Iran
Holding Out Hope
As Lebanon negotiates with Israel, the Amal Movement occupies an unusual position — allied with Hezbollah, embedded in the state and able to engage both Washington and Tehran. Interviews with party officials explore its vision for a settlement and why its influence may depend on a wider U.S.-Iran agreement.
Empty Threats?
Trump is stuck with a war he can’t win. His talk at the U.N. General Assembly about annihilating Iran reveals a president desperate to salvage his sinking political fortunes. But what if he means what he says?
Target Trump: The Specter of Iran’s Revenge
The distinction between the private and the public, the personal and the national, has broken down in Trump’s second term. The president’s personal psychology and how he understands his own interests and well-being are now critical factors in how the U.S. conducts itself in the world.
Saudi Arabia Bets Everything on Restraint
As Houthi attacks squeeze Saudi Arabia's access to global trade, Riyadh is struggling to avoid being drawn into a wider war. From the Red Sea’s oil terminals to its luxury resorts, a New Lines report offers a firsthand look at how the kingdom’s postoil ambitions have become a strategic vulnerability.
The Paths Forward for the Gulf States and Iran
In the aftermath of the Iran war, the Gulf Arab states may seek to achieve an equilibrium with the Islamic Republic through managing, rather than resolving, their differences.
As Millions Mourn Ali Khamenei, Iran Prepares for a New Chapter
Ali Khamenei’s six-day funeral drew vast crowds into Tehran, turning mourning into a display of grief, vengeance and state continuity. But beneath the red flags and public rituals, the ceremonies exposed Iran’s internal divisions, anxieties over security and uncertainty about the country’s unseen new leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.
The Ambiguities of Solidarity at Khamenei’s Funeral in Iraq
Expressions of reverence, grief and devotion will abound at the supreme leader's funeral in Iraq, but the Axis of Resistance’s messaging simplifies a much more complex reality.