Author: Nazta Rahija

Synopsis Israel’s recent killing of Hezbollah and Hamas leaders and missile attacks on Tehran have made Iran’s dialogue with the West problematic and forced Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to seek closer relations with Russia, China and the Gulf States. The failure of Iran’s strategy of forward defence, as shown in its inability to fend off the Israeli attacks, may compel Iran to acquire a nuclear arsenal earlier. This could derail its hard-won relations with the Gulf States and complicate its desired rapprochement with the West. Commentary Since July 2024, Iran’s policy community has experienced unprecedented events, including the assassinations of…

Officials whitewashing the Taliban as a responsible diplomatic party are getting the organization wrong. The people of Afghanistan are once again trapped under the Taliban’s tyrannical rule, but rather than facing condemnation and ostracism, much of the world seems ready to embrace the new regime. Indeed, the Taliban’s rise to power in Afghanistan has been largely met with not just acquiescence justified in the name of counterterrorism but concerted efforts to whitewash the jihadists, often with counterfactual claims. This practice is a product of more than just the wishful thinking of its proponents. It too-often reflects an enthusiasm to continue a dangerous shift in…

Warsaw, Berlin (25/3 – 80) A diverse group of Pamiri and Ismaili interest groups gathered to discuss the terror attack in Moscow. “We reject the notion this were Pamiris or Ismailis representing us”, said one of the spokespeople, who want to remain anonymous out of fear of persecution by the Tajik authorities. “They are Takfiris”, he said. Non-believers, apostates to the cause. The majlis (meeting) was called after Moscow was quick to blame Tajik immigrants for the terror attacks. Previous warnings were ignored by Moscow. “We as a Pamiri community do not belief in the use of violence against the…

The UAE-based Travel Off Path has listed Sri Lanka as one of the fastest-growing tourism destinations in 2024.The forecast is based on a thorough analysis of internet search volume data, revealing the growing interest and curiosity among travellers worldwide.The list also includes Tunisia, Mexico, Moro-cco and the Dominican Republic. “The Island nation of Sri Lanka has long fascinated travellers from around the world thanks to its exotic nature, warm climate, colourful culture and amazing food,” it noted.Noting that Sri Lanka is regularly ranked as one of the cheapest locations for digital nomads, the Travel Off Path describes the country as offering…

Giant portraits of President Emomali Rahmon adorn even the most nondescript buildings in Tajikistan’s capital of Dushanbe. Throughout the country, his sayings are featured on posters and billboards. Their ubiquitous presence underscores the consolidation of power by Rahmon – officially described as “Founder of Peace and Unity, Leader of the Nation” – since he emerged victorious from the 1992-1997 Tajikistan civil war that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union. After three decades in power, he has established himself as an absolute ruler with no tolerance for dissent. Rahmon’s bid to centralize control includes efforts to silence political opponents, human rights activists, and independent…

Sri Lanka will get about $600 million, on a staggered basis, from the Asian Development Bank after the International Monetary Fund releases the second tranche of a $2.9 billion bailout for the crisis-hit country, an official said on Tuesday. Sri Lanka is inching out of its worst financial crisis in decades, triggered by record-low foreign exchange reserves last year that saw its economy contract 7.8% in 2022. The island’s economy has been gradually stabilising after locking down a four-year programme with the IMF in March. Its first review is expected to be approved by the global lender next week, which…

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on December 10 “strongly” denied that a written order was issued last April to deal with the threat of Khalistan sympathisers in the western countries. The remark from MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi came soon after the U.S.-based online news outlet The Intercept reported that the official order was signed by Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra and listed several pro-Khalistan figures that included Hardeep Singh Nijjar who was killed in an incident in Surrey, British Columbia on June 18.  “We strongly assert that such reports are fake and completely fabricated. There is no such memo,” said Mr. Bagchi in response to the report that…

Islamabad:  Pakistan Senate Chairman accepted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader and former Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin’s resignation from the upper house of the parliament on Sunday, Dawn News reported. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader announced to quit the party and politics for good, citing financial and health reasons. He said that the last two-and-a-half years had been “very challenging” for him, both financially and due to his “deteriorating health” after “double Covid episodes”. “Therefore, at the insistence of my family and friends, I have decided to resign from active politics for good and move on,” Mr Tarin had said, adding that he was…

India’s Narendra Modi is reportedly considering cutting import duties for electric vehicles in a bid to attract a major multibillion-dollar investment by Tesla CEO Elon Musk. For years, the two have wrestled over the prerequisites for his carmaker to enter the market, with the entrepreneur asking that the tariffs, which can as much as double the price of his cars, be substantially reduced. New Delhi countered by requesting he first commit to local production, setting up a high-stakes game of chicken. Ahead of an expected meeting this week between Musk and the country’s commerce minister, Piyush Goyal, it looks as if the two are finally coming closer…

Trade between Russia and India in the first eight months of 2023 more than doubled from the previous year, reaching a record high of almost $44 billion, Russian state-run media RIA Novosti claimed on Oct. 23. India bought $41 billion of Russian products over the eight months, far outweighing the $2.6 billion in Indian exports to Russia during that period. Nonetheless, India has become an increasingly important supplier of goods to Russia since the beginning of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the introduction of sanctions against the country. Sixty-seven percent of India’s crude petroleum imports come from Russia, the…