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West Asia Roundup - January 2020
Hirak Jyoti Das, Senior Research Associate, VIF

Abstract:
The year ended on a sombre note and 2020 woke up to more accentuated volatility in West Asia pursuant to the targeted killing of highly influential Iranian IRIGC General Qassem Soleimani by the US drone strikes in Iraq (

February 13, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy, West Asia, Article, Berlin Conference, US-Iran tensions, The Demise of Sultan Qaboos of Oman, US drone strikes in Iraq
Exploring Iran’s Domestic Dynamics towards the US
Hirak Jyoti Das, Senior Research Associate, VIF

The internal political dynamics in Iran are divided into three blocs namely the clergy, the technocracy and the military and security forces. The interplay between the three blocs into the clergy-military; military-technocrat and clergy-technocrat al

January 31, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy, US, West Asia, Article, JCPOA, IRGC, Kataeb Hezbollah, Hassan Rouhani, Qassim Soleimani, Popular Mobilisation Forces, Iran-US tensions
Libya – the Unfortunate Domain of International Competition: Berlin and Beyond
Amb Anil Trigunayat, Distinguished Fellow, VIF

Soon it will be almost a decade of destruction in Libya which in many ways could be the worst extension of the four decades of Gaddafi’s autocratic rule. On February 17, 2011 ecstatic Libyans had jubilantly marched their revolution for a ‘New Lib

January 27, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy, West Asia, Article, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Libya, General Haftar, Tripoli, Tobruk, GNA, UNSMIL, Erdogan
सुलेमानी की हत्या: आगे क्या?
Lt General S A Hasnain, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM (Bar), VSM (Bar) (Retd.), Distinguished Fellow, VIF

चूंकि कासिम सुलेमानी गुप्त तरीके से काम करने के लिए बनाई गई रणनीतिक सेना के कमांडर होने के नाते

January 21, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy, West Asia, Hindi, Article, ईरान, सुलेमानी, अमेरिका, आईएसआईएस
Analysing Iran’s Counter Strikes
Hirak Jyoti Das, Senior Research Associate, VIF

Iran on 8 January 2020 launched 22 surface-to-surface missiles at two US military bases in Ain al-Asad base in Anbar province and one facility in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan.1 The operation called, “Shahid Soleimani” has been

January 17, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy, West Asia, Article, IRGC, Operation Shahid Soleimani, Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), Kataeb Hezbollah, War Powers Resolution
Trump and Iran: Who Lost More?
Amb K P Fabian

The media as well as some scholars refer to “Iran-U.S. confrontation” giving the wrong impression that both sides are equally responsible for the genesis of the current crisis in their relations, a crisis that brought the world to the brink of di

January 16, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy, US, West Asia, Article, China, Russia, JCPOA, Soleimani, Hague Convention, Ukrainian plane crash
West Asia Roundup - December 2019
Hirak Jyoti Das, Senior Research Associate, VIF

Abstract:
Year 2019, in keeping with the ongoing trend of conflicts and hotspots in the region, ended in heightening tensions between US and Iran which does not portend well for 2020. Iraq has been facing series of demonstrations and co

January 16, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy, West Asia, Article, US, Iran, Qatar, Islamic Ummah, Developments in Algeria, Attack on Southern
Complicated 2019 for the International Oil Market and Trade
Aayush Mohanty

Introduction
The effects of the United States of America’s (U.S) pulling out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) in early 2018 had an impact on the global oil trade, which continued in 2019. The renewed unilateral sanction

January 13, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy, West Asia, Article, US, Iran, energy, Oil
US and Iran in an Uneasy Calm
Amb Anil Trigunayat, Distinguished Fellow, VIF

President Trump has the uncanny habit of surprising the world by his unique and often contentious tweets on foreign policy issues. But this time it pleased many. “All is Well” tweeted President Trump after 20 odd Iranian missiles apparently targe

January 10, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy, US, West Asia, Commentary, JCPOA, Trump, Arab Spring, Soleimani, Javad Jarief, missiles attack, unconditional talks
Assassination of General Soleimani and geo-political tensions in the Gulf
Amb D P Srivastava, Distinguished Fellow, VIF

Assassination of Major General Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Al Quds Forces in an American strike at Baghdad airport in the early hours of 3rd January sent shock waves in the region. Iran declared 3 days mourning and flags are being flown at half

January 09, 2020 International Relations and Diplomacy, US, West Asia, Article, Quds Force, IRGC, Soleimani, Mashad, Kitaib-Hizbullah, oil price
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