Atlantic Council Middle East Initiatives

Today, Syrians living in areas under Bashar al-#Assad’s control will vote for all 250 seats of the Syrian People’s Assembly. Vladimir Pran and Maroun Sfeir analyze the structure of the Syrian electorate and highlight discrepancies found in voter data. https://lnkd.in/eeyKZ9CA

🗓️ Monday, July 29 | 🕘 9:00 AM ET Join #ACIraq for a half day event marking the ten-year commemoration of the #Yezidi genocide and the community’s ongoing struggle for recovery in collaboration with the Free Yezidi Foundation. Register below ⬇️

Today, #Syria is set to hold the election for the 250 seats of the Syrian People’s Assembly. As the electoral process unfolds, Vladimir Pran and Maroun Sfeir explain why the country’s current electoral system guarantees inequality. Read their take below ⬇️

🇮🇶 #Iraq’s educational landscape has faced significant challenges in the past two decades as nearly 2 million children are deprived of an education. “Investing in Iraq’s education system offers a unique opportunity for the United States to not only support a key ally but also address the root causes of instability in the region. The United States can help build the foundation for a stable and prosperous Iraq by directing resources toward educational reform. This investment would both strengthen US public diplomacy and promote the values of democracy and human rights, which are integral to long-term peace and security,” explains Honar Issa. Read his take highlighting why Iraq needs strategic investments in its education sector.

My latest for the Kyiv Post:

I am quoted in this interesting piece by Sabena Siddiqui on Pezeshkian's foreign policy, particularly future scenarios of ties with China: "However, this scenario could shift if Biden secures a win and there is a renewed effort in Washington to restart nuclear negotiations. But If Trump wins, it means further stagnation in China-Iran relations.”

 🎙 Exciting new chapter of ROPESCAST! Join us with Bahraini expert Abdullah Jenaid as we explore what's next for Israel-Gulf relations, how Arab countries can contribute to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and strategies for restraining Iran. Tune in now! 🎧🌍

I told Tom Hussain for South China Morning Post SCMP that “China is aware that frustration within Iran on the CSP agreement has reached the top of the establishment, and there is the risk it’d boil over, given Pezeshkian’s political leanings and balanced views on international affairs. While Xi has sought to address this rhetorically, establishing comprehensive economic relations with Iran is a tall order that might contradict other, crucially important, Chinese interests.” At the same time, Beijing “understands that Iran doesn’t have major alternative options in the short term.”

I am privileged that my book chapter has been published alongside that of #Türkiye's Foreign Minister #Hakan_Fidan #Türkiye's Foreign Policy | A Century of Strategic Transformation Via SETA Foundation https://lnkd.in/dpy2Njzg #Turkey #Turkish #Foreign_Policy #CenturyofTürkiye

Iranian President-elect Masoud Pezeshkian declared during his campaign that he intends to work to lift US sanctions on #Iran, highlighting the need to return to a nuclear deal. “A JCPOA 2.0 will not be a perfect agreement, but it will significantly improve the West’s ability to monitor Iran’s nuclear program and ensure that it is limited to peaceful purposes. The price of lifting the sanctions will be highly significant. From the beginning, the United States wanted to preserve the sanctions as a whip that could be waived in exchange for Iranian fulfillment of the nuclear agreement,” explains Danny Citrinowicz. Read his take on why a #JCPOA 2.0 is in the interest of both #Iran and the international community.