Iran

As the US and Iran head to talks in Geneva, competing forces are pulling Trump in opposite directions. There are only two "good" scenarios in front of him, and neither will be easy to achieve.

Islamabad emerges as a key bridge in tricky conflicts from Iran to China

Decapitation strikes against the country are likely. An invasion is not.

Trump seems to be ending America's longstanding role as crisis manager, preferring to use decisive force to change realities on the ground before negotiating

His meeting with Trump on 11 February, moved up a full week from its original date and just after talks began between Iran and the US, isn't a routine consultation between allies—it's an intervention

Moscow and Tehran cooperate militarily to an extent, but bilateral trade is low, and Russia doesn't consider Iran a strategic ally

Ahead of US-Iran talks on Friday, Al Majalla lays out what's on the negotiating table and what issues Tehran is likely—and unlikely—to be flexible on

Whether American military action triggers a rapid collapse of Iran's regime or gradually erodes it over time, all paths lead to one destination: the end of the Islamic Republic