In Depth

By Abdallah Ahmad* — The problem is that we deal with is a nonlinear and dynamic international relations environment, it is clear that in the short and medium term (from one to four to five years) the course of the world order will be determined, It is also clear that …

By Dr. Akil Mahfoud* — The results of the municipal elections in Turkey (March 31, 2019) show that politics sometimes takes in what the politician thinks it gives, and may hit him from his safe haven, and lose in terms of his expected victory. The Turkish President Rajab Tayeb Erdogan …

A New Zealand nurse visited the ancient city of Petra in Jordan, where she met a Bedouin seller of souvenirs and loved him and lived with him in his cave. By Dr. Haytham Mouzahem — ‘”Where you staying?” the Bedouin asked. “Why you not stay with me tonight – in …

Dr. Haytham Mouzahem is a Lebanese analyst and researcher who specializes in Islamic and Middle East affairs. He has authored many books on Islam, Shiism, Iran, and Islamic and Jihadi groups. He currently heads the Beirut Centre for Middle East Studies. He spoke to International Affairs Review on the current …

By Sarah Safa* — General context The American administration, a leading force of a chaotic scene on the international arena:   For almost a decade, the world is falling into a horrific situation introduced by the wake of the so called “Arab Spring”. With violence, wars and bloody conflicts, waged …

By Dr. Haytham Mouzahem – The sectarian and religious conflicts ruling the Islamic world today are not a unique or new phenomenon, nor in the political and authoritarian dimensions when religion was used to mobilize support for rulers or regimes. The Christian west also witnessed conflicts and sectarian divisions between …

Much has been discussed about a resolution about the plight of Kashmiris and the Babri Masjid that was passed by the forty-sixth session of the Council of Foreign Ministers in Abu Dhabi in February this year. The resolution condemned India for its terrorism in Kashmir. The Contact Group on Jammu …

By Areej Zaher -In a country which adopted socialism as a way of life, economic difficulties will be its penalty. The Syrian war brought not only blood and terror but also EU sanctions to Syrian stock holdings and ventures, and the Syrian people were most affected. Government expenditure especially defense …

A distinguished mix of business, general and commercial aviation and aerospace exhibitors gathered this week at Riyadh’s Thumama Airport for the first ever Saudi International Airshow. THE LEVANT NEWS EXCLUSIVE – Riyadh – by Arthur Blok* — For the first time in Saudi history it was possible to make a …

By: Labib Faleh Taha   When the harsh terms of peace were imposed on Germany in the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 at the end of the First World War, the seeds of World War II were grew; the war which was more ferocious and brutal than its predecessor. When …

By Seyed Hossein Mousavian — In a statement issued on 20 February, more than 50 pro-diplomacy organisations representing millions of American voters urged US policymakers to respect the Iran nuclear deal, which verifiably blocks Iran’s pathway to a nuclear weapon, supports good-faith diplomacy and opposes war with Iran. Earlier last month, as millions …

With ISIS’ leader nowhere to be found, deep fissures have emerged within the crumbling terrorist organisation as desperate militants make a last stand. by Chris Massaro for FOX NEWS — As the once-powerful Islamic State (IS) crumbles, and its desperate fighters make a last stand in its final enclave surrounded …

By Areej Zaher* — Since the autumn of 2015, former US president Barack Obama gave orders to send US militants as part of a coalition against the Islamic state, ISIS. Seemingly, the president now in office, Donald Trump, has a different prospective regarding the American administration and its foreign policies …

This is an interview conducted by Emad El-Din AyshaBy with the Indian analyst and editor of International Affairs Review, Aditi Bhaduri on the Pakistani- Indian recent clashes: The Levant News: What is the Indian position now? Does it want escalation of the hostilities? What does India want from Pakistan that …

The Levant Exclusive – By Areej Zaher* – Lattakia – Besides the killing, arbitrary arrests, abducting and migration, Syrians are constantly going under incredible pressures pushing them to the edge of poverty. War is to blame, nonetheless, sanctions could be the last straw! Electricity ration and the big demand on …

The Foreign Policy Research Institute thinks that the American policy to withdraw from Syria is too fast.  They conclude, “With the clock ticking towards April, the United States is running out of time to reach agreement with Turkey and the SDF. Moreover, it will soon become quite apparent that U.S. …

By Dr. Haytham Mouzahem* –I will try in this paper to present the more likely expected scenarios in short and will focus on two issues. First, before discussing the future of terrorism, we must first agree on the reasons that led to the rise of the extremism and the motives …

February 1, 2019 After US orchestrated the challenge to President Maduro legitimacy in Venezuela andrecognizing the leader of general assembly Guaido as an interim president, the conflicting claims of who is president had a new layer of complexity added to it. On Monday during a press briefing by National Security …

FEBRUARY 7, 2019   by Seyed Hossein Mousavian In his State of Union, President Trump focused his comments about the Middle East on Iran, the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS or IS), and the U.S. troop withdrawal from Syria. Despite his negative rhetoric about Iran, Trump did identify some …

https://www.middleeasteye.net/columns/where-do-weaknesses-lie-iran-us-feud-27615304 Seyed Hossein Mousavian Tuesday 29 January 2019 Shortly after Secretary of the State Mike Pompeo embarked on a Middle East tour to mobilise US allies to “confront” Iran, his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif, tweeted that “whenever/wherever US interferes, chaos, repression & resentment follow”. From overthrowing the democratically elected government of the late …

By Graham E. Fuller (grahamefuller.com) 29 January 2019   As one looks out over the global scene, the outlook for democratic societies appears increasingly dismal. (I’ll avoid a complex discussion here about definitions of “democratic,” simply to note the broad spectrum of democracies that exist, each flawed in its own …

Nearly four years ago, the US, along with five other countries agreed to lift sanctions on Iran in exchange for the curtailment of the country’s nuclear programs. While this agreement helped thaw US-Iranian relations during the Obama administration, President Trump’s withdrawal from the deal has seen a massive decline in …

By Emad El-Din Aysha, PhD     Resistance literature, in the Arabic tradition, has been defined as: The literature of any group or people that are aware of their identity and fighting for their freedom against an aggressive other, and for their collective deliverance. The key words are freedom, collective …

Tunisia’s biggest challenge in 2019 is to combat illegal migration from its naval borders. With the ongoing crisis in neighboring Libya the North African country’s geographical location makes it an ideal hub for migrants looking to set off towards the European Union (EU). by Arthur Blok* Tunisia witnessed some dramatic …

By Emad El-Din Aysha, PhD   I had the good fortune of attending a book signing event once, with Ibrahim Nasrallah as the guest of honour, and during the question-answer session, somebody mentioned George Orwell’s dystopian classic 1984. This was no coincidence since the book being signed away was Nasrallah’s …

Since its inception in 2009, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) in The Hague has divided Lebanon. Up until now far over half a billion USD has been spent and the meter is still running. In the past years the STL has made no arrests, it will probably never do …

The Syrian conflict has gone through major developments marking a new era of victory and heading towards diplomatic solutions in order to declare the end of war and restore its vital role among the Arab world. Since the beginning of war, the Syrian army, backed by allies, has launched series …

by Graham E. Fuller – If the rise of strong new powers like China poses a challenge to the older US-dominated geopolitical order, what about about the converse? The challenge to the international order created by a declining and erratic great power ever more at odds with an emerging new …

By: Ibrahim Alalou A half acre of roses at my farm in Syria. I have a big farm in northern Syria. The story of the farm is worth telling, at least from my point of view. The reasons are many and it will take several posts but what better to start …

By Areej Zaher* — By the end of 2018, Syria’s isolation days seemed to reach an end, and promising diplomatic ties with neighboring Arab countries were in the atmosphere. The visit of the Sudanese president Al-Bashir to Damascus and the re-opening of the UAE embassy marked a new era of …

by Areej Zaher*   President Trump has announced recently his intention of withdrawing US troops, estimated at about 2000, from Syria. This put him under the mercy of criticism by his own administration. This announcement came as he asserted the defeat of Islamic State. This led to a dispute among …

Ibrahim Alalou   Halavah, A Middle Eastern sweet meal made from crushed sesame seeds and garnished with nuts.   Sesame Street was created by Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett in 1969. The long running American children’s television series was broadcast in more than 140 countries. In 2001 there were over …

Those who thought that the US was doomed to stay in Syria indefinitely (as was mentioned by the Pentagon last week) were surprised when the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) published an article saying that the US military had been ordered to leave Syria as soon as possible. The WSJ revealed …

by Areej Zaher*   They fled their homeland escaping terror, violence and raging fire, seeking a better life and affording a safe shelter for their families. However, these Syrian refugees seemed to go from the frying pan into the fire! Things didn’t go well for them as they had planned, …

By Allen Waker   Dubai hosts several high-end properties or home enhancements, and that’s the reason why looking for a spot to reside in the Emirate receives perplexing situations because Dubai’s unusual property arena is stuffed with a lot of broad options. The range of properties and communities that Dubai will …

By Areej Zaher* — For the recent fifth weeks, France has gone through inevitable unrest due to the last government statements regarding the sudden rise of the diesel prices. The public’s objection for this laws has escalated, and the yellow anger has marked these outbursts. However, we have to uproot …

By Seyed Hossein Mousavian   The UN Security Council convened Dec. 12 to address the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). US Secretary of State Pompeo said that Iran’s pace of missile activities has not diminished since the JCPOA and that the United States seeks to reimpose ballistic missile restrictions that were …

By SYED MOHAMMAD HUSSAIN, LAHORE SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS   INTRODUCTION French revolutionary Napoleon Bonaparte once referred to China as a “sleeping giant, whose awakening would astonish the world”. (Lee, 2007) The giant found itself in slumber for much of its ‘century of humiliation’ characterized by invasions, massacres, occupations, plunder of public property and …

by Seyed Hossein Mousavian   In an interview with the daily Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas announced a German-led initiative on global disarmament, warning that technologically advanced weapons can soon transform science fiction into “deadly reality.” This announcement came a few weeks after President Trump declared that the United States plans …

  BY: SYED MOHAMMAD HUSSAIN —   “There is no attack on American culture more destructive and more historically dishonest than the secular Left’s relentless effort to drive God out of America’s public square.”  Newt Gingrich[1] Perhaps this quote made by Newt Gingrich- former Republican Party presidential nomination and 50th …

This week was a milestone in the history of American conservatism.  President George H. W. Bush died.  He was the one who promised a “kinder gentler” conservatism when he became president.  Yet, he led the first Gulf War and established the principle of interfering in Middle Eastern Politics – a …

By Qais Ahmadi* — Marketing is primarily the most important part of any business or organization. An efficient and effective marketing strategy will ensure the success of your business. In this era; the use of technology is on the rise.  There are many channels where you can advertise your business/product …

By: Ibrahim Al Alou   I made this Syrian thyme mix.   What is Syrian thyme? It is a mix of thyme (Thymus vulgaris or Thymus syriacus) in Arabic (alzaater) with other ingredients that are made in semi-powdered form and consumed with pita bread and olive oil at breakfast or it …

By Areej Zaher* War and violence affected all, especially women and children. Whether it was internal, cross-border conflicts, religious or political, civilians will be caught in the firing line. And as a result, women will face life-threatening challenges. War can bring violence, sexual violence, abandonment, detention, physical injury or even …