Analysis & Commentary
The US hands China the Middle East — at its own peril
On Sunday, just days after Saudi Aramco publicized a multibillion-dollar investment in China’s petrochemical industry, Saudi Arabia and its OPEC+ partners announced a surprise cut to oil production. Alongside the recent China-brokered agreement for Iran and Saudi Arabia to resume…
Washington Experts Debate on Possible ‘Freeze-for-Freeze’ Iran Deal
WASHINGTON – The news about a possible “freeze-for-freeze” understanding between Washington and Tehran, first reported by Axios on Monday, immediately sparked a debate between experts who are closely following the discussions about the possibility of reviving the 2015 nuclear agreement. Dennis…
The United States and Iran are in an Armed Conflict, and it is Time to Act Accordingly
It is time for the United States to acknowledge the obvious: it is engaged in an ongoing – albeit low-level – armed conflict with Iran. That doesn’t mean we are in a “war” with Iran. It does mean, however, that…
What Ukraine Teaches the US About Combat Helicopter Operations
While air defenses, missiles, and drones congesting the Ukrainian sky receive the most public attention, an underdiscussed aspect of the conflict is the clear demonstration that effective helicopter operations are still vital to modern warfare. Faced with a multitude of…
They Make a Desert and Call it Peace
Gone are the days when the Rose Garden was packed with peacemakers heralding the Abraham Accords. Today, Middle Eastern leaders are flocking to the Forbidden City for the “Beijing Dialogues.” China has brokered a resumption of diplomatic ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia. It’s…
Analysis: International Sanctions on Iran are About to Collapse
The multilateral United Nations (UN) sanctions regime on Iran is falling apart. Without action, it will collapse in October 2025. But the ability to exert international pressure on Iran will begin eroding much earlier—the majority of European sanctions against Iran…
JINSA Fellows React to Iran-Saudi Deal
John Hannah’s Statement: Today’s announcement that Saudi Arabia and Iran have restored diplomatic relations is, according to John Hannah, the Randi & Charles Wax Senior Fellow at JINSA, the continuation of a long-term regional hedging strategy driven by a lack…
America Should Follow Israel’s Lead on Iran
For years, Iran’s rockets, missiles, and drones have terrorized the Middle East and, more recently, Ukraine. With its recent attacks on multiple Iranian military interests, including reportedly targeting a meeting of Iranians and Syrians to discuss drone manufacturing on February 19,…