Hassan Al Mustafa

Everyone is doing their part to ensure a “political solution.” The United States and Iran are moving along two parallel tracks, with the trajectories of diplomacy and military force progressing simultaneously. Indeed, the two sides have divergent objectives: Washington seeks to prevent Tehran from…

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to the United States and the meetings he held with President Donald Trump are a crucial moment for their bilateral relations. It is the first toward broader cooperation that is expected to reinforce the Kingdom’s political safety net and restore regional…

After Operation Desert Storm ended with the expulsion of Iraqi forces from Kuwait in February 1991, it seemed that “international coalition” - built around the nucleus of Saudi Arabia, the United States, and the United Kingdom - had successfully stood in the way of the late Iraqi President Saddam…

The “Al-Aqsa Flood” operation launched by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent genocidal Israeli war that went on for two years were a pivotal moment for Middle Eastern politics and security. This period demanded the development of new, more effective, flexible, and robust approaches to…

Since they signed the “Beijing Agreement” in March 2023, relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran have developed in significant ways. Both sides have been seeking to manage their differences as they reduce tensions in the Arabian Gulf, adopting transparent…

Restricting armament to the state constitutes the central challenge of the Arab world. It is not merely a security and political question; rather, it pertains to the very essence of modern statehood, whose defining function is the monopolization of the “legitimate use of violence” by its…

The attack of October 7, 2023, triggered a chain of events: Israel attacked Iran and a 12-day war between the two countries followed; it escalated against Hezbollah in South Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburb, continuing to strike the party even after the announcement of a ceasefire; operations…

Sectarianism has a profound role in shaping the consciousness of wide segments of the Middle East’s population. It increases their propensity for violent behavior, both verbal and physical, and can lead to sectarian discrimination. Sectarianism is not born of a single factor. Rather, a set of…

Hezbollah held a mass funeral for its former Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah, and his successor, Hashem Safi al-Din, in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, on February 23. A measured reading of the scene would be of use. It should be approached with a cold political mind and without sentiment or…

On January 11, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called President Joseph Aoun to congratulate him on his election as President of Lebanon and to invite him to visit Saudi Arabia. Aoun welcomed the Saudi invitation, replying that Riyadh would be the first country he visits. Earlier, on…