https://mena-studies.org/tags/syria/Recent content in Syria on MENA Research CenterHugoen-GBThu, 08 Oct 2026 20:14:14 +0200https://mena-studies.org/the-war-that-proved-him-right-mohammed-soliman-on-iran-west-asia-and-whats-left-of-american-power/Tue, 11 Aug 2026 22:06:32 +0200https://mena-studies.org/the-war-that-proved-him-right-mohammed-soliman-on-iran-west-asia-and-whats-left-of-american-power/Mohammed Soliman does not like the phrase “Middle East.” It is, he has argued for several years now, a cartographic relic, a term coined by an American naval strategist in 1902 to describe the sea lanes between Suez and Singapore, and it has outlived its…https://mena-studies.org/amelie-chelly-by-closing-the-strait-of-hormuz-iran-moved-from-rhetoric-to-action/Wed, 10 Jun 2026 12:56:47 +0200https://mena-studies.org/amelie-chelly-by-closing-the-strait-of-hormuz-iran-moved-from-rhetoric-to-action/In this interview, Amélie Chelly discusses the structure of the ‘Axis of Resistance’ and Iran’s asymmetric warfare strategy, which has been constrained by an unstable regional context – ranging from the Syrian civil war to recent confrontations with Israel…https://mena-studies.org/syria-as-an-energy-transit-corridor-between-promising-geography-and-a-constrained-reality/Tue, 09 Jun 2026 12:41:31 +0200https://mena-studies.org/syria-as-an-energy-transit-corridor-between-promising-geography-and-a-constrained-reality/Iran’s attempts to close the Strait of Hormuz during the US-Israeli war on Iran pushed countries around the world to search for alternative routes and corridors. The issue of transforming Syria into an energy transit hub returned to the forefront of…https://mena-studies.org/iran-and-the-great-deception/Wed, 24 Dec 2025 16:30:18 +0100https://mena-studies.org/iran-and-the-great-deception/Iran has never been a sincere ally of the Arabs. From the very beginnings of its regional project, it has practiced a great deception, using Arab blood as fuel for its international bargaining and turning Arab geography into mere pressure cards on negotiating…https://mena-studies.org/youssef-chiheb-political-islam-does-not-seek-power-through-violence-but-through-the-democratic-process/Fri, 19 Dec 2025 14:44:00 +0100https://mena-studies.org/youssef-chiheb-political-islam-does-not-seek-power-through-violence-but-through-the-democratic-process/As 2025 draws to a close, we spoke with Dr. Youssef Chiheb, professor at Sorbonne Paris Nord University, specialist in the geopolitics of the Arab world, Director of research at the French Intelligence Research Centre (CF2R), and author of Les th éoriciens de…https://mena-studies.org/challenges-to-expanding-the-abraham-accords/Sat, 13 Dec 2025 11:38:00 +0100https://mena-studies.org/challenges-to-expanding-the-abraham-accords/Since the signing of the Abraham Accords in 2020 and 2021 between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan, no additional countries have joined the framework. At the same time, none of the signatories have withdrawn. The Abraham…https://mena-studies.org/the-new-middle-east-ignites-competition-between-turkiye-and-israel/Sun, 07 Dec 2025 10:42:00 +0100https://mena-studies.org/the-new-middle-east-ignites-competition-between-turkiye-and-israel/The Gaza Strip war reshaped the region, upending the balance of power and opening the door to scenarios that were previously unlikely in the Middle East. The period between Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the twelve-day war between Israel and…https://mena-studies.org/democracy-as-blasphemy-and-criminality/Sun, 26 Oct 2025 15:43:23 +0100https://mena-studies.org/democracy-as-blasphemy-and-criminality/Democracy, in its noble theoretical meaning, is government of the people, by the people, and for the people — the fruit of centuries of struggle against tyranny and injustice. But when it is applied in societies lacking political, cultural, and scientific…https://mena-studies.org/secularism-why-does-it-have-a-bad-reputation-in-the-arab-world/Wed, 15 Oct 2025 17:16:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/secularism-why-does-it-have-a-bad-reputation-in-the-arab-world/The ones who have harmed the reputation of secularism the most fall into three categories: Arab rulers, extreme secularist elites, and advocates of political Islam who seek power at any cost. Rulers presented themselves to the world as secular but failed to…https://mena-studies.org/islamist-attacker-of-solingen-sentenced-to-life-imprisonment/Mon, 06 Oct 2025 11:29:05 +0200https://mena-studies.org/islamist-attacker-of-solingen-sentenced-to-life-imprisonment/The Higher Regional Court in Düsseldorf has sentenced the Solingen knife attacker to life imprisonment for three counts of murder, ten counts of attempted murder, and membership in the terrorist organization “Islamic State” (IS). The court also determined the…https://mena-studies.org/suspicious-tunisian-charities-helped-fund-and-transport-over-6000-youths-to-iraq-and-syria-to-join-isis/Sun, 05 Oct 2025 11:19:02 +0200https://mena-studies.org/suspicious-tunisian-charities-helped-fund-and-transport-over-6000-youths-to-iraq-and-syria-to-join-isis/The High Authority for Administrative and Financial Oversight in Tunisia, in the section of its annual report concerning the funding of associations within the framework of international cooperation, confirmed that several charities—classified as “suspicious”…https://mena-studies.org/civil-society-and-the-state-what-should-their-relationship-be/Thu, 02 Oct 2025 10:56:42 +0200https://mena-studies.org/civil-society-and-the-state-what-should-their-relationship-be/This paper explores the reasons behind the failed attempts to give birth to civil society institutions in our miserable East in general, and in Syria in particular. It also examines the nature of the relationship that should exist between political authority…https://mena-studies.org/what-are-saudi-arabias-goals-in-syria/Mon, 14 Jul 2025 10:43:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/what-are-saudi-arabias-goals-in-syria/Saudi Arabia is playing an increasingly prominent role in rehabilitating Syria and reintegrating it into the international community, especially following the rise of a new government with foreign policy priorities markedly different from those of former…https://mena-studies.org/demographic-inoculation-a-destructive-tool-in-the-hands-of-politicians-syria-as-a-model/Sun, 06 Jul 2025 11:50:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/demographic-inoculation-a-destructive-tool-in-the-hands-of-politicians-syria-as-a-model/Social change is a natural phenomenon that societies undergo over time. However, when this change becomes systematic and orchestrated by governments, it turns into a political tool aimed at reshaping the population composition to serve specific objectives.https://mena-studies.org/german-court-sends-a-signal-against-impunity/Sat, 05 Jul 2025 11:45:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/german-court-sends-a-signal-against-impunity/With his head bowed, Syrian doctor Alaa M. listened as the verdict was read out. After nearly three and a half years of proceedings, the Higher Regional Court in Frankfurt, Germany sentenced the 40-year-old orthopedic and trauma surgeon to life imprisonment…https://mena-studies.org/the-dangers-of-ideological-rigidity-in-islam/Mon, 30 Jun 2025 12:20:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/the-dangers-of-ideological-rigidity-in-islam/This article explores the dangers of ideological rigidity and the critical importance of accepting opposing viewpoints. It draws a parallel between psychological entrapment and political intransigence by using the historical example of Abu Lahab—the Prophet…https://mena-studies.org/turkeys-energy-ambitions-in-post-war-syria/Thu, 12 Jun 2025 11:01:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/turkeys-energy-ambitions-in-post-war-syria/Over the past two decades, Turkey’s foreign policy has undergone a significant transformation—particularly in the Eastern Mediterranean. This shift has largely been driven by mounting discoveries of natural gas, prompting Ankara to prioritize maritime…https://mena-studies.org/return-to-syria/Thu, 15 May 2025 17:04:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/return-to-syria/How to deal with Syria and Syrian refugees after the fall of the Assad regime remains a complicated issue for the new German government. Although the number of asylum applications from Syrians has dropped significantly, they still top the asylum statistics…https://mena-studies.org/minorities-and-nation-state/Wed, 14 May 2025 16:58:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/minorities-and-nation-state/For a long time, the issue of minorities has been one of the unspoken taboos—either suppressed by force or ignored through a form of collective pretense. It is difficult to identify a single, unified stance that represents minority perspectives regarding the…https://mena-studies.org/syrian-female-detainees-a-tragedy-beyond-imagination/Sun, 11 May 2025 13:35:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/syrian-female-detainees-a-tragedy-beyond-imagination/Human rights reports have documented hundreds of cases of sexual violence against women in Syrian regime prisons. According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, over 5,400 women, including 1,200 university students, were arrested between March 2011 and…https://mena-studies.org/middle-east-after-assad-whats-next-for-turkey-israel-iran/Mon, 05 May 2025 09:47:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/middle-east-after-assad-whats-next-for-turkey-israel-iran/In this conversation recorded on April 28, 2025, Mahammad Mammadov (Topchubashov Center, Azerbaijan) and Ilkan Dalkuc (Daktilo 1984, Türkiye) join host Denys Kolesnyk, President of the MENA Research Center, to discuss the fast-changing landscape of the Middle…https://mena-studies.org/the-curse-of-the-authoritarian-throne/Fri, 25 Apr 2025 15:53:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/the-curse-of-the-authoritarian-throne/In the Arab world, once someone ascends to a position of authority and is empowered by it, they often undergo a startling transformation—one so drastic that even they might struggle to recognize themselves. What lies behind this sudden shift in identity?…https://mena-studies.org/syrians-in-europe-on-the-situation-in-their-homeland/Fri, 18 Apr 2025 11:51:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/syrians-in-europe-on-the-situation-in-their-homeland/A fragile peace after fourteen years of civil war – the hopeful image of a stable, reconciled Syria has suffered a severe blow in recent weeks. In the northwestern coastal region of Latakia, a traditional power base of the Alawite community, heavy clashes…https://mena-studies.org/the-pillars-of-tyranny-in-religious-discourse/Tue, 15 Apr 2025 12:24:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/the-pillars-of-tyranny-in-religious-discourse/In this thought-provoking paper, Yasser Hassoun sets out to diagnose what he sees as the root cause of stagnation within the Arab-Islamic mindset. He argues that genuine reform, renewal, and enlightenment must begin by addressing the structural flaws embedded…https://mena-studies.org/is-syria-being-governed-by-a-minority-once-again/Fri, 11 Apr 2025 12:41:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/is-syria-being-governed-by-a-minority-once-again/Syria has long been a country of diverse ethnicities and religions, with its various communities experiencing significant shifts in population and distribution throughout history. One of the most impactful of these changes occurred during the recent war that…https://mena-studies.org/spheres-of-interest-for-or-against-a-future-in-syria/Sat, 05 Apr 2025 12:47:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/spheres-of-interest-for-or-against-a-future-in-syria/More than three months ago, the dictatorship of Bashar al-Assad in Syria fell. Millions of Syrians hoped for a better future—but it has yet to arrive. Following massacres, particularly against the Alawites along the Mediterranean coast with around 1,000 dead…https://mena-studies.org/the-transitional-constitution-in-syria/Thu, 03 Apr 2025 13:36:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/the-transitional-constitution-in-syria/Syria’s interim president, Ahmad al-Scharaa, is pushing ahead with the country’s political transition with determination – but his approach is fueling growing skepticism in the West, among liberal Syrians, and within ethnic and religious minority communities.…https://mena-studies.org/irans-risks-and-western-pressure/Sun, 30 Mar 2025 13:42:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/irans-risks-and-western-pressure/“We cannot allow them to have a nuclear weapon,” said the American president at the White House, addressing Tehran. “We are in the final stages with Iran. Something will happen very soon.”https://mena-studies.org/interview-with-eugene-chausovsky-senior-director-at-new-lines-institute/Sun, 30 Mar 2025 09:50:00 +0200https://mena-studies.org/interview-with-eugene-chausovsky-senior-director-at-new-lines-institute/Join us for an in-depth discussion with Eugene Chausovsky, Senior Director at New Lines Institute, as we analyze the shifting global landscape. We explore the geopolitical consequences of Bashar al-Assad’s ousting in Syria, Russia’s strategic maneuvers, and…https://mena-studies.org/putin-plans-to-establish-a-new-military-base-in-libya/Thu, 27 Mar 2025 12:48:00 +0100https://mena-studies.org/putin-plans-to-establish-a-new-military-base-in-libya/The Italian website Inside Over has highlighted Moscow’s moves, in coordination with retired General Khalifa Haftar, to establish a military base in Matán al-Sarra in southern Libya. The report suggests that the base could become a key hub for the operations…https://mena-studies.org/geopolitical-challenges-persist-from-the-middle-east-to-europe/Tue, 18 Mar 2025 14:47:00 +0100https://mena-studies.org/geopolitical-challenges-persist-from-the-middle-east-to-europe/Amid rising geopolitical tensions, we had the privilege of interviewing Mr. Witold Rodkiewicz, a specialist in Russian foreign policy at the Center for Eastern Studies (OSW) in Warsaw. In addition to his analytical work, Mr. Rodkiewicz teaches at the…https://mena-studies.org/the-role-of-the-hmeimim-base-in-syria/Sat, 15 Mar 2025 15:23:00 +0100https://mena-studies.org/the-role-of-the-hmeimim-base-in-syria/Nearly two weeks after the bloody events on the Syrian coast, which resulted in over a thousand deaths and tens of thousands of displaced people, the issue has returned to the political spotlight, particularly concerning the situation of those displaced from…https://mena-studies.org/interview-with-khaldoun-alnabwani-and-michel-makinsky/Mon, 30 Dec 2024 12:00:00 +0100https://mena-studies.org/interview-with-khaldoun-alnabwani-and-michel-makinsky/In this final discussion of 2024, hosted by Denys Kolesnyk for the MENA Research Center, two distinguished guests—Michel Makinsky and Khaldoun Alnabwani—reflected on the major events that shaped the year. They discussed Donald Trump’s re-election, the fall of…https://mena-studies.org/the-fall-of-bashar-al-assad-in-syria-the-unexpected-culmination-of-2024/Sat, 28 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0100https://mena-studies.org/the-fall-of-bashar-al-assad-in-syria-the-unexpected-culmination-of-2024/The end of the year was marked by the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria. We spoke to Nathaniel Garstecka, a journalist working for the Polish opinion…https://mena-studies.org/the-fall-of-assads-regime-in-syria-between-hopes-and-threats/Tue, 10 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0100https://mena-studies.org/the-fall-of-assads-regime-in-syria-between-hopes-and-threats/The collapse of the long-standing regime of Bashar al-Assad, and with it the Syrian Arab Republic, has been viewed by many commentators as a positive development. In…