counterpart Ayman Susan will meet in Moscow on Wednesday for two days as part of efforts to advance the Ankara-Damascus thaw, …

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‘Iraq is not an Islamic country’: Minorities protest Baghdad’s alcohol ban as unconstitutional

The Iraqi government’s renewed effort to prohibit alcohol is not only worrisome for Christian and Yazidi minorities, but also raises constitutionality questions. Iraq officially banned the import, production and sale of alcoholic beverages of all kinds on March 4, in a repeat of a ban that was passed in 2016, …

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China triumphs with Saudi-Iran deal, but devil in implementation

The deal marks a turning point in Middle Eastern politics, but China may find its role undermined by failures in implementation. China’s role in the Saudi-Iranian deal is momentous. However, Beijing may find that its relations in the region are undermined by failures in its implementation. Last Friday marked a …

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