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Aviation and Coercive Diplomacy: The Strategic Dimensions of U.S. Sanctions Against Iran
U.S. sanctions target Iranian airlines under Operation Economic Outcast, restricting air connectivity and turning civil aviation into a geopolitical tool.
China’s Dual-Track Strategy Between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region in Iraq
China balances economic interests in Iraqi Kurdistan with political ties to Baghdad, prioritizing investment, energy security and regional stability.
KRI Leaders Seek a New Track in Relations with Iran
Iraqi Kurdish leaders seek dialogue with Iran, revealing rare KDP-PUK unity on security amid political rivalries and regional tensions.
The Making of the Houthis: Saudi Policy, UN diplomacy, and Red Sea Geography
Explore the Houthis’ rise in Yemen, Saudi Arabia’s policies, the unintended effects of UN diplomacy and Iran’s influence on maritime security.
The Hamas-Israel War: Regional Perspectives – Event Summary
The Cambridge Middle East and North Africa Forum (MENAF) hosted a panel discussion examining the Hamas–Israel war and its wider implications for regional security, diplomacy and international relations. Held in the weeks following the attacks of 7 October 2023, the event explored Israel’s military and political response, the possibility of a broader regional conflict, the […]
Israel and Turkey in a Changing Middle East – Event Summary
The Cambridge Middle East and North Africa Forum (MENAF), in collaboration with City St George’s, University of London and the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), hosted a discussion examining relations between Israel and Turkey amid profound changes in the Middle East’s political and security landscape. The event considered how the war in Gaza, the weakening […]
Syria in Transition: War, Power, and Strategic Shifts – Event Summary
The Cambridge Middle East and North Africa Forum (MENAF) hosted an online discussion examining Syria’s political and security transition following the collapse of the Assad regime in December 2024. The event explored the emerging political order under President Ahmed al-Sharaa, the challenges of rebuilding state institutions, the integration of Kurdish-controlled territories and the implications of […]
China, Energy and Geopolitics during the Middle East Crisis – Event Summary
The Cambridge Middle East and North Africa Forum (MENAF), in collaboration with the Middle East Institute at the National University of Singapore, hosted an online discussion examining China’s evolving role in the Middle East amid the war involving Iran, Israel and the United States. The event explored how regional instability, disruptions to global energy markets […]
Iraq in a Changing Middle East — Event Summary
The Cambridge Middle East and North Africa Forum hosted a discussion examining Iraq’s political and strategic position amid significant transformations across the Middle East. The conversation explored the implications of the war involving Iran, the United States and Israel, the emergence of a new government in Syria, evolving relations with Turkey and persistent tensions between […]
Iran’s Imperial Japan Syndrome: How Military Rule Could Jeopardize Its Future
Iran’s IRGC-led war strategy echoes Imperial Japan, as US airstrikes, naval blockades and tensions in Hormuz reshape the regional conflict.