What the Iranian Attack on Qatar Means for the Future of the Gulf

Afkar

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Syria’s Unruly Guns:
Building a Unified Army in a Fractured State

Policy Note

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Syria’s Opening with the West Poses Russia Dilemma for Damascus

Afkar

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Recent
Publications

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June 25, 2025
Policy Note -
Syria’s Unruly Guns: Building a Unified Army in a Fractured State

More than 13 years of armed conflict have left Syria a fractured patchwork of isolated regions controlled by rival factions. Yet the dramatic collapse of the Assad regime in December 2024 opened a rare window of opportunity to reunify the state under a single authority.

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June 22, 2025
Issue Brief -
From Aleppo to Algiers: Enterprising Syrians Bring Opportunity to Algeria

In the wake of the Syrian conflict, Algeria has emerged as an unexpected host for tens of thousands of Syrian nationals. While it has not positioned itself as a major refugee hub, the country today is home to an estimated 50,000 Syrians, a significant popula-tion that has shifted from viewing Algeria as a transit point to embracing it as a place of long-term residence.

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June 5, 2025
Issue Brief -
Strategic Transactionalism: The Iran-Russia Partnership

On January 17, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty in Moscow. The agreement is aimed at strengthening bilateral relations over the next 20 years. Reportedly delayed by the death of Pezeshkian’s predecessor Ebrahim Raisi in May 2024 and disagreements over details, the treaty came at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions for both countries and was hailed by officials in Tehran and Moscow as a sign of deepening strategic alignment.

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June 25, 2025
Policy Note -
Syria’s Unruly Guns: Building a Unified Army in a Fractured State

More than 13 years of armed conflict have left Syria a fractured patchwork of isolated regions controlled by rival factions. Yet the dramatic collapse of the Assad regime in December 2024 opened a rare window of opportunity to reunify the state under a single authority.

learn more
June 22, 2025
Issue Brief -
From Aleppo to Algiers: Enterprising Syrians Bring Opportunity to Algeria

In the wake of the Syrian conflict, Algeria has emerged as an unexpected host for tens of thousands of Syrian nationals. While it has not positioned itself as a major refugee hub, the country today is home to an estimated 50,000 Syrians, a significant popula-tion that has shifted from viewing Algeria as a transit point to embracing it as a place of long-term residence.

learn more
June 5, 2025
Issue Brief -
Strategic Transactionalism: The Iran-Russia Partnership

On January 17, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty in Moscow. The agreement is aimed at strengthening bilateral relations over the next 20 years. Reportedly delayed by the death of Pezeshkian’s predecessor Ebrahim Raisi in May 2024 and disagreements over details, the treaty came at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions for both countries and was hailed by officials in Tehran and Moscow as a sign of deepening strategic alignment.

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Events

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18 June 2025
past event 4:00 pm GMT - 5:15 pm GMT
Israel-Iran Escalating Confrontation: What is at Stake in the region?
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1 June 2025
past event 2:00 pm GMT - 4:00 pm GMT
Closed Roundtable Discussion with François Burgat
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2 June 2025
past event 10:00 am GMT - 1:00 pm GMT
EU-MENA Relations During the Polish Presidency in the Council of the European Union
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18 June 2025
past event 4:00 pm GMT - 5:15 pm GMT

Israel-Iran Escalating Confrontation: What is at Stake in the region?

learn more
01 June 2025
past event 2:00 pm GMT - 4:00 pm GMT

Closed Roundtable Discussion with François Burgat

learn more
02 June 2025
past event 10:00 am GMT - 1:00 pm GMT

EU-MENA Relations During the Polish Presidency in the Council of the European Union

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Afkar

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July 1, 2025
What the Iranian Attack on Qatar Means for the Future of Gulf Security

Iran’s ballistic missile attack on the Qatari airbase at Al Udeid was viewed by many international analysts and media strictly through the lens of the confrontation between the U.S., Israel and Iran. Widely seen as a symbolic move, the attack’s lack of casualties allowed U.S. President Donald Trump to pursue his preferred option of de-escalation… Continue reading What the Iranian Attack on Qatar Means for the Future of Gulf Security

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June 23, 2025
Syria’s Opening with the West Poses Russia Dilemma for Damascus 

Since President Donald Trump’s Gulf tour in mid-May, U.S.-Syria relations have evolved significantly. Washington’s lifting of its most crippling sanctions on Syria, the appointment of an American envoy to the country, Trump’s meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh and the reopening of the U.S. ambassador’s residence in Damascus all illustrate a new reality… Continue reading Syria’s Opening with the West Poses Russia Dilemma for Damascus 

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June 20, 2025
As Israel Imposes Starvation and Displacement on Palestinians, U.S. Action is Demanded  

The scenes of horror have become a regular occurrence. Tens of thousands of desperately hungry Palestinians packed into endless metal queues under a blistering sun, subjected to biometric scanning as they flood a dystopian aid complex, hoping for a box of food. Each day, hundreds are killed or wounded while making the harrowing choice between… Continue reading As Israel Imposes Starvation and Displacement on Palestinians, U.S. Action is Demanded  

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July 1, 2025
What the Iranian Attack on Qatar Means for the Future of Gulf Security

Iran’s ballistic missile attack on the Qatari airbase at Al Udeid was viewed by many international analysts and media strictly through the lens of the confrontation between the U.S., Israel and Iran. Widely seen as a symbolic move, the attack’s lack of casualties allowed U.S. President Donald Trump to pursue his preferred option of de-escalation… Continue reading What the Iranian Attack on Qatar Means for the Future of Gulf Security

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June 23, 2025
Syria’s Opening with the West Poses Russia Dilemma for Damascus 

Since President Donald Trump’s Gulf tour in mid-May, U.S.-Syria relations have evolved significantly. Washington’s lifting of its most crippling sanctions on Syria, the appointment of an American envoy to the country, Trump’s meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh and the reopening of the U.S. ambassador’s residence in Damascus all illustrate a new reality… Continue reading Syria’s Opening with the West Poses Russia Dilemma for Damascus 

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June 20, 2025
As Israel Imposes Starvation and Displacement on Palestinians, U.S. Action is Demanded  

The scenes of horror have become a regular occurrence. Tens of thousands of desperately hungry Palestinians packed into endless metal queues under a blistering sun, subjected to biometric scanning as they flood a dystopian aid complex, hoping for a box of food. Each day, hundreds are killed or wounded while making the harrowing choice between… Continue reading As Israel Imposes Starvation and Displacement on Palestinians, U.S. Action is Demanded  

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