Giorgio Cafiero

Could Japan's quiet diplomacy de-escalate tension between the US and Iran

On the face of it, Shinzo Abe’s visit was a failure, however, by going and speaking to the Iranians the US has established a backdoor channel.

Why the ‘good neighbours’ foreign policy is good for Iraq

Baghdad is attempting to maintain strong diplomatic relations with both the US and Iran as the two rival nations ramp up tensions in the region.

Bloody crack down by Sudan's military has echoes of Egyptian tactics

As the Transition Military Council brutalises the protest movement, it shows the ‘Deep State’ is unwilling to give up its grip on power, which could lead the country into further violence.

Can Oman pull the US and Iran back from the brink of confrontation?

Oman's goodwill and relationships with the Muslim world and the West could prove vital, as they have historically, to ensuring that US-Iran tensions don't boil over.

Sabotage and information warfare in the Gulf of Oman

Security crises in the Persian Gulf will become increasingly high-stakes as the lack of communication between Iran and the US and its allies can trigger misinformation, perceived threats and potentially military confrontation.

The Gulf crisis won’t be ending anytime soon

Both sides on either end of the Gulf crisis have issued demands that make any compromise difficult to imagine. The optimism of a breakthrough amid the glimmers of hope this month is misplaced.

Putin might be the last best hope for Kim Jong Un

Can Russian President Vladimir Putin pick up where the US has failed in the Korean Peninsula?

Are the mass executions in Saudi Arabia intended to provoke Iran?

If history is anything to go by then Saudi Arabia's executions of thirty-seven Saudis, most believed to be Shia, could incite anger in the region and a response from Iran.

Sudan: The counter-revolution will not be televised

Saudi Arabia and the UAE have a long history of counter-revolutions in the Muslim world - are they gearing up for another in Sudan?

Trump’s Iranian Revolutionary Guard policy endangers the Middle East

The decision to label the IRGC as a terrorist organisation is unnecessarily provocative from the Trump administration.

Saudi payout to Khashoggi's family is a clear admission of guilt

The compensation paid to Jamal Khashoggi's family won't quell global outrage against the Saudi Kingdom.

Trump’s Golan Heights decision rebuked by Turkey

The US administration has dropped any pretence of following diplomatic norms or international law and Ankara has called them on it every step of the way.