The Gulf Region

Kuwait’s Leadership Change Leaves More Question Marks for the Gulf Cooperation Council

Michael Stephens

The death of Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah after a 14-year reign might have passed under the radar of the casual Middle East observer, but it marks an important milestone in the history of Arab and Gulf affairs.

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan: Unease and Reassurance Amid Changing Regional Realities

Kamal Alam

Reports of cooling relations between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are incomplete. Behind the scenes, Pakistan’s top military officer is helping recast the relationship on a more solid footing.

In the Chaos of Syrian Geopolitics, Russia Remains Dominant

Kamal Alam

The Russians appear to be expressing dissatisfaction with the Syrian president. But these are mere rumblings; the Syrian government is consolidating, and Russia is there to stay.

Europe and the Coronavirus Pandemic in the Middle East

Tobias Borck

The pandemic preoccupies Europe. But the continent should not lose sight of potential new crises in the Middle East.

"“We’re in a three-way Mexican stand-off with three big players in the room all saying, ‘if you screw that guy over there, you are screwing me over, so I’m going to screw you over,’” said Michael Stephens, an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute. “It’s a strange triangular discussion from which no side wants to back down and all are going to feel the pain.” "

Saudi oil war: ‘The beauty is you can blame it on the Russians’

Iran’s First Response to Soleimani’s Death, and Tehran’s Future Moves

Michael Stephens

For the first time since the late 1970s, Iran has hit directly at US military targets, and fully admitted its responsibility. But the real imponderable is Iran’s behaviour in the Gulf in the months to come