The combination of sanctions and the threat of war undermines the space for Iranian civil society to press its claim for rights and freedoms. The resumption of negotiations over the nuclear issues is an opportunity for western states to choose a better course, say Ramin Jahanbegloo & RN Khatami.
Although inspired by the movements of the Arab spring, the protests in Syria have degenerated into increasingly violent and militarised conflict with sectarian overtones that threaten the rights of Syrians at large. The means employed in the resolution of the crisis will determine the outcome Yaki
The surge of political expectation in post-revolution Libya contrasts with the lack of realistic assessments of the country's economic - and therefore democratic - prospects, finds Vicken Cheterian.
There is no doubting the bravery of the revolutionaries in Egypt; however, these freedom fighters are increasingly alienated from the public at large. The Egyptian public has grown weary with violence, and this does not bode well for the revolutionaries as they continue to fight for the political
Iran and the 5 +1 group (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, plus Germany) began talks on 15 April in Istanbul with a plenary session of all parties. The White House has welcomed Iran-5+1 group talks as a ‘positive first step’.
If you are one of the million Brits who will visit the UAE this year, think about this as you are seduced by the Lionel Richie led dancing water fountain in Dubai, and think about the UAE 7
The formation of an official agency charged with helping Washington identify and address threats of atrocity around the world is notable. But the United States's own foreign-policy record raises serious questions over its likely impact, says Martin Shaw.
A new phase of violence in Iraq and the dynamics of the conflict in Syria provide fertile conditions for the re-emergence of the al-Qaida idea.
Abdulhadi Al Khawaja, the 51-year-old co-founder of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, reaches his 78th day of a hunger strike today, just as world media attention turns away from the island after the Grand Prix. The Bahraini authorities tell us he is in good health. But what if they act too lat
The core themes of a new book of Fred Halliday’s openDemocracy columns underline his work's enduring vitality, says David Hayes. [This article was first published on 23 March 2011}
Egyptian journalist Mona el Tahawy caused a twitter storm with her latest article in Foreign Policy: Why Do They Hate Us? Tom Dale deconstructs the piece, writing that there are deeper historical roots and that el Tahawy's argument "lacks the capacity to suggest effective solutions."
