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Middle East

Down But Not Out: Iran’s Axis of Resistance

Michele Kernitsky

Down But Not Out: Iran’s Axis of Resistance

OPINION — When HAMAS attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, Iran and its partners around the Middle East—collectively known as the Axis of [...] More

Middle EastIran

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The War’s Next Phase: Five Indicators That Matter Most

General Scott Miller (Ret.)

The War’s Next Phase: Five Indicators That Matter Most

EXPERT PERSPECTIVE – I’m always reluctant to comment on current events, as it feels a bit like being an armchair quarterback, but I have been asked [...] More

IranMiddle EastExpert View
Commercial vessels divert to UAE coasts amid navigation issues

The Hormuz Standoff: Global Energy Flow Severs After 'Epic Fury' Strikes

The Hormuz Standoff: Global Energy Flow Severs After 'Epic Fury' StrikesAs tensions in and around Iran proliferate, the narrow waterway between Iran [...] More

Middle EastIran
After the Strikes: Is Iran on the Brink?

After the Strikes: Is Iran on the Brink?

U.S. and Israeli forces intensified their unprecedented military campaign against Iran over the weekend, striking strategic military, political and [...] More

Middle EastIranBrad Christian
Inside the High-Stakes U.S. Pressure Campaign on Iran

Inside the High-Stakes U.S. Pressure Campaign on Iran

EXPERT INTERVIEW – U.S. officials say a second aircraft carrier will be deployed to the Middle East amid the administration’s efforts to pressure [...] More

Middle EastIran

EU Takes Aim at Tehran: IRGC Terror Listing Opens New Front in Europe’s Iran Policy

Michael Jacobson

EU Takes Aim at Tehran: IRGC Terror Listing Opens New Front in Europe’s Iran Policy

OPINION — On January 29, Europe found its voice against Iran’s apparatus of terror. The European Union (EU) announced that it is adding Iran’s [...] More

Middle EastEuropeAlternative Perspectives

Should Western Tech Giants Partner With Pro-Hamas Network Al Jazeera?

Toby Dershowitz

Should Western Tech Giants Partner With Pro-Hamas Network Al Jazeera?

OPINION — A few weeks ago, Al Jazeera named Google Cloud as its primary technology provider for “The Core,” a sweeping program designed to integrate [...] More

Middle EastAlternative Perspectives

Iran at the Breaking Point: How Afghanistan and Iraq Still Inform U.S. Strategy

Masoud Andarabi

Iran at the Breaking Point: How Afghanistan and Iraq Still Inform U.S. Strategy

EXPERT PERSPECTIVE — Iran is experiencing its most consequential period of internal unrest in years. Nationwide demonstrations driven by economic [...] More

IranMiddle EastExpert View

Why Labeling Muslim Brotherhood “Chapters” as Terrorist Groups Is Problematic

Emile Nakhleh

Why Labeling Muslim Brotherhood “Chapters” as Terrorist Groups Is Problematic

OPINION — The White House this past November issued a Presidential action statement designating certain Muslim Brotherhood “chapters” as terrorist [...] More

Emile NakhlehMiddle East

Iran’s Crumbling Revolutionary Facade: How Today’s Protests Could Reshape the Region in 2026

Paula Doyle

Iran’s Crumbling Revolutionary Facade: How Today’s Protests Could Reshape the Region in 2026

EXPERT OPINION — I am closely watching the growing size and momentum of protesters across Iran’s cities, rural areas, and pious communities who are [...] More

IranMiddle EastPaula Doyle

Iran’s Supreme Leader Should Listen to the People

Ambassador Joseph DeTrani

Iran’s Supreme Leader Should Listen to the People

EXPERT OPINION — The Iranian people are saying they want new leadership. And it’s not too hard to understand why so many merchants, university [...] More

IranAmbassador Joseph DeTraniMiddle East
Iran’s Protests Expose Deeper Fragility as Leaders Struggle to Contain Crisis

Iran’s Protests Expose Deeper Fragility as Leaders Struggle to Contain Crisis

CIPHER BRIEF EXPERT INTERVIEW -- Economic grievances in Iran have sparked demonstrations for a fifth straight day, with protests surfacing in Tehran [...] More

Middle EastIran
What Would Follow a Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation?

What Would Follow a Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation?

DEEP DIVE — On November 24, 2025, President Trump launched a process to designate Muslim Brotherhood chapters in Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan as [...] More

Middle EastTerrorism