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Saudi Arabia

EnergySaudi Arabia, United States

The United States Should Block Saudi Oil Imports—For Good

Connor Sutherland

In March, as West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures cratered to nearly forty dollars below zero, President Donald J. Trump speculated aloud to reporters on the possibility that he would consider…

DiplomacyIran, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, United States

Confidence Building Measures Needed Before the U.S. and Saudi Arabia Start a Dialogue With Iran

Tanmay Kadam

After about a year of escalating tensions and heated rhetorical exchanges, the Persian Gulf region experiencing a rare turn of events. Regional and extra-regional powers, after a long time, appear…

EnergyEnergy, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, United States

Rethinking U.S. Energy Security to Hedge Against Heightened Instability in the Middle East

Connor Sutherland

As U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo blamed Iran for the September 2019 attack on the Abqaiq and Khurais oil fields in Saudi Arabia, he defined the incident as “an…

Defense & SecurityIran, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, United States

Yemen is a Battleground in Iran’s Proxy War Against the U.S. and Saudi Arabia

Alan Lis

As the world’s attention is increasingly focused on Iranian aggression in the Persian Gulf, it’s essential to look at the civil war in Yemen, a battlefield in the proxy fight…

Defense & SecurityFrance, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates

Haftar Ante Portas Tripoli

Nico Lamminparras

After a relatively easy advance through the southern and central parts of Libya, the country's renegade general now has the capital in his sights.Up until the Libyan National Army (LNA)…

Economics & TradeBahrain, Gulf Cooperation Council, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan

The Geopolitical Implications of Expanding Ties Between the Gulf and Central Asia

Dominic Pratt

Though the differences between the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula and the cold steppes of Central Asia might be stark, the two regions do share some fundamental similarities. Both regions…

Defense & SecurityIran, Iraq, Israel, Saudi Arabia, United States

The Next Middle East Conflict Could Emerge Out of a Cyber Clash

Ali Arfa

Pandora's Box of cyber warfare was opened when the United States and Israel initiated the Stuxnet attack on Iranian nuclear infrastructure in the summer of 2010. In response, Iran hit…

Defense & SecurityHezbollah, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Middle East, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, United States

Conflict and Competition in the Middle East Will Persist Throughout 2019

Vincent Lofaso

In previous years, interest in the Middle East was largely focused on ISIS (DAESH). This year, however, that focus will shift towards Iran. As the threat from the extremist Sunni…

Defense & SecurityIran, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United States

What’s in an Iranian Drone’s Name?

Ali Arfa

Iranians are skilled in the localization of almost anything Western or foreign. This is partly because of the nationalist, anti-imperialist promises of the 1979 revolution, and partly due to U.S.…

Government & PoliticsAfghanistan, India, Iran, Middle East, NATO, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, United States

The Politics of Ballots over Bullets: Afghan Elections and Peace Process

Tamim Asey

The electoral scene is set for the Afghan presidential elections. Eighteen candidates have registered themselves for what is ultimately expected to be a tight race between the incumbent, President Ashraf…

Defense & SecurityAfghanistan, India, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, United States

Iran’s Interests in Afghanistan: Water, Black Market Currency, & Extremism

Ejaz Ahmad Malikzada

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi recently visited Kabul to discuss recent efforts towards peace in Afghanistan. Though the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs hasn’t provided any details of the…

DiplomacyGulf Cooperation Council, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, United States

2018 GCC Summit in Riyadh: An Uneasy Gathering

Vincent Lofaso

High-level delegations from six Gulf states met in the Saudi capital of Riyadh this December to discuss cooperation on issues ranging from economic to security matters. The summit occurred at…