Over 100 Afghans serving prison sentences in Iran were handed over to the Taliban on Sunday. “As a result of the efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs… 101 Afghan prisoners were transferred again in Nimruz in connection with the agreement reached with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” said the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry on Monday. Fazl Mohammad Haqqani, Chargé d’affaires […]

Days after welcoming Secretary of State Antony Blinken as part of efforts to reset relations with the U.S., Saudi Arabia turned its attention to boosting ties with one of Washington’s main competitors: China, says Bloomberg. A Bloomberg report — Saudi Arabia Looks to China for Business as US Influence Wanes — said on June 13, 2023: For the past two […]

When June 16, 202310:00 am – 11:00 am Where Zoom Webinar Registration For More Information Programs Departmentevents@mei.edu202-785-1141 ext. 202 Iran has had complicated relations with the Taliban since the group emerged in the 1990s. But recent border clashes and deepening tensions over shared water resources represent a serious escalation — and a new set of challenges — for both Tehran […]

It was Afghanistan’s irresistible desire for independence from foreign occupation that bled and weakened the Soviet Union substantially during its nine-year occupation and led to its subsequent disintegration. Thus, Ukraine emerged as an independent sovereign state from Afghanistan’s unremitting desire for independence. Now that Ukraine is fighting for its own independence, it is worthwhile to make a comparison between the […]

Recent DevelopmentsUnconfirmed reports arguing that the Afghan Taliban has neutralised Sanaullah Ghafari alias Shahab al-Muhajir, the Emir of Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP) during a raid in Kunar (bordering Pakistan), have trickled in gradually this month. However, besides speculative rhetoric, there is little to go on, considering there is a lack of eulogising by pro-ISIS media or celebratory announcements […]

Bangladesh, a vibrant South Asian country, finds itself in the heart of a burgeoning political crisis. As the nation prepares for national elections scheduled for late 2023 or early 2024, escalating violence and civil discord are cause for concern. At this critical juncture, immediate international attention and proactive intervention are required. The nation seems to be inching towards a full-scale […]

Why Outsiders Struggle to Understand Beijing’s Decision-Making Figuring out how policy decisions are made in authoritarian regimes has always been hard. Winston Churchill famously referred to Soviet policymaking as “a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma”—and he was not much wrong. Observers in the West could see the policy output of the Soviet Union, be it under Joseph […]

The history of the Islamization of indigenous non-Muslim populations of Kashmir is similar to that of the Middle East and North Africa: native non-Muslim peoples were first conquered by Islamic armies and then subjected to discrimination and persecution, which led to either death, conversion to Islam or departure/flight. Due to killings and forced conversions, there are no Hindus remaining in […]

May 8-9, 1945, a historical turning point towards ending WWII has been celebrated as the Victory Day commemorating the Soviet victory over Nazi forces. The choice of the anniversary has also been interpreted as a particular country’s pro-Western versus pro-USSR/Russian positioning. Within this context, Central Asia, stands out as one of the most interesting regions not only with its historical […]

While delivering a speech at the opening ceremony of the Astana International Forum, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev enthusiastically spoke of the achievements of his country’s economy. “Despite geopolitical upheavals Kazakhstan keeps serving as an economic engine in and for Central Asia. We continue to attract significant foreign investment and provide exceptional conditions to do business in Kazakhstan… Last year, Kazakhstan’s […]