Research desks
Middle East & North Africa
5 June 2025
Navigating Security Dilemmas in US-Iran Nuclear Negotiations
Over the past two decades, Iran’s nuclear programme has been a persistent source of concern for the West. While diplomatic efforts led to the establishment of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2015, shifting geopolitical dynamics have since escalated tensions, turning cautious engagement into overt hostility and placing national security on heightened alert.
Read the report
North America
3 June 2025
The United States Lifts Sanctions on Syria After Almost Five Decades
A couple of weeks ago, President Donald Trump announced plans to lift nearly five decades of sanctions on Syria. This development, first unveiled at a U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum on 12 May 2025, alongside Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, represents a substantial departure from established U.S.
Read the report
Middle East & North Africa
15 May 2025
Lebanon at a Crossroads: Prospects of US and Gulf Investment Following a Weakened Hezbollah
Lebanon is at a crossroads in its history. In the wake of a weakened Hezbollah, following Assad’s ouster in Syria and its war with Israel, which have left Hezbollah’s social welfare, financial, and military operations...
Read the report
Middle East & North Africa
24 April 2025
The Shift of Geopolitical Centrality away from Europe and towards Saudi Arabia
Europe has experienced recent struggles with where to position themselves within the geopolitical sphere and how to define its relationship with the big players. In previous years, they could rely on the United States to provide security, Russia to provide energy, and China for markets and production.
Read the report
Middle East & North Africa
18 April 2025
Iraq’s Development Road: A Path to Regional Connectivity and Economic Growth
Iraq's Development Road Project represents one of the most ambitious infrastructure initiatives in the Middle East, aiming to establish a 1,200-kilometer transport corridor linking the Gulf to Europe via Iraq and Türkiye.
Read the report
Türkiye
4 April 2025
Hydro-Politics in the Euphrates-Tigris Basin: Turkish Policy and Post-Assad Opportunities
This report provides an in-depth analysis of the evolving hydro-political dynamics in the Euphrates-Tigris Basin in the aftermath of the fall of the Assad regime in Syria.
Read the report
Middle East & North Africa
20 March 2025
China’s Role in Saudi Arabia’s Renewable Energy Industry: A Geopolitical and Economic Perspective
Saudi Arabia’s ambitious Vision 2030 reached a halfway point this year, as the Kingdom seeks to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels by ensuring that 50% of its energy mix comes from renewable sources by the end of the decade. With limited time remaining and uncertain progress, Saudi Arabia must seek external help in achieving this transformation. With a limited industrialised society, Saudi Arabia has to cooperate with states producing renewable energy resources, from wind turbines to solar panels.
Read the report
Middle East & North Africa
15 March 2025
Qatar: The Middle East’s Leading Mediator?
Mediation is defined by the United Nations as “a process whereby a third party assists two or more parties with their consent, to prevent, manage or resolve a conflict by helping them to develop mutually acceptable agreements”.
Read the report
Central Asia & Caucasus
10 March 2025
The Qosh Tepa Canal: Implications for Water Security and Regional Cooperation in Central Asia
In Central Asia, water security remains a critical issue, necessitating attention and effective policy making.
Read the report
