Armed conflict with a foreign power may be Tehran’s last resort
By Farid Mirbagheri The escalating tension in the Persian Gulf could be a potential game changer for the entire region and possibly the world. On...
Farid Mirbagheri
An end to moderation and the rise of exclusivity
By SM Farid Mirbagheri ‘Populism’ is on the rise, so they say. Elections in Brazil and Spain in October and December respectively are just...
Diplomats, financial policy, armies pressuring the Middle East
By Farid Mirbagheri Diplomatic, economic and military elements are all hard at work in western Asia. Turkey’s rising inflation to a staggering 25 per cent in...
Momentous strategic changes are underway
By Farid Mirbagheri The Helsinki summit last month between the US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin has posed a few questions...
A wide array of challenges face Erdogan in wake of victory
By Farid Mirbagheri Recep Tayyip Erdogan won last month’s Turkish presidential elections whereby he secured his place at the helm in his country’s politics for...
Iran may fast be running out of options
By SM Farid Mirbagheri THE recent decertification of the nuclear deal between Iran and the Five Plus One by President Trump has effectively put an end...
Only vision and courage can solve MidEast’s longest conflict
By SM Farid Mirbagheri Amidst the carnage that has tragically afflicted Syria and the uncertainty over the future of Iran’s nuclear deal, the Arab-Israeli dispute has taken...
Trump’s foreign policy, perhaps not so simple after all
By SM Farid Mirbagheri Fourteen months into his presidency Donald Trump has had a very visible impact upon the foreign policy of the United States. The US...
Erdogan destined to face an election that could prove to be his nemesis
By Farid Mirbagheri TURKEY seems to have its back to the wall. Its troops now fighting the Syrian Kurds will increasingly find themselves in a...
Iran and Europe fear US withdrawal from nuclear deal
By SM Farid Mirbagheri The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Five plus One (US, UK, Russia,...
Dramatic shifts in the balance of Middle East power
By SM Farid Mirbagheri The past month has witnessed momentous developments in the tragic course of west Asian politics. Within the space of a mere 10 hours...
Solving the conundrum of independence
By Farid Mirbagheri Within a space of one week two referendums for independence were organised in two different parts of the world. One...
The dangers of an independent Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan may prove to be the new trigger for yet another long-term conflict to engulf the west Asian region. Their leadership’s suggested referendum for...
War against Qatar but without the violence
By Farid Mirbagheri Riyadh must have something very solid in hand against Qatar to sever all ties with Doha in concert with seven other...