Regional Policies

In the winter of 1950, Ankara dispatched a force of approximately 5,000 soldiers to the Korean Peninsula-a war that was not its own-for one reason alone: to convince a newly emerging Western alliance that Türkiye deserved membership. The price was steep. Nearly 700 Turkish soldiers lost their lives in exchange for an admission ticket that would not be granted until…

The funeral of Iran’s former Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, served as an important opportunity for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the conservative establishment to convey a series of carefully calibrated symbolic and political messages. Each participating delegation carried its own significance, while the ceremony also projected messages to both domestic and international audiences. Notably, the event witnessed broad…

The announcement of the Lebanon–Israel Framework Agreement in June 2026 did not constitute merely another negotiating round in the long-standing conflict between the two countries. Rather, it reflected a significant shift in the strategic approach adopted by both the United States and Israel toward Lebanon. The document was not conceived simply as an instrument to consolidate a ceasefire or establish…

The U.S.-Israeli war against Iran was accompanied by political expectations that went far beyond degrading Tehran’s nuclear program or weakening its military capabilities. In Washington and Tel Aviv, many believed the conflict would become a founding moment for a different Iran—either by producing a political order more closely aligned with the West and less committed to its anti-Western ideology, or…

The American–Israeli–Iranian war has reshaped Gulf perceptions of the United States in ways that extend far beyond the battlefield. Drawing on more than 55,600 original digital discussions produced by nearly 29,800 unique users across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, this study examines how one of the region’s most significant security crises transformed public digital discourse on the American security…

The central question is not merely whether Israel’s opposition can unseat Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right coalition in the next election. More importantly, if such a political shift occurs, would it produce a substantive change in Israel’s policies toward the core Palestinian issues—particularly annexation, Palestinian statehood, and the E1 settlement project? This article begins with the hypothesis that an electoral…

The U.S.–Iranian understanding announced under Pakistani sponsorship has reopened the door to a new political phase in the Middle East. However, the Lebanese arena quickly emerged as the first practical test of this understanding’s ability to endure and translate into realities on the ground. While the agreement was expected to reduce tensions across the various fronts linked to the U.S.–Iran…

Japan’s Ambassador to Jordan, Asari Hideki, affirmed that peace and stability in the Middle East are of direct interest to Japan, given the close links between regional crises, international security, supply chains, energy security, and freedom of navigation. He stressed the importance of de-escalation and ensuring free and safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, describing it as a vital…

In recent weeks, a series of brief remarks by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian have conveyed important signals about the nature of the unspoken disagreements within the structure of the Iranian political system. During a limited meeting with a group of intellectuals and elites, the president stressed the importance of preventing any single institution from monopolizing decision-making during this sensitive period.…

Hamas’s current elections are not merely a process of leadership replacement; they constitute a test of the movement’s ability to survive and reconstruct itself in the aftermath of the losses incurred since October 7. The internal competition within Hamas revolves around two principal approaches: one centered on resistance, alignment with Iran, and close ties to the military wing; and another…