Our cover story this week explores the opportunities and risks accompanying Syria's shift from being a corridor of Iranian influence to a state intent on containing it

While Damascus is focused on border reinforcements, weapons interceptions, drone monitoring, and improved coordination with Baghdad, Tehran is working out how to respond

Iraq's young prime minister is determined to bring a mass of private weapons under state control, but armed groups loyal to Iran have other ideas, so he is targeting their finances

From enhancing Saudi Arabia's border security to transferring lessons from the fall of Assad, Syrian military involvement presents both opportunities and risks

Beijing has been expanding its base in Djibouti, the tiny state that sits opposite Yemen across the Bab al-Mandab Strait. With numerous other states also in play, this is a region to watch

Both Tehran and Washington have powerful incentives to resolve the conflict through negotiations, but actors on all sides have reasons to derail these efforts

The negotiations in Abu Dhabi are expected to focus on security guarantees for the postwar period, with EU representatives excluded at Russia's insistence

Despite domestic shifts, new leaders often face structural constraints and have limited parameters to operate

Rejection of the incumbent does not imply confidence in the alternative

Gadi Eisenkot, who may form a government, hails from a Moroccan-Jewish family. Israel's 15 prime ministers have all had European or Russian heritage. Is it time for a change?