Latest Articles about Middle East
Insurgent Attacks on the Iraqi Energy Sector
With the recent reduction in political violence, the Iraqi government is looking to make greater use of the nation’s formidable oil wealth, a frequent target of Iraq’s varied insurgent groups. Iraq and the Coalition have set out a new strategy aimed at protecting the oil... MORE
Does Cairo Bombing Mark a Return to Terrorist Violence in Egypt?
A bombing in Cairo’s ancient Khan al-Khalili market has raised fears about a new round of terrorist attacks in Egypt coming amid the 2009 tourist season. The February 22 attack left one French tourist dead and over 20 local and foreign bystanders injured, including French,... MORE
BRIEFS
PRO-GOVERNMENT WARLORD LAUNCHES ATTACK IN SOUTH SUDAN’S OIL-RICH MALAKAL REGION Fierce fighting broke out last week in the oil-rich region in and around Malakal, the capital of Sudan’s Upper Nile State, after a government-sponsored militia leader made an unexpected return to the city, where he is... MORE
Would Iran Want Turkey as a Mediator for U.S.-Iranian Negotiations?
On the eve of possible talks between the United States and Iran, Ankara is encouraging Iranian leaders to seize the opportunity for peace now that a new administration that favors dialogue is in office in Washington (Today's Zaman, March 10). Turkish President Abdullah Gul went... MORE
China’s Palestine Policy
The geopolitics of China’s rise and its implications for the Arab world and wider Middle East is a topic for serious debate. Currently, China’s Middle East strategy revolves around shoring up its energy security and tapping consumer markets and investment opportunities for Chinese businesses. Given... MORE
Turkey-Iran Relations: A Trade Partnership or a Gateway for Iran to Escape International Sanctions?
While the international community has been discussing whether Iran finally has the technological capacity to produce nuclear weapons, the diplomatic traffic between Turkey and Iran has been increasing. In addition to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit to Turkey, nine meetings at the ministerial level were... MORE
Assessing the Role of Hezbollah in the Gaza War and Its Regional Impact
In the aftermath of the recent Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip, there has been an intense debate regarding Hezbollah’s non-intervention in the conflict and the reasons behind this strategic decision. However, the group’s failure to take part in an armed attack against Israel... MORE
Tensions Increase in the Gulf over Iranian Nuclear Projects
This week Sergei Kiriyenko, the chief of Russia's Federal Atomic Energy Agency (Rosatom), went to the Persian Gulf port of Bushehr to announce that Russia had completed construction of Iran's first light-water, industrial, 1,000-megawatt nuclear power reactor. Kiriyenko told journalists that "The construction stage of... MORE
Rising Arab-Kurdish Tensions over Kirkuk Will Complicate U.S. Withdrawal from Iraq
Kurdish suspicions of Iraq's central government have reignited after a January 22 decision by Baghdad to deploy the army's 12th Division north towards the disputed oil-rich city of Kirkuk. This development, coupled with U.S. military plans to gradually disengage from Iraq, led Kurdistan Regional Government... MORE
The Frozen S-300 Missiles Deal: A Signal to Obama or a Deal with Israel?
Iranian Defense Minister General Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar visited Moscow this week to discus the purchase of sensitive weapons systems, the antiaircraft S-300PMU-1 missiles in particular. According to the daily Kommersant, the contract to sell Iran five S-300 missile divisions was signed "some time ago" and the... MORE