This article was first published in the Manara Magazine. Another fast-track Kurdish peace process[i] is underway in Turkey. Is it aiming to resolve the decades-old Kurdish issue or pull together a minimum winning coalition for Erdoğan to maintain his rule? The peace process has already led to the Kurdistan
The Houthi movement, designated by the U.S. as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), has emerged as the most prolific violent non-state actor employing Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). According to GTTAC data, the group has conducted 388 drone attacks from 2018 to 2024, targeting a wide array of actors, including the
The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) is a visionary infrastructure and cooperation initiative that was officially launched at the 2023 G20 Summit in New Delhi. The IMEC’s primary aim is to enhance connectivity and promote robust economic collaboration between India and Eurasia. The corridor comprises land rail links and shipping
President Donald J. Trump successfully cajoling Israel and Iran into a precarious ceasefire this month was welcome news in the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states. Wanting stability to prevail in the region, the Gulf Arab monarchies have stakes in this truce holding up so that the Israel-Iran war does
A comprehensive overview of the Syrian Civil War extends from its origins during the Arab Spring uprisings in 2011 through to the fall of the Assad regime in 2024 and continues into the country’s ongoing transitional period. It examines the rise of extremist groups and assesses the role of foreign
President Donald J. Trump’s Gulf tour this month—with visits to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)—marked a pivotal moment in US relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)’s wealthiest and most geopolitically influential members. As economic ties deepen, especially in the high-stakes realm of artificial intelligence (AI),
Last month, the Emir of Qatar and the Sultan of Oman visited Moscow, where they met with President Vladimir Putin. These visits to the Kremlin highlight Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members’ efforts to deepen ties with Russia across geopolitical, security, energy, economic, and diplomatic fronts. Such engagements affirm Moscow’s enduring
In 2002, when the People’s Mojahedin Organization, the exiled opposition group of the Islamic Republic of Iran, revealed the hidden aspects of Iran’s nuclear industry development in a hotel in Washington, the international community, including the Arab countries of the region and the Persian Gulf monarchies, felt fear and vulnerability
Oman, an oasis of peace and stability in the turbulent Middle East, largely attributes its foreign policy’s success to its neutrality. Omani diplomacy has the potential to help President Donald J. Trump fulfill his 2024 campaign pledge to become a peacemaker in the Middle East. Omanis stress that their neutrality
In this episode of Orion Talks, host Marta Furlan talks with Prof David Des Roches on the recent developments in Yemen as the US revisits its approach to the country under President Trump. Prof Des Roches starts by discussing the US approach to Yemen and the Houthis, over the past
In this episode of Orion Talks, host Marta Furlan talks with Mr. Abdulghani Al-Iryani on the recent developments in Yemen as the US revisits its approach to the country under President Trump. To start, Mr. Al-Iryani offers an overview of the current state of affairs in Yemen, focusing on the
Saudi Arabia’s “positive neutrality” foreign policy doctrine is serving Riyadh’s interests. Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) has shrewdly navigated international crises, projecting the kingdom to the “forefront of world statecraft.” This has been underscored by the important Saudi role in hosting and/or mediating talks on ending
