Insights

After years of war and conflict, the people of Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria believed that liberation would bring peace and stability. But the hope faded quickly. The city has slipped back into fear – assassinations, bombings and constant insecurity...

From among the stones of its ancient markets rises the scent of history, mingled with the echo of old dinars. Aleppo has never been merely a city, but a commercial memory that spans the ages, forging a language of identity...

Since Ahmed Al-Sharaa took office as head of Syria’s interim government in early 2025, the Arab world has been reassessing its long-frozen relationship with Damascus. After more than a decade of isolation, the region is once again opening its diplomatic...

For decades, Idlib was known as one of Syria’s richest olive-producing regions, second only to Aleppo and its countryside. Before the war, more than 120,000 hectares of land were planted with olive trees, yielding up to 180,000 tonnes of fruit...

The recent visit of Syria’s interim president Ahmed Al-Sharaa to Moscow in mid-October, and his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, have once again brought Syrian–Russian relations to the forefront. The visit marks the most significant diplomatic exchange between the...

Since 2003, relations between Iraq and the United States have shifted rapidly, evolving from direct military presence to a focus on security and economic cooperation. In recent years, both sides have sought to recalibrate this relationship, emphasizing dialogue and partnership....

For more than a decade, Syrian refugees abroad have remained at the heart of the country’s crisis. From the early days of the conflict to the fall of the Assad regime last year, the refugee issue has exerted pressure on...

For decades, under the rule of the Ba’ath Party and the Assad family, Syria’s political life was tightly controlled by an authoritarian security system. Women were often present in parliament and ministries, but their roles were largely symbolic. Real power...

Days after Syrian interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa’s visit to Moscow in mid-October 2025 – described as a “turning point” in Syrian-Russian relations – the diplomatic scene in Damascus entered a period of confusion and inconsistency. What began as a strategic...

The United States this week launched a diplomatic initiative aimed at removing Syrian Interim President Ahmad Al-Sharaa and Interior Minister Anas Khattab from international sanctions lists through a draft resolution circulated to members of the UN Security Council. This step...