Policy Analysis

The Iran nuclear deal has given Moscow an excuse to pursue its geostrategic goals in Syria more directly, and sticking a thumb in Washington's eye is at the top of the list.

As Moscow builds up a reportedly substantial presence in the coastal provinces, Washington and its allies need to consider how the intervention could affect the Assad regime's prospects of survival and the future of the campaign against ISIS.

Without a credible conventional deterrent that goes beyond mere rhetoric, the United States cannot stop Iran from running toward the bomb.

Russia can't fight a war in both Ukraine and Syria while also maintaining troops throughout the post-Soviet space, but Putin appears set on trying.

Although Iran's influence in Iraq remains limited by various political, religious, and economic factors, the rise of ISIS has created new opportunities for Tehran to present itself as the country’s savior.

Now that the president has won the big fight, Americans across the political divide hope he will stop quashing attempts to repair the nuclear deal's flaws.

Russia and Iran have changed the stakes in Syria, and the United States should act accordingly.

The nuclear deal can't be defeated, but it can be toughened with smart bipartisan action.

Although the reported intervention in Syria may spread Russia's armed forces too thin, the Kremlin seems poised to grow even more aggressive in its near abroad.

The Iraqi government's fight against ISIS is less important than how it deals with the impending economic crisis and the complex political and sectarian issues that drive the country's various militias.

Rather than recalling past glories, Russia's reportedly escalating support for Assad may prove to be a reminder of why they faded in the first place.

The following is Dr. Levitt's contribution to a Council on Foreign Relations roundtable discussing the implications of the nuclear agreement . Iran is Hezbollah's primary benefactor, giving the Lebanese political party and militant group some $200 million a year in addition to weapons, training, intelligence, and logistical assistance. Over the

Potential military action against Iran would be much more risky if the regime does in fact acquire the advanced S-300 antiaircraft missiles, but Moscow and Tehran have significant obstacles to overcome before that occurs.

Recent survey results present policymakers with an opportunity to take steps toward short-term peaceful coexistence, but also with a severe challenge: that of contending with the possibility that even a "final status" agreement might not be truly final.

Three upcoming rounds of local and upper house elections will test the reform process launched in the wake of Morocco's Arab Spring.

The royals will likely try to smooth relations that have been strained by the Iran nuclear deal and differences over Syria and Yemen.

A closer look at how an Iranian-linked Hezbollah chief bombed the Khobar Towers and walked free -- until last month.

Before the nuclear deal was signed, the freezing of Iranian assets was incomplete, so the loosening of restrictions on these assets will have less impact than implied by past and current arguments.

Only firm demands for a better deal will force the president to confront an unpalatable choice: does he prefer to improve the agreement or watch it fail?

The major discovery is good news for Egypt but will likely impede Israel's much-delayed plans to exploit and export its own offshore reserves.