Aaron Y. Zelin

Today is the day! I’ve been waiting for this day for sooo long. My book is finally out! 🎉 Buy it here: amzn.to/2uAZbqL

من أكثر المقالات المميزة التي قرأتها عن سوريل خلال فترة الحرب على إيران.

@dyaakaddoor 🙏🏼

"The [Iran] war has still forced Syria’s young government to contend with challenges such as casualties from rockets and interceptors falling through its airspace, disinformation campaigns about its military intentions, increased border threats from Iranian proxies in Iraq and Lebanon, and energy and economic fallout that could affect its post-Assad transition and rebuilding efforts." washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysi…

Abu Mahdi, when asked if he’d destroy Israel before he gets “martyred” in 5 years, replied: “Not Israel. Riyadh. Saudi.” “What about America?” “Saudi, Saudi.“

biden total spend on ukraine: $180 billion the pentagon just asked for $200 billion for war in iran.

Next up: US asks Iran to join anti-Iran coalition

My new piece for @ForeignPolicy. The most likely outcome of the war is a weaker but nastier Iran. What this means for Iranians (more repression), the region (weaker Axis; bitter legacy), & US-Iran relations (the cycle of violence will repeat itself): foreignpolicy.com/2026/03/19/ira…

In his interview with @TuckerCarlson, Joe Kent says "the war in #Syria would never have happened without the war in #Iraq," because #Israel wanted rid of Saddam & "Basheer #Assad." That's quite the conspiracy theory -- and a wild misunderstanding of reality -- to say the least.

The great @LovedayM traveled to Kurdish militant camps on the Iran-Iraq border to investigate whether fighters crossed into Iran or were involved in covert ops with Israel / the US. The definitive account of what happened, & what didn’t. @newlinesmag now newlinesmag.com/reportage/iran…

أهنئ أبناء شعبنا السوري بمناسبة عيد الفطر المبارك، أعاده الله على الأمة الإسلامية والعربية بالخير واليُمن والبركة، وبالأمن والاستقرار، وعلى وطننا الحبيب بالازدهار والعمران.

🇸🇾 Day 2, we returned to Bab Sharqi and Al-Shaghour to share Iftar meals with our community neighbors who we grew up alongside in the old quarter. Thank you to all those families for the warm welcome and for reminding us that the mosaic of our city is held together by the bonds of being neighbors. ☪️✝️🕎 Next stop, Quneitra. كل عام وانتم بخير 🌙 #SvrianMosaicFoudation #Damascus #Coexistence #Unity

In southern Syria, echoes of the US-Israeli war with Iran hit close to home syriadirect.org/in-southern-sy…

Syrian government and SDF exchange 600 detainees in al-Hasakah english.enabbaladi.net/archives/2026/…

According to the new @freedomhouse annual report on global freedom, the country that had the largest increases in political rights and civil liberties in 2025 was Syria freedomhouse.org/article/new-re… Obviously a low bar previously, but still significant to acknowledge

Syria Is Feeling the Fallout from the Iran Crisis energy and economic fallout that could affect its post-Assad transition and rebuilding efforts. by @AZelin The Washington Institute washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysi…

Check out @azelin's latest. Particularly useful with claims Damascus is being pushed to intervene against Hizballah in Lebanon.

In it, I discuss the energy/economic fallout, disinformation campaigns, defensive security, and diplomatic engagement + how great it is within the regional context that the Assad regime is gone from a U.S. policy perspective

New issue of The Islamic State’s newsletter: “al-Nabā’ #539" jihadology.net/2026/03/19/new…

New statement from Jabhat Mubārizīn Mardamī: "The Proud and Religious People of Iran and the Suffering Balūsh Nation!" jihadology.net/2026/03/18/new…