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The Cipher Brief: National Security news, analysis and expert commentary.

Pakistan: Broker of Peace While Still at War

War with Afghanistan, instability in Iran, and tensions with India are converging into a regional crisis that Islamabad may struggle to contain.

TOPSHOT-AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN-CONFLICT

Just a few weeks ago, Pakistan, the host for fragile ceasefire talks aiming to end the war between the U.S. and Iran, was at war with Afghanistan in [...] More

International
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The Open Source Report

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JULY 16: John Phelan, 79th U.S. Secretary of the Navy speaks onstage during the Reindustrialize Conference 2025 on July 16, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for Reindustrialize Conference)

Global Intelligence Report for Thursday, April 23, 2026

U.S. intercepts three Iranian oil tankers in Asian waters, sources say

Clearing Strait of Hormuz of mines could take 6 months, Pentagon tells Congress

Pentagon removes Navy Secretary John Phelan amid broader leadership turmoil

Ukraine poised to get €90 billion loan from EU, unlocked by Orbán’s loss in Hungary


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Expert Insights

Cipher Brief Experts bring context to today’s global events

How Extremist Groups Are Sharing a Global Media Strategy

Bob Pearson

OPINION — In the private sector, we analyze competitors to understand where they excel, so we can improve our approach. With this same mindset, I reviewed how 15 adversarial groups utilize media to communicate locally and [...] More

The Costly Illusion of the Golden Dome

Walter Pincus

OPINION — “The Golden Dome for America strategy [President Trump’s proposed nationwide anti-missile defense system] remains centered on affordable and scalable capabilities. In the short-term, we will leverage [...] More

AmericasNorth AmericaUnited StatesWalter PincusFine Print
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News & Analysis

Iranian president meets with Putin, discusses ways to boost cooperation in all sectors

What Iran Is Learning from Russia’s War and Why the U.S. Should Be Concerned

KREMLIN FILES/COLUMN: The war in Ukraine is often framed by optimistic academics, and some policymakers as a cautionary tale—an example of how [...] More

Middle EastIran

Opinion

Trump, Iran, and the Stress Test of Western Alliances

Sami Omari

Trump, Iran, and the Stress Test of Western Alliances

OPINION – The war with Iran has grown beyond just a regional war; it is also a preliminary test of the cohesion of Western alliances under President [...] More

Alternative PerspectivesIranMiddle East

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Book Reviews

From Kabul to the French Quarter
From Kabul to the French Quarter

From Apex Political Predator to Symbolic War Criminal
From Apex Political Predator to Symbolic War Criminal

Allies In War, Partners In Peace
Allies In War, Partners In Peace

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The Best National Security Gossip

EX-BRAZILIAN SPY CHIEF EX-DETAINEE: Just as the Dead Drop was reporting last week that fugitive former Brazilian intelligence chief Alexandre Ramagem had been nabbed by ICE agents in Orlando, he was apparently already on his way out the door. BBC reported on April 16 that Ramagem was quietly released from custody. ICE originally confirmed the detention but as far as we know has offered no explanation for either the arrest or the release. Bolsonaro's son Eduardo, a U.S. resident, announced the news on social media, thanking President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for "the sensitivity with which they dealt with [...] More

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2026 Threat Conference

2026 Threat Conference

The Cipher Brief Threat Conference is the nation’s premier forum for non-partisan discussion of global threats and solutions as well as high-level [...] More

Upcoming: 25 October, 2026

Podcasts

State Secrets


In this episode of State Secrets, former CIA Senior Operations Officer Sean Wiswesser examines the evolution of Russian intelligence - from Soviet-era tradecraft to modern hybrid warfare. He unpacks Moscow’s strategic mindset, its transactional relationships with partners like Iran, and its enduring focus on weakening democratic systems. With insights drawn from decades in the field, Wiswesser explains what most people misunderstand about Russia - and why that matters now more than ever.