America risks upsetting the balance of powers at its peril
Picture the scene: it is January 2029 and the 48th US president, a Democrat, is in the Oval Office, having achieved a comfortable win over Republican candidate J.D. Vance in the November...
Can BRICS reshape the global financial order?
In August 2023, the leaders of the BRICS nations — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — gathered in Johannesburg to declare their ambition to rewire the international system. A centerpiece...
Europe’s lifeline to Palestine will not fix its bleeding economy
The European Commission’s allocation last month of a €202 million ($238 million) aid package to support the Palestinian Authority and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees comes as a...
The end of a confrontation or just a break?
Every side in the war has declared victory. Donald Trump announced the US attack with 14 bunker-busting bombs and the destruction of three Iranian nuclear facilities, before calling for a peace deal.
Mixed outlook for the UN on its 80th birthday
The UN celebrated its 80th birthday on Thursday. But Secretary-General Antonio Guterres used the occasion to warn that its founding charter is under assault like never before.
The organization...
Missile exchanges may have ended — but questions remain
As befits 21st century diplomacy, US President Donald Trump announced a complete and total ceasefire between Iran and Israel on social media, congratulating “everyone” for this, especially himself. After regrettable violations within...
Middle East must prioritize diplomacy over conflict
The Middle East stands at a crossroads as tensions between Iran and Israel escalate, marked by the recent Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and Iran’s retaliatory ballistic missile barrages. This exchange...
US is at war with Iran — and with itself
Forget about the war with Iran for a moment. The conflict inside the US, with universities, foreign students, immigrants, and the polarization between interventionists and isolationists, may have far more impact on...
Iran and the craft of politics
For decades, Iran’s patience has not been merely a political tactic, it has been a way of life in how the country navigates crises, negotiations and power projection. But the recent war...
Netanyahu’s delusional pursuit of a ‘new Middle East’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu persistently declares his ambition to “change the face of the Middle East.” Yet his repeated assertions seem to clash with the unfolding reality on the ground.