The year 1979 is a turning point in the history of the region, as the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Islamic revolution in Iran and ‘Seige of Mecca’ laid the groundwork for the rise and victory of the Taliban over forty years later, writes Ibrahim Al Marashi

Climate change has been described as a “threat multiplier,” as opposed to a direct, causal source of societal conflicts, civil war, or terrorism. Nevertheless, armed groups will capitalize on fluctuations caused by extreme climate events and ensuing vulnerabilities to further their goals, writes Ibrahim al-Marashi.

As Iran’s role in Afghanistan’s future appears uncertain, it is up to diplomacy and para-diplomacy to address this handicap—but without Qatar on its side, Tehran’s efforts to gain a foothold in Afghanistan could be shunned by regional and international actors, writes Banafsheh Keynoush.

Policy experts in Iran are calling for proactive water diplomacy that goes hand in hand with Iran’s goal of building regional security with the 12 neighboring countries with which it shares river flows, writes Banafsheh Keynoush.

As U.S. Special Envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad reviews the peace process, is it reasonable for Biden to rein in the War on Terror or “forever wars” and rely on diplomacy instead? write Branka Andjelkovic and Humayoon Babur.

As tensions with Iran are expected to ease under the Biden administration, the United Arab Emirates’ economic ties and legacy relations position it to potentially play a pivotal role in Gulf outreach to Tehran, writes Banafsheh Keynoush.

In order to halt the loss of innocent life in Iran, it is time for the United States to take a dramatic step: remove sanctions and bring Iran to the negotiating table, writes Ida Ghohestani.

Upstream from Iran, Afghanistan’s Kamal Khan Dam tests hydro-diplomacy’s effectiveness at quelling fears of water scarcity, write Branka Andjelkovic and Humayoon Babur.

As the Biden administration addresses the threat from the hostile landscape inhabited by jihadis who continue to plot attacks on the United States, it must decide whether to continue or affirm the Trump administration’s retreat from Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Somalia, writes Bennett Ramberg.

Not without some major changes, writes Abraham Wagner.