Kurdish Policy Analysis

  Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam is expected to visit Baghdad to renew a strategic fuel agreement while both countries explore broader energy, trade, and investment cooperation—including a potential new Iraqi oil export corridor to the Mediterranean. By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj | Kurdish Policy Analysis Iraq and Lebanon are set to renew their fuel agreement as Baghdad explores using Lebanon as a new Mediterranean export route for Iraqi crude oil. Iraq and Lebanon are preparing to deepen their economic partnership as Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam is expected to visit Baghdad on Sunday for high-level talks aimed at renewing Iraq's long-running fuel supply agreement while expanding bilateral cooperation across the energy, trade, and investment sectors. The visit comes as Iraq seeks to diversify its export infrastructure amid growing regional instability, with officials expected to discuss the possibility of using Lebanon as an additional Mediterranean outlet for Iraqi crude oil...

By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj The Trump–Aoun summit has elevated southern Lebanon's pilot zones into a critical test of whether the Lebanese state can reclaim authority from Hezbollah. Lebanon's new pilot zones will test whether Beirut can dismantle Hezbollah's military infrastructure and restore state authority in southern Lebanon. A Small Initiative With Regional Consequences The launch of pilot security zones in southern Lebanon may appear geographically limited. Strategically, however, they represent one of the most consequential tests of Lebanese state authority in decades. Supported by Washington, the initiative seeks to place the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) in full control of selected areas while dismantling Hezbollah's military infrastructure through monitored implementation. Why Pilot Zones Matter For years, international agreements have called for Hezbollah's disarmament. Implementation has consistently lagged behind political commitments. The pilot-zone concept a...

  By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj   Largest reported weapons bust since Assad's fall highlights Damascus' campaign against cross-border smuggling networks Syria seizes advanced weapons allegedly bound for Hezbollah, signaling a new phase in regional arms interdiction Syrian authorities announced on Thursday that security forces had intercepted what officials described as one of the largest shipments of advanced weapons since the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad , claiming the cache—including long-range missiles, anti-armor guided missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)—was allegedly destined for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. According to Syria's Interior Ministry, specialized security units foiled an attempted smuggling operation near the Syrian-Iraqi border after discovering a suspicious vehicle parked in a remote border area. A subsequent search uncovered an arsenal that reportedly included long-range missiles, anti-tank guided weapons, and drones. Preliminar...

By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj | Kurdish Policy Analysis Estimated Reading Time: 5–10 minutes A statement by Iran’s senior leadership adviser suggests a shift from deterrence messaging toward explicit regional coercion—raising questions about Lebanon, maritime chokepoints, and the future of Middle East escalation. Iranian leadership adviser Ali Akbar Velayati declared that “zero hour” had arrived and warned that instability in Lebanon could threaten the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab, signaling a potentially broader regional escalation strategy. “Zero Hour”: Iran’s Strategic Messaging and the Expanding Geography of Escalation The latest remarks attributed to Ali Akbar Velayati, senior political adviser to Iran’s supreme leadership, are notable not merely because of their language, but because of what they reveal about the evolution of Iranian strategic signaling. Statements such as “zero hour has come,” references to missile readiness, and warnings that events in Beirut have “ended all rest...

 Forget terrorism and nuclear fears—the real battle is over trillions of cubic feet of natural gas and billions in oil reserves under Gaza, Lebanon, and Israel.     © Shutterstock/Igal Vaisman  | The platform of the Leviathan natural gas field in the                       Mediterranean Sea. Kurdish Policy Analysis The war in Gaza has never been just about Hamas. And the conflicts now escalating across the Middle East aren’t only about nuclear weapons or terrorism. Beneath the eastern Mediterranean lies a secret almost nobody talks about—but it may explain everything happening on the surface. In 1999, British Gas discovered two significant natural gas fields off Gaza’s coast: Gaza Marine 1 and Gaza Marine 2 . Located just 36 kilometers offshore, these fields are estimated to hold up to 1.4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas . The Palestinian Authority signed a 25-year license with Briti...