Argument
Weak States, Big Dangers
Why does Israel so often seem to be pursuing tactics aimed at weakening states in the Middle East, particularly in Lebanon, Syria and now Iran? Israel might not have a consistent weak-state doctrine, but its actions give the appearance that it does — with far-reaching negative consequences.
Endgame Scenarios
Trump has backed himself into a corner with Iran. Any deal risks appearing, in his eyes, like a humiliating failure, one his opponents will mock. He knows this. His opponents know this. The weight of that constraint presents a dangerous equation as the president threatens escalation.
From ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ to ‘Anyone Is Better Than These’
In December and January, the Islamic Republic faced the largest popular uprising in its history, which it crushed violently. In an open letter to an imprisoned Iranian sociologist, the prominent scholar Asef Bayat meditates on the significance of those protests and the future of Iran.
The Iran War Is What ‘America First’ Actually Looks Like
Segments of the MAGA base, the Western left, Global South solidarity networks and the Iranian regime itself have converged, improbably, on the same talking point: This is not America First. They are all wrong. The Iran war is actually the purest expression of America First, its direct consequence.
An Anguished Debate Among Iranians
The war has occasioned an anguished debate among Iranians. The division that has emerged — between those who will not support a war on their own country and those who have, through suffering and desperation, arrived at support for the war — is real and painful and will not be resolved easily.
What the Islamic Republic Learned About Repression From Syria
Like the Assad regime that it assisted, the Islamic Republic has responded to mass protests by committing atrocities and claiming that protesters are foreign-backed “terrorists and spies.” The parallels indicate how far Iran is willing to go to ensure its survival.
Alawite Politics After Assad
After the fall of the Assad regime, Syria’s Alawites are navigating collective blame, political exclusion and existential fear. With no armed force, no institutions and no trusted leadership, their turn to religious protest reflects not sectarian ambition but a desperate search for survival.