Barack Obama
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Charting the history of Iran sanctions
The Islamic Republic's never-ending labour pains
The Islamic Republic of Iran has been subject to sanctions ever since its creation in 1979. The more the regime has entrenched itself and expanded its power in the region, the more sophisticated the sanctions have become, effectively crippling the country. Will they ever end? Ali Sadrzadeh traces their history
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Egypt – Dollars to despots
Abdul Fattah al-Sisi's international patrons
Egypt's economic strategy of heavy borrowing implicates international actors in regime repression and increased social deprivation of the lower and middle classes, effectively fuelling instability and violent extremism – not only at home, but also potentially across the Middle East. An analysis by Maged Mandour
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U.S. foreign policy in the Arab world
Joe Biden and the Middle East – bid farewell to Trumpism
Recognising the shifting geopolitical priorities facing America and the Arab states, analyst Marwan Muasher cites three areas in which U.S. President-incumbent Joe Biden's Middle East policy is likely to differ from that of his predecessor Donald Trump
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Arab reactions to the U.S. presidential election
"The world needs a break from the Trump era!"
Just like the rest of the world, the Arab region and Arabic-language media have been watching spellbound over the last few days as U.S. President Donald Trump was voted out of office. Christopher Resch summarises some of the editorials for Qantara.de
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U.S. elections and the Middle East
Arab dictators hold their breath at Trump's possible exit
A victory by Democrat candidate Joe Biden would usher in a new beginning for the Arab world, with attendant changes in U.S. policy. Autocratic leaders in the Middle East have every reason to be concerned. Commentary by Egyptian academic Taqadum al-Khatib
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Book review: Ben Hubbard's "MBS: The Rise to Power of Mohammed bin Salman"
Ruling Saudi Arabia from the wings
Is he a reformer, a despot, or both? Ben Hubbard's detailed biography explores Mohammed bin Salman's style of rule – even though he has not yet acceded to the Saudi throne. Moritz Baumsteiger read the book
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After the Berlin conference
Libya's war for war’s sake
Libyan political analyst Faraj Alasha argues that the Berlin conference on the Libyan war did nothing to change the fact that there is no political solution to end the war raging in the suburbs of southern Tripoli
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Jamal Khashoggi: A mysterious disappearance and death
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Trump’s Syria withdrawal
A chance for peace?
Trump's withdrawal from Syria could indeed be a dangerous prelude to an expanded regional war. Yet with imagination and diplomacy the withdrawal could also be an important step on the difficult road to peace in the region, argues Jeffrey D. Sachs
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Interview with think tank veterans Yossi Alpher and Ghassan Khatib
"The Oslo peace process approach is over"
On 13 September 1993, an agreement of mutual understanding known as the Oslo Accords kicked off the Middle East peace process. 25 years on, Middle East expert Christian Hanelt interviews Israeli Yossi Alpher and Palestinian Ghassan Khatib on their experiences and their thoughts regarding the way ahead
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U.S. de-certifies Iran nuclear deal
Madmen at the helm
Neither international politics nor the self-healing powers within the United States system of government seem to be able to prevent an American war against Iran. It may now only be the civil societies of Iran and Israel that are still in a position to do this, says Stefan Buchen
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War in Syria
Ending America′s disastrous role
Much of the carnage that has ravaged Syria during the past seven years is due to the actions of the United States and its allies in the Middle East. By Jeffrey D. Sachs