Al Sharq Strategic Research

Applications are now open for the Al Sharq Strategic Research Internship Program Al Sharq Strategic Research is seeking interns to join its internship program starting on 1 May 2026. This opportunity is designed for young fellows with an interest in and experience studying the MENA region. Both part-time (3 full working days) and full-time (5 working days) options are available. We are looking for candidates who are passionate about research, have strong English proficiency, and are eager to work in a dynamic, in-person environment alongside our team in Istanbul. Key details: 📍 Location: Istanbul, Türkiye 🕒 Format: In person only 📅 Start date: 1 May 2026 📌 Application deadline: 20 April 2026 - Paid opportunity To apply, please send your CV and a cover letter explaining why you want to join Al Sharq Strategic Research to: research@sharqforum.org For more details: bit.ly/47NcsMi #Internship #ResearchInternship #AlSharqStrategicResearch #MENA #PoliticalScience #InternationalRelations #MiddleEastStudies #Istanbul #CareerOpportunity

Applications are now open for the Al Sharq Strategic Research Internship Program To apply, please send your CV and a cover letter explaining why you want to join Al Sharq Strategic Research to: research@sharqforum.org Al Sharq Strategic Research is seeking interns to join its internship program starting on 1 May 2026. This opportunity is designed for young fellows with an interest in and experience studying the MENA region. Both part-time (3 full working days) and full-time (5 working days) options are available. We are looking for candidates who are passionate about research, have strong English proficiency, and are eager to work in a dynamic, in-person environment alongside our team in Istanbul. Key details: 📍 Location: Istanbul, Türkiye 🕒 Format: In person only 📅 Start date: 1 May 2026 📌 Application deadline: 20 April 2026 Priority will be given to applicants studying or specializing in Political Science, International Relations, History, or Middle Eastern politics. To apply, please send your CV and a cover letter explaining why you want to join Al Sharq Strategic Research to: research@sharqforum.org

The ongoing US–Israel war on Iran has exposed a critical reality: ➡️ Regional security can no longer be shaped without regional actors. As the war drags on without achieving its objectives, Gulf states face growing vulnerability, while global powers show limited willingness to stabilize the region. In this shifting landscape, a new diplomatic bloc is emerging: STEP (Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Egypt, and Pakistan) — positioning itself as a mediator between Iran and the United States and as a potential pillar of a new regional order. Key questions now arise: • Can STEP fill the vacuum left by a divided West and passive Global South? • Will it redefine the balance between regional autonomy and US security guarantees? • And can it deliver a sustainable framework for peace—from Gaza to the Gulf? What is clear is that the region is entering a new phase of strategic reconfiguration, in which cooperation among regional powers may become a necessity rather than a choice. 📖 Read the full article by @omairanas via the link below 👇 🔗 bit.ly/4ecrOhj

"Savaş Irak için sadece dışsal bir kriz değil, aynı zamanda iç siyasi yapının, güvenlik mimarisinin ve bölgesel konumlanmanın test anı. Bu süreç ya Irak’ı daha derin bir parçalanmaya ve bölgesel olarak izole olmaya sürükleyecek ya da zorunlu bir dengeleme üzerinden yeni bir iç siyasi uzlaşının kapısını aralayacak." 📖 Makalenin tamamını bu linkten okuyun: 👇 🔗 bit.ly/4bSyXR2 ✍️ @mehmtalaca Ve @bekir_aydgn

📢 تدعوكم منصة الشرق أكاديميا إلى لقاء تفاعلي مع د. فاطمة الصمادي @AlsmadiFatima، باحثة أولى في معهد الجزيرة للدراسات، تحت عنوان "كيف أثرت حرب الأربعين يوماً على النظام السياسي الإيراني؟" 🔗 للتسجيل في اللقاء: bit.ly/4vr8e7g 🗓 الجمعة 17 أبريل 🕖 الساعة 7:00 مساءً يفتح هذا اللقاء التفاعلي باب النقاش حول التحولات التي أحدثتها حرب الأربعين يوماً وانعكاساتها على بنية النظام السياسي الإيراني، في قراءة تحليلية معمّقة مع د. فاطمة الصمادي. ندعوكم إلى التسجيل والمشاركة، ومشاركة الإعلان مع المهتمين. كما يمكنكم التسجيل والاطلاع على مقرر مقدمة في الحياة السياسية الإيرانية الذي تقدمه د. فاطمة الصمادي على منصة الشرق أكاديميا عبر الرابط التالي 👇 👇 🔗 bit.ly/4dRnwcu #الشرق_أكاديميا #فاطمة_الصمادي #إيران #النظام_السياسي_الإيراني

"Irak’ta ABD ve İran’ın saldırılarının yanı sıra milis gruplarının IKBY’ye yönelik tek taraflı saldırılarıyla devam eden ve Kürtlerin misilleme hakkını saklı tutarak çatışmadan kaçındığı sürecin ülke içi bir “iç savaşa” dönüşme riski de bulunuyor." 📖 Makalenin tamamını bu linkten okuyun: 👇 🔗 bit.ly/4bSyXR2 ✍️ @mehmtalaca Ve @bekir_aydgn

"Sünni ve Kürt siyasi aktörler ise halihazırdaki krizi tehlikeli bir eşik olarak değerlendirirken, aynı zamanda denge fırsatı olarak da okuma eğilimindeler. Bazı Sünni siyasi elitler, doğrudan çatışmaya sürüklenme riskinden kaçınırken, İran etkisinin zayıflamasını stratejik fırsat olarak tanımlıyorlar. Kürt aktörler ise ABD/Batı'yla yakın ilişkileri ve İran ile komşuluk bağları nedeniyle savaşta tarafsız ve dengeli bir pozisyon almalarına rağmen İran ve milislerin saldırılarına maruz kalıyorlar. Kürt aktörler dolayısıyla krizi endişeyle izliyorlar." 📖 Makalenin tamamını bu linkten okuyun: 👇 🔗 bit.ly/4bSyXR2 ✍️ @mehmtalaca Ve @bekir_aydgn

"Savaş, Irak için dışsal bir krizin ötesinde, doğrudan iç siyasi dengeleri yeniden şekillendiren bir kırılma demek. Savaşın gidişatı, Bağdat yönetiminin içinden çıkamadığı ikilemi derinleştiriyor. Savaşın Irak’a yeniden gösterdiği bir gerçeklik var: İçeride İran’ın baskın nüfuzunu dengeleme ve milis güçleri kontrol etme gerekliliğinin yanı sıra dışarıda ülke içi etnik ve mezhebi farklılıkları dikkate alarak bağımsız bir Irak politikasıyla bölgesel düzenin bir parçası olmayı amaçlamak." 📖 Makalenin tamamını bu linkten okuyun: 👇 🔗 bit.ly/4bSyXR2 ✍️ @mehmtalaca Ve @bekir_aydgn

مع تصاعد الحرب الأمريكية–الإسرائيلية على إيران، يتحول العراق تدريجيًا إلى ساحة مواجهة مفتوحة، حيث تتقاطع فيه مصالح القوى الإقليمية والدولية، في ظل هشاشة سياسية وأمنية متزايدة. تكشف الأزمة عن معادلة معقدة: • انقسام داخلي حاد، خصوصًا داخل البيت الشيعي • ضغوط خارجية متزايدة من واشنطن وطهران ودول الخليج • تراجع قدرة الدولة على ضبط الفصائل المسلحة في هذا السياق، يواجه العراق اختبارًا وجوديًا؛ هل ينخرط في صراع المحاور، أم يسعى إلى بناء سياسة مستقلة تعيد التوازن لعلاقاته الإقليمية؟ التحذيرات تتزايد من أن أي انزلاق غير محسوب قد يقود إلى: ➡️ تفكك داخلي أعمق ➡️ عزلة إقليمية متصاعدة ➡️ تحوّل العراق إلى ساحة حرب بالوكالة 📖 للمزيد؛ اقرأ مقال محمد ألاجا @mehmtalaca وبكير أيدوغان @bekir_aydgn كاملًا عبر الرابط التالي 👇 🔗 bit.ly/4sXvAQc

The Pakistan-mediated ceasefire in the Iran–US–Israel war marks an important moment—but not a resolution. Rather, it reflects a temporary pause in an increasingly complex and expanding conflict. Iran’s strategy has shifted beyond direct retaliation toward a broader approach: • Expanding the battlefield across the Gulf • Targeting economic and energy infrastructure • Leveraging control over the Strait of Hormuz Despite the ceasefire, major challenges remain unresolved: • Iran’s nuclear and missile programs • Sanctions and sequencing of concessions • The role of regional proxy actors • The future of regional security architecture With deep mistrust on both sides and competing narratives about the agreement, the next phase will be defined by negotiations rather than stability. This is not the end of the war, but a fragile window that could either lead to de-escalation—or a more dangerous phase. 📖 Read the full article by Javad Heiran-Nia @J_Heirannia via the link below👇 🔗 bit.ly/47TPenN

Applications are now open for the Al Sharq Strategic Research Internship Program Al Sharq Strategic Research is seeking interns to join its internship program starting on 1 May 2026. This opportunity is designed for young fellows with an interest in and experience studying the MENA region. Both part-time (3 full working days) and full-time (5 working days) options are available. We are looking for candidates who are passionate about research, have strong English proficiency, and are eager to work in a dynamic, in-person environment alongside our team in Istanbul. Key details: 📍 Location: Istanbul, Türkiye 🕒 Format: In person only 📅 Start date: 1 May 2026 📌 Application deadline: 20 April 2026 - Paid opportunity To apply, please send your CV and a cover letter explaining why you want to join Al Sharq Strategic Research to: research@sharqforum.org For more details: bit.ly/47NcsMi #Internship #ResearchInternship #AlSharqStrategicResearch #MENA #PoliticalScience #InternationalRelations #MiddleEastStudies #Istanbul #CareerOpportunity

🇷🇺 Russia and the War on Iran: Strategic Gains, Strategic Uncertainty ✍️ By @anton_mardasov 📖 Read the full article through the link 🔗 bit.ly/3OeAWrg As the US–Israeli military campaign against Iran unfolds, Russia finds itself navigating a complex balance between supporting Tehran and safeguarding its own strategic interests. While Moscow has provided limited military and intelligence assistance, the war also presents economic and geopolitical opportunities، from rising energy prices to a shift in global attention away from Ukraine. Yet beneath these gains lies deep uncertainty: • Limited influence over Iran’s internal decision-making • Risks of prolonged regional instability • The challenge of balancing ties with Iran and Arab states 📖 Read the full article through the link below 👇 🔗 bit.ly/3OeAWrg

Alongside US and Iranian strikes in Iraq, continued unilateral militia attacks on the Kurdistan Region risk pushing the crisis beyond external confrontation and into a dangerous internal dynamic. With the Kurdish side choosing restraint, avoiding escalation while reserving the right to respond, the possibility of the conflict evolving into an internal “civil war” scenario cannot be dismissed. 📖 Read the full article by @mehmtalaca & @bekir_aydgn here: 🔗 bit.ly/4sNQP7b #Iraq #Kurdistan #MiddleEast #RegionalSecurity #Militias #Geopolitics

The conflict and Morocco’s migration policies reveal how displacement, human rights, and regional security are deeply intertwined in North Africa. Backed by the United States and major European powers, Morocco’s position reflects its growing importance as a transatlantic security partner through cooperation on counterterrorism and migration management. At the same time, Algeria’s opposition and alignment with rival powers continue to reinforce the broader regional divide. Read the full article through the following link: 👇 🔗 bit.ly/4v6RiCM

"Hezbollah’s intervention was not surprising in principle. Hezbollah has long constituted a central extension of Iran’s Islamic Revolution—its most prominent Arab arm and, for years, the overseer of other regional fronts. This is true at the level of ideology, but it also reflects battlefield realities. Hezbollah understands that Iran’s collapse would, in effect, mean its own collapse. The scenario Hezbollah had least wished to contemplate was one in which the Iranian regime falls, and Israel is then free to focus entirely on Hezbollah." Read the full article through the link below 👇 🔗 bit.ly/4sv4nnF

For Sunni and Kurdish political actors, the crisis is both a moment of risk and a potential opening for political rebalancing. While many Sunni elites seek to avoid direct involvement, they also see the possible weakening of Iranian influence as a strategic opportunity. Kurdish actors, by contrast, are maintaining a cautious and balanced position, shaped by their ties to the US and the West, as well as their geographic proximity to Iran. Yet even amid this neutrality, concern is growing over escalating attacks by Iran and allied militia groups. 📖 Read the full article by @mehmtalaca & @bekir_aydgn here: 🔗 bit.ly/4sNQP7b #Iraq #MiddleEast #SunniPolitics #KurdishPolitics #Iran #RegionalSecurity #Geopolitics

Amid renewed low-intensity clashes and continued diplomatic deadlock, prospects for meaningful progress remain limited. As regional and international actors prioritize stability over settlement, MINURSO’s role appears increasingly constrained, with the mission gradually taking on a more symbolic character. Read the full article through the link below 👇 🔗 bit.ly/4v6RiCM

"What appears certain is that Lebanon will not return to the conditions that prevailed during the last ceasefire. Most of the available options are now radical, likely to affect Lebanon’s geography as well as, by extension, its demography and political and social order. Much will depend on developments on the Lebanese battlefield and, no less importantly, on the trajectory of events in Iran." Read the full article through the link below 👇 🔗 bit.ly/4sv4nnF

The war is not only an external crisis for Iraq. It is a defining test of the country’s internal political order, security structure, and regional role. This moment could push Iraq toward deeper fragmentation and regional isolation, or create an opening for a new political settlement built on necessary internal rebalancing. 📖 Read the full article by @mehmtalaca & @bekir_aydgn here: 🔗 bit.ly/4sNQP7b #Iraq #MiddleEast #RegionalPolitics #Security #Geopolitics #PoliticalSettlement

The war is not only an external crisis. It is a turning point that is reshaping Iraq’s internal political balance. It has once again exposed a dual imperative for Iraq: to address Iran’s dominant influence and bring militia forces under state control at home, while pursuing a more independent foreign policy that reflects the country’s ethnic and sectarian diversity and secures its place within the regional order. You can now read the full article by @mehmtalaca & @bekir_aydgn through the link below: 👇 🔗 bit.ly/4sNQP7b #Iraq #MiddleEast #RegionalPolitics #ForeignPolicy #Geopolitics #Security