Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Archives

Is an Islamic NATO emerging? Pakistan, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia explore a trilateral defense pact reshaping Middle East and South Asian security.

Toward an Islamic NATO?

SAT Editorial Desk January 18, 2026

In a rapidly fragmenting global order, Pakistan, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia are exploring a trilateral defense arrangement that could redefine regional security architectures. Often dubbed an Islamic NATO, the proposed pact reflects a broader shift by middle powers toward strategic autonomy as US security guarantees wane. This convergence signals the merging of Middle Eastern and South Asian strategic theaters into a single geopolitical map.

How Sanctions, Militarized Economics, and Institutional Decay Broke Iran’s Currency

SAT Editorial Desk January 13, 2026

Iran’s 2026 currency crash was not a sudden shock but the result of sanctions, IRGC-dominated economics, and institutional decay undermining trust in the rial.

Analysis of Iran’s 2025–26 crisis, examining economic stress, political legitimacy, security pressures, and potential domestic and regional trajectories.

Iran’s Current Crisis: Structural Pressures and Political Trajectories

SAT Editorial Desk January 10, 2026

Iran’s 2025–26 unrest reflects simultaneous pressure on economic stability, political legitimacy, and state coercive capacity, marking a critical juncture for the Islamic Republic.

Khamenei, the Bazaar, and Protests

SAT Commentary January 3, 2026

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s January 3, 2026 address reflects an Islamic Republic under acute economic and social strain. By validating bazaar grievances while condemning protest tactics, the leadership seeks to divide dissent and preserve regime authority amid a collapsing Rial.

$Renewed fighting in Hadramout exposes the collapse of the Riyadh Agreement, fracturing Yemen’s anti-Houthi coalition and threatening regional security.$

Yemen’s War Within a War

SAT Commentary January 3, 2026

Renewed hostilities in Yemen’s eastern Hadramout governorate signal more than a local power struggle—they reveal a deep structural fracture within the anti-Houthi camp. As UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council forces push into areas held by Saudi-supported government units, the collapse of the Riyadh Agreement risks reviving extremist sanctuaries, destabilizing Red Sea security, and accelerating Yemen’s slide toward permanent partition.

Dancing on the Heads of Snakes

SAT Editorial Desk December 31, 2025

As 2025 ends, Yemen’s anti-Houthi coalition collapses. The Saudi-UAE split leaves rival militias and foreign powers vying for control, deepening the humanitarian crisis.

An analysis of how Qatar’s mediation shifted from dialogue to patronage, legitimizing the Taliban and Hamas while eroding global counterterrorism norms.

From Dialogue to Patronage: How Qatar Mainstreamed Radical Movements Under the Banner of Mediation

Alisha Zahra December 26, 2025

Qatar’s diplomacy has long been framed as pragmatic engagement, but its mediation model has increasingly blurred into political patronage. By hosting and legitimizing groups such as the Taliban and Hamas without enforceable conditions, Doha has helped normalize armed movements in international politics, weakening counterterrorism norms and reshaping regional stability.

Oil, Ports, and Proxies: The Battle for Hadhramawt and the Red Sea

SAT Editorial Desk December 9, 2025

The expulsion of Saudi-backed forces from Hadhramawt by UAE-aligned proxies signals the collapse of the Riyadh-Abu Dhabi alliance. In Yemen and Sudan, Abu Dhabi leverages non-state actors to secure ports, resources, and influence, while Riyadh prioritizes state stability and territorial consolidation. The result: a regional realignment where Gulf unity gives way to fierce intra-Gulf competition.

Modern Platforms, Evolving Doctrine

Dan Qayyum November 17, 2025

The Gulf’s air-power evolution is increasingly shaped by the fusion of advanced platforms with modern doctrine and faster decision cycles. As regional forces adapt to complex threat environments, partners like Pakistan, whose operational experience spans multiple domains, are becoming part of the broader conversation on future air-power thinking.

An analysis of the Trump Gaza peace plan. Despite Hamas's surprise support, deep divides over security and sovereignty threaten any chance of lasting peace.

The Promises and Perils of the New Gaza Plan

SAT Editorial Desk October 5, 2025

A new Gaza peace plan by Donald Trump has international backing and a surprising partial acceptance from Hamas. However, its journey toward lasting peace is threatened by critical deal-breakers and the unresolved core question of Palestinian political sovereignty.

South Asia Times

Middle East and North Africa (MENA)