Policy Analysis

Türkiye’s latest elections have allowed the YRP to demonstrate success in certain areas of President Erdogan’s traditional, pious base in Türkiye, emphasizing the waning power of Erdogan’s political message after his shift away from ideologically guided politics.

Turkey's intertwining of its mega project and its anti-PKK operation improves the chances of success for both elements. But this interconnection can be a double-edged sword—if one element fails, it may potentially hinder the success of the other.

Without active and continuous deterrence, ISIS forces may look to take advantage of the deteriorating security and governance situation in areas formerly under their control.

Washington and allies should find ways to increase the cost to Iraqi politicians of normalizing the militias’ role and the subordination of the Iraqi state to Tehran’s rulers.

China is increasingly backing up its narrative of good governance by providing governance training to foreign officials in an attempt to develop the Chinese brand in the Middle East.

Iraq is in real danger of losing its checks and balances and failing as a constitutional democracy due to the rapid collapse of a separation of powers.

While Iranian officials acknowledge the significance of cyber tools and AI for foreign policy, they are acutely aware of the country’s financial and scientific limitations.

The KRG’s autonomy hangs in the balance, caught in a pincer movement between internal political discord and a history of externally imposed limitations. The recent court rulings are merely the latest blow, further restricting the KRG’s ability to govern itself.

By finding lasting solutions in coordination with both parties, relations can be mended and the gridlock and animosity that is crippling cooperation between the two parties can be put to an end.

Now more than ever, it is crucial to effectively include women's issues in peace talks and transitional negotiations, ensuring that their representation is proportionate to their realities and contributions to society.

Perhaps now is the time for the United Nations to step back. It is also time for our leaders, from East and West, to recognize that a joint way forward is possible.

Using multiple militias and operating units, Tehran aims to drive the Americans out of eastern Syria, fill the resulting security vacuum, and assert indirect control.

Syrians inside the country and in refugee states await a true miracle, especially with their cause becoming highly internationalized and overshadowed by global events like the Gaza war.

The Coalition Framework’s overall electoral successes in Iraq’s provincial elections is playing out in governor appointment decisions across much of the country, including in Baghdad and Basra. The ongoing competition in Kirkuk, however, highlights just how complicated power-sharing dynamics can become.

Today, there is a fear of the resurgence of threats to Jordan from its eastern borders, which are de-facto controlled by armed groups loyal to Iran.

Roumieh’s drug networks have been an ongoing and pervasive challenge for Lebanon.

While Qatar mediates with Hamas over Gaza, Oman’s facilitation efforts with the Houthis appear to be in abeyance pending recognition that a broader settlement is needed to secure regional stability.

Even if an incursion into Rafah occurs without sparking a clash between Israeli and Egyptian forces, Israel will be facing two key challenges in its relationship with Egypt: the eventual status of the Philadelphi corridor and the rapid rise of support for Hamas inside Egypt itself.

The United States, in recognizing the limits of its traditional “bloc-building” approach, faces the imperative to adapt to a multipolar reality. Embracing multipolarity as a fundamental principle of its foreign policy could pave the way for more flexible and effective international engagements.

By outlining a strategy in the north of Iraq, a vision regarding reconciliation and a constructive settlement of differences between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Federal Government of Iraq in relation to the management of energy resources in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq can emerge.