Raqqa

The appointment represents one of the most consequential political shifts in the Islamic Republic in more than three decades

When states are attacked, authority gravitates towards institutions capable of mobilising resources, enforcing discipline, and coordinating a military response

There are few examples of successful US regime-change operations in history. And without permanent ground troop presence, these wins can easily be reversed.

Crises often reorder energy geopolitics in unexpected ways. This one may ultimately strengthen, rather than weaken, China's strategic position.

Cairo and Tehran have been at loggerheads since 1979, but the Iranian threat has always acted as a check on Israeli ambitions. If Iran is completely defeated, Israel will reign supreme.