Summary: diplomacy rather than bullets marked the end, at least for the time being, of a dispute between Iran and Iraqi Kurdistan that had it not been resolved had the potential to explode into a major military confrontation.
Summary: a leading security expert explains the strategy behind President Biden’s ongoing negotiations to have Saudi Arabia recognise Israel and argues that with time on the Saudi side a deal is not coming anytime soon.
Summary: Beijing’s overarching desire to defend its governance model domestically, especially at a time when it is facing sustained economic headwinds, calls into question the benefits of BRICS membership for traditional US allies in the MENA region.
Summary: in the wake of Putin’s war Iraq faced uncertainty and anxiety with Iran continuing its oversized presence and parliamentary parties jostling for advantage even as the vast majority of Iraqis suffered the ongoing consequences of massive corruption.
Summary: a 15 percent hike in the price of Brent since early July has re-energised the oil bulls. However, there remain forces pulling in both directions suggesting that a price in the US$80-90pb range at year-end is still more likely than US$100.
Summary: the UAE and Saudi Arabia took stock of America’s declining status in the Middle East, saw Washington seemingly ready to do a deal with Tehran that once again cut them out and decided that they needed a fresh approach and new strategies in dealing with the threat of Iran.
Summary: child abuse is a huge problem but social taboos and government indifference means little action is taken; in war zones such as Syria physical and sexual abuse is a deliberate regime weapon; breaking the taboos, providing sanctuary and support for survivors and arresting, convicting and jailing perpetrators is urgently required.
Summary: the ever-increasing danger of dust storms, Iraq’s marshlands dying, a Lebanese journalist jailed, Foreign Office fall-out from a piece of anti-BDS legislation, a Palestinian family evicted from their East Jerusalem home and Black African migrants targeted in Tunisia.
Summary: Iraq’s water security is poor and – absent urgent action – is set to get much worse.
Summary: after eight months in office the Iraqi prime minister can point to a period of calm, increased FDI and a building boom in Baghdad as signs that his country is moving in the right direction but many Iraqis do not share his optimism.
