UAE backs one China policy, criticizes Pelosi’s ‘provocative visit’ to Taiwan

Since the start of the year, Abu Dhabi has moved closer to Washington's geopolitical rivals

Tyranny on the waters: The UAE-Israeli occupation of Yemen’s Socotra Island

The transformation of Yemen’s strategically-located Socotra Island into an Emirati-Israeli military intelligence hub has raised concerns for the Ansarallah movement and its allies, significantly increasing the geopolitical stakes of the Yemen war.

In a US-China confrontation, West Asia will bow out

A significant increase in geopolitical and economic ties with China has offered West Asian states an alternative to the US, which has traditionally been the region's security guarantor.

Iraqi president, KRG minister discuss resolution of outstanding issues

Tensions remain between Erbil and Baghdad due to Kurdish oil exports to Israel via Turkiye and the independence of Peshmerga forces from the Iraqi army

Kurdistan Regional Government resumes oil exports to Turkiye

The export of Kurdish oil to Turkiye has long been controversial, as large amounts are purchased by Israel

Iraq’s Silk Road: Port and canal project set to transform Baghdad’s geopolitical clout

Iraq’s two ambitious trade corridor projects present an opportunity for a beleaguered Baghdad to enhance its geopolitical status and establish economic independence.

China, Saudi Arabia to establish free trade zone

The Chinese Foreign Minister stressed that both states should expand cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, infrastructure, energy, and technology

Dead on arrival: The west’s B3W initiative to rival China’s BRI

While Washington is focused on establishing rival 'global' projects to Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative, most of these drive profits and benefits right back to the United States.

Islamic scholars visit China’s Xinjiang, praise measures taken to ‘combat terrorism’

The delegation comprised of scholars from Egypt, Syria, Tunisia, and a number of Gulf nations said China has 'contributed to the stability of the region'

Predictions for 2023? Annus horribilis with some surprising upsides

The Cradle's writers offer up their predictions for 2023. The common theme is massive global shifts, some good, some bad.

Woman, Life, Freedom…and NATO

A superpower in decline still retains a vast appetite for irregular, proxy warfare to slow down the imminent multipolar order. Iran, Russia, China are its big targets and all tools will be employed.

Iran, China fix diplomatic blunder following Xi’s Saudi visit

Tehran takes a hard stand as Xi Jinping discovers the Persian Gulf can be a diplomatic minefield.

Iran summons Chinese envoy for undermining territorial integrity

The three Persian Gulf islands have, for years, been the source of a major dispute between Tehran and Abu Dhabi

China hails Saudi Arabia’s role in oil markets, Riyadh supports ‘one-china’ policy

Xi is on a three day visit to Riyadh to attend a summit with Saudi delegates, Arab states, and nations of the GCC coalition

Goodbye G20, hello BRICS+

The increasingly irrelevant G20 Summit concluded with sure signs that BRICS+ will be the way forward for Global South cooperation.

How Arab states perceive the US-China standoff

West Asian countries recognize China’s sovereign claims over Taiwan, yet many of them still rely on the US militarily and politically, so where do they stand?

China cautions Israel against damaging bilateral ties by yielding to US pressure

The foreign relations head of the CPC told the Israeli ambassador to China last week that 'if Israel hurts China because of external pressure, it will be making the wrong policy decision'

Washington approves $20bln worth of arms sales in two-week span

On top of runaway weapon sales this year, the US has also funneled tens of billions of dollars into Ukraine to fuel the war against Russia

CIA pivots from ‘war on terror’ to countering China: Report

The US spy agency says that, while 'counterterrorism' efforts will continue in West Asia, their top priority is now to counter Beijing and Moscow

Why China seeks an Iran nuclear deal

Beijing has compelling reasons to prevent the Iran nuclear deal from collapse, and they mainly concern China's need for stability in the Persian Gulf

How a missile in Kabul connects to a Speaker in Taipei

Washington’s hard power display of taking out Al-Qaeda’s Al-Zawahiri will not be reciprocated by Beijing over Pelosi’s provocative visit to Taiwan. It does however, definitively bury the decades-long era of cooperative US-Chinese relations.

The west’s Plan B: Secure the realm

Having failed in preserving the unipolar order, the west will resort to Plan B – reviving a bipolar world based on the ‘civilized’ west and the ‘barbarian’ rest.

Juggling grenades: To contain China, the US will ignore Russia in India

Divergent policies on Moscow will not get in the way of Indo-US efforts to counter Beijing’s regional influence.

Russia’s judo kick to the western financial gut

Washington's sanctions on Moscow will destroy Europe, not Russia

A Russian wrench in Vienna halts US dash for the finish line

In an eleventh-hour shot across Vienna's bow, the Russians challenged the US 'weaponization of the dollar' with the 'weaponization of the atom.'

Will the US re-ignite a ‘Syrian revolution’ to punish Russia in Ukraine?

The US and its allies have already set the scene for Revolution 2.0 in Syria. The question is whether their plan is to extract concessions from Russia over Ukraine, or to go full out and risk a West Asia-wide conflagration.

Assad, Syria and China’s new Silk Road

Count on Syria becoming an important West Asian hub in China's Belt and Road Initiative