Politics and Governance

In this series, AGSIW Senior Fellow Ali Alfoneh looks at how the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force has evolved since the 2020 appointment of Brigadier General Ismail Qaani as chief commander.

Quds Force chief Brigadier General Ismail Qaani is likely to be succeeded by his deputy, but the role Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Fallahzadeh currently plays in the organization remains obscure.

Reports on Hezbollah’s fatalities provide some insight into the structure of Hezbollah’s military units and strengthen the perception of a relatively low risk of the war expanding into Lebanon.

On January 9, AGSIW hosted a virtual roundtable with its leadership and scholars as they looked ahead and assessed trends likely to shape the Gulf region and U.S. foreign policy during the coming year.

If history is any indication, the latest ISIL attack in Iran may serve to rally Iranians around the flag against a terrorist enemy and even strengthen the regime.

Kuwait's new emir, Meshal al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah, announces an end to the current populist terms of engagement with the Parliament, which seems to suggest a forceful corrective – and perhaps more domestic strife – to come.

Gulf state economic diversification, led by the UAE, is driving a surge in relations with South America, reinforced by shared leadership outlooks, bilateral trade, and security considerations.

Israel might try to kill Hamas leaders in Qatar, leave them alone, or even use them to help craft a postconflict order in Gaza.