All Policy Analysis by Simon Henderson

New demonstrations, executions, and diplomatic quarrels threaten to undermine the island’s efforts to improve its pro-Western profile amid the Iran crisis.

While much of the world is focused on the Strait of Hormuz, tensions are also mounting rapidly in the East Mediterranean.

The military elite who decide much of Pakistan's foreign policy view Afghan stabilization efforts as a strategic opportunity for arch rival India to encircle them.

The Oval Office meeting between President Trump and Emir Tamim could have many agenda items, but the regional tension with Tehran will be foremost.

At the very least, the International Atomic Energy Agency should be pressured to conduct closer inspections of Iranian enrichment sites and other nuclear facilities.

The guest list at the scaled-down meeting continues to shrink, while the tension caused by recent Iranian escalation looms in the background.

Although the island may reap diplomatic kudos and economic benefits for hosting such a high-profile event, the potential reactions of domestic sectarian communities and nearby Iran remain a concern.

Among other steps, Washington should release more intelligence on Tehran’s efforts to target energy assets while urging Gulf and European allies to visibly step up their military posture.

The slow but steady progress in developing offshore gas fields is transforming local economies and could underpin U.S. peace plans.

Ultimately, sabotage operations in the Gulf may prove to be less impactful than Russian engagement with OPEC, a global economic slowdown, and other geopolitical factors.

As international players compete to ease or exploit the crisis, Washington is seemingly pressuring Riyadh to end its support for brutal warlords like General Dagalo.

Tehran’s decision to renege on some of its nuclear commitments heralds a new period of disturbingly ambiguous announcements.

Despite the challenges that usually accompany these high-level talks, Gulf countries seem keener than ever to counter the threat across the Persian Gulf.

Attacks on tankers near the Strait of Hormuz and Saudi Arabia’s main internal pipeline have accelerated the emerging Gulf crisis and could cause prices to spike worldwide.

Change is certainly happening in the kingdom, but it hasn’t been smooth, and doesn’t look like it will be so in the future either.

American ships and bombers are arriving in the Gulf at a time when nerves are raw and various players are making risky escalation wagers.

President Trump may be counting on the fact that U.S. voters oppose both higher gas prices and another war, but in the end he may have to pick one or the other.

Whether the young Saudi crown prince ultimately ascends to the throne will entail plenty of plot twists, but it also holds serious implications for the kingdom, the region, and U.S. interests.