Gulf Foreign Relations

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Poor Governance, Corruption Spur Iraqi Protests

Demanding better governance and basic services, Iraqis in the country’s “Shia heartland” have taken to the streets.

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Tehran Will Fight Hard to Keep Iraq in Its Sphere of Influence

There was a time when Iran’s Major General Qassim Suleimani, chief of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was the ultimate kingmaker in Iraqi politics.

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Iran-Russia Divide over Syria Widens

Just as Israel intensified its air raids against Iranian military targets in Syria, Russia began distancing itself from Iran, demanding the withdrawal of Iranian and allied Shia militias from that country.

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Riyadh Can Gain from Iraq Elections, but U.S. Engagement is Crucial

Saudi Arabia's accelerating campaign to revive its influence in Iraq may have been significantly bolstered by the results of the May 12 elections in Iraq.

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Inconclusive Elections Leave Iraqis Searching for Compromise

Although the May 12 Iraqi parliamentary election was the country’s fifth since 2005, it was remarkably different from the previous ones in many ways.

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Gulf Leaders Welcome JCPOA Withdrawal but Plan B Remains Unclear

Trump’s announcement that the U.S. is “withdrawing” from the JCPOA was greeted with considerable enthusiasm by many Gulf Arab leaders.

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Saudi Nationalism Raises Hopes of Greater Shia Inclusion

The Saudi leadership’s public rejection of the Sunni political revival movement known as the Sahwa has been accompanied by signs of an incipient opening to Shia communities.

OPEC+ Tests the Shale Sector

OPEC+ producers are increasing output in the face of a global economic downtown. This will be a major test for non-OPEC producers, but OPEC+ seems confident that time is on its side.

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Through its careful examination of the forces shaping the evolution of Gulf societies and the new generation of emerging leaders, AGSIW facilitates a richer understanding of the role the countries in this key geostrategic region can be expected to play in the 21st century.

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