A year into Iran’s “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests after the death in police custody of 22-year-old Kurdish woman  Mahsa Amini last September, the country’s ruling establishment  is faced with state-led lawlessness sparked by its massive campaign of mass arrests, detentions and convictions against the backdrop of nationwide protests. According to the IRGC, these protests represent

By August 15, 2021, the Taliban had seized control of Kabul followed by the capture of Panjshir Province on September 7. Faced with marginal resistance, the group has ruled the country with uber-conservative clerics holding sway over its policies, especially toward women, their rights/roles and gender interactions.  Despite these concerning policies, the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan is

The United States is trying to curb China’s  chip industry  with the Biden administration  urging US allies to curb Beijing’s  efforts to acquire high-end chips.  Tit-for-tat responses exchanged between Washington and Beijing have created bottlenecks and uncertainties in  global tech supply chains.  The chip war is not only affecting tech companies but also countries such

Nearly a month after the overthrow of President Mohamed Bazoum, the new military authorities of Niger ordered French Ambassador Sylvain Itté to “leave the national territory within 48 hours” and announced their decision to “withdraw [his] approval.” In a letter from the Nigerien Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent to the French Foreign Office,  the new

Introduction The Saudi-Iran rapprochement deal signed in Beijing in March 2023 caused shockwaves and elicited varying reactions in the West. In most instances, the landmark deal has not received a neutral reading, particularly when it comes to the assessment of Saudi policy. Analyses have often focused instead on specific angles, mostly pertaining to security and […]