Judging by recent events, Iran appears to be heading towards a new escalation with the Gulf countries. The stalemate between the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels and the Saudi-led coalition persists, as neither of the parties has managed to strike a decisive blow. However, the Houthis have discovered a weak point in the Saudi defense-the vulnerability of […]
Iraq’s Ulama and Arab Clerics on the Kurdish Referendum
The reactions of Iraq’s ulama and some Arab clerics to the recent Kurdish referendum have been mostly negative, a clear reflection of their political sympathies. However-aside from Hizballah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah’s speech-the reactions have been nuanced. This has allowed for more fine-tuned gauging of political tendencies among the various religious communities of Iraq and […]
Saudi Reset with Iraq
Iraqi Shi’i leader Muqtada al-Sadr’s July 2017 visit to Saudi Arabia is evidence of a paradigmatic shift in Saudi policy. Aware that the Shi’a comprise the majority in Iraq, the kingdom appears to be abandoning its previous sectarian stance and is reaching out to the Shi’a population there. The Saudis have thus made use of […]
SAUDI RESET WITH IRAQ
Click here for PDF version Iraqi Shi’i leader Muqtada al-Sadr’s July 2017 visit to Saudi Arabia is evidence of a paradigmatic shift in Saudi policy. Aware that the Shi’a comprise the majority in Iraq, the kingdom appears to be abandoning its previous sectarian stance and is reaching out to the Shi’a population there. The Saudis […]
The Islamic State Strikes Tehran: Reactions and Repercussions
The two coordinated Islamic State (IS) attacks on the Iranian Parliament and the mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini are not only the first IS attacks in Iran, but also the first terror attacks of this kind in the country. These attacks are the realization of threats articulated by IS in late March to strike Iran. This […]
IRANIAN REFORMISTS: BETWEEN MODERATION AND REVOLUTION
gallClick here for PDF Iranian moderates made significant gains in the country’s February 2016 legislative elections. The reformists won 85 out of 290 seats compared with 75 seats for the conservatives. However, the reformists represented in the new parliament have no historical continuity with the reformist camp of the former President Mohammad Khatami; those reformists […]