Diplomacy

The Language of War: Europe Braces for Iran-Israel Rerun

Iranian diplomats walked away from another meeting room in Istanbul last month, leaving European officials staring at empty chairs and dwindling hopes.

Economics Via Mediation: Gaza and Ukraine Wars Offer Europe Opportunities

As summits scatter and ceasefires collapse, Europe quietly positions itself as the next honest broker of wars where America's patience wears thin.

Frozen Over, No More: Putin and Trump’s Meeting in Alaska

Putin-Trump's upcoming summit in Alaska revives Russian-American history, symbolising a imperial past, Arctic geopolitics, and possible rapprochement.

Poker Face: Russia’s Transactional Game

Putin promised partnership to Iran, friendship to Israel, and mediation to Trump; Moscow's Middle East strategy is beautifully duplicitous.

MI6’s New Chief: Europe’s Answer to Mideast Marginalisation

When MI6's new chief speaks Arabic and knows Tehran's secrets, Europe might finally have found its voice in the Middle East's power game. 

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Hammer and Anvil: Washington’s Kurdish Strategy

Washington's push to arm Kurdish fighters for the Iran war hit a barrier of defiance that forced Donald Trump to meet a history of broken alliances.

Oil and Water: A Secondary Theatre of War

Black rain and chemical smog is quietly overshadowing any military gains, poisoning the air and water that millions need to survive.

Playing Both Sides: Russia and the Strategic Windfall

As Washington and Tehran engage in a brutal zugzwang, Moscow is enjoying a massive windfall by selling energy to a panicked global market.

A School Bombing Tests AI’s Liability Limits

A US strike killed up to 168 people at a girls' school in Iran last week. Investigators now believe an AI system using outdated targeting data identified it as a military site.

Mojtaba: Who is Iran’s New Strongman?

The Islamic Republic named a new Supreme Leader this week: the son of the man killed less than ten days ago.