MI5 Director General Ken McCallum’s joint address with the FBI Chief on 6 July saw a welcome rebalancing of the security service’s focus towards nation-state threats. Counterterrorism is an important function, but it was allowed to dominate for two decades while Russia, China and other belligerent states were insufficiently monitored.
As evidence mounts that the Global South is leaning closer to the Russia–China position over Ukraine, the West needs to think hard about how to regain the initiative in the narrative battle.
The Ukraine war has further entrenched and exacerbated the geopolitical rivalry between the West and the Russia–China camp. This new ‘Superpower Plus’ clash leaves the so-called ‘Rest’ in a difficult position, with some countries feeling pressure to choose sides, and others trying to remain neutral. Worryingly, many are leaning closer to the Russia–China position than the West.
This paper examines the perceptions of Iran and the six GCC states of the interaction between the Iranian nuclear issue and regional security dynamics in the Gulf.
This paper endeavours to capture the perspectives of Iran and the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states on the interactions between the Iranian nuclear programme, international nuclear diplomacy with Iran, and regional security in the Gulf and the wider Middle East.
Le mégaprojet de transport de gaz reliant l’Algérie, le Nigeria et le Niger permettra d’acheminer, à terme, du gaz nigérian vers l’Europe.
Largement dépendante du secteur minier, Kinshasa a officiellement lancé les appels d’offres pour 30 blocs pétro-gaziers (au lieu de 16 initialement prévus), dont deux appartenant au magnat israélien Dan Gertler. De quoi susciter l’appétit des géants.
Algeria will try to find a consensus about the return of Syria to the League in the upcoming meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Cairo, according to Asharq al-Awsat.
Algeria, as the host country of the next Arab League summit, still insists on Damascus’s invitation, an official of the Algerian Foreign Ministry has said.
The Jordanian King has said that Amman wants good relations with Iran, according to Arab News.
King Abdullah II protested on Sunday what he described as regular attacks occurring near Jordan’s borders by “militias linked to Iran” in an interview with the al-Rai newspaper.
Turkish forces escalated their air attacks in areas under the control of the SDF, according to al-Modon.
Syrian opposition sources revealed to al-Modon that the pledges made by Turkey’s partners in the Astana track are to discourage Ankara from launching a new military operation against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northern Syria, including providing it with information that facilitates targeting leaders of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) –based in the north and northeastern Syria. Its Western NATO partners have already pledged this.
The agreement increased the regime’s oil intake, mainly used for its military forces, Baladi News.
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian regime have signed a new agreement to increase oil convoys from areas east of the Euphrates controlled by the SDF to regime-controlled areas.
According to the local al-Khabour website, the planned increase will be at the rate of 160 tanks per week, reaching up to 200 tanks in the future, which will be transported by the Katerji Company.
The Revolutionary Commandos receive ongoing military training from U.S. forces, according to Baladi News.
On Thursday (July 28th), the Revolutionary Commandos (Maghaweer el Thawra) conducted joint military exercises with U.S. forces at the Tanf base in southern Syria.