Diplomacy & Crisis News

"Human-in-the-loop" is not enough.

Madrid is preparing for one of the most ambitious regularization schemes in European history.

Rich countries must understand foreign aid can actually be popular—if people see the results.

China had three interrelated goals in mind – all linked to the upcoming Trump-Xi summit in May.

Elle n'était pas exactement une inconnue quand parut, en 1985, son sixième roman, La Servante écarlate, mais c'est cette remarquable dystopie qui la rendit internationalement célèbre, avant que son adaptation en série (2017) lui confère une renommée de star. Margaret Atwood, née en 1939 à (…) / Femmes, Autobiographie

L'opposant béninois Paul Hounkpè a reconnu, lundi, sa défaite à la présidentielle qui s'est tenue dimanche au Bénin. Il a adressé ses "félicitations républicaines" à son seul adversaire, le candidat de la majorité Romuald Wadagni, qui était le grand favori du scrutin.

The dismantling of the Iranian Regime came in like a storm, but it is really an extension of a greater strategy to limit a larger conflict at the other end of the continent. With the securing of a significant level of control over Venezuelan energy exports, the remaining source of energy infrastructure from China’s allies resided in Iran and Russia. With the political move to cut off Russia’s war funding by placing India closer to the West and putting India in its natural state of a democracy linked to other democracies, the United States pulled one of its biggest levers as Russia’s dependence on trade with India is one of the greatest sources of funding for the Russian economy. The United States is seeking to strangle the ability for its adversaries to continue the conflict in Ukraine, and displacing Russian oil revenues was always the only best way to achieve this aim.

Challenging Iran’s hegemony in the Persian Gulf region comes with a similarities in limiting Russia’s extensive trade with India, mirrored by taking control of Iran’s energy exports, most of which are in supply of China, with Venezuela and Iran being key sources of energy for China’s economy. While the intent is not to cut off China from energy to its economy, controlling the energy supply to China via Western controlled sources of oil and gas would enable energy sanctions to quickly respond to aggressive actions if China chose to intimidate the security balance with Taiwan, and the West’s new significant ally, India.

A move to secure Iran as an ally may come in several forms. The end of the Franco regime in Spain in the late 70s came after the passing of the long time Dictator, to which control was given to King Juan Carlos II. The King, who was directed by Franco to maintain the regime, decided to use his sovereign power to turn Spain into a democracy, a path Crown Prince Pahlavi of Iran could follow with great example from Spain, if Spain would consider finally supporting a free Iran.

While there are a few minority ethnic groups inside of Iran, depending on them would do best to serve their own local interests. Many of these groups, like the Kurdish community in Iran and in Iraq, suffered significant violence from Iran’s regime, and may seek independence if given the swords and rifles to free the region. With their support against ISIS as well as being the force to liberate other Iranian nationals, it would be inappropriate to ignore their own ambitions for nationhood when they were the tip of the spear against every Western adversary in the region. A hot conflict with NATO members would place Western allies between sides in the conflict involving the Kurdish community, even if Iran was able to stabilize under a free Government.

It is unclear who the Iranian free resistance is on the ground in Iran’s major cities, a crucial necessity if Iran will eventually free itself from the current regime. Without an independent and indigenous group able to take over the Government for a Free Iran on the ground, outside forces will likely not spill blood and treasure for the sake of another nation without significant gains. As Peter O’Toole states in his role as Lawrence of Arabia, “Take English engineers and you take English government”, a relationship well known by Persians and Iranians of the past generations. There is likely a limited window for local Iranians to achieve their goals of freedom, as in Western nations in full support of Iran’s freedom, there are a great number of adversaries and they are aggressively against any actions by the West to free Iran, if not openly in support of the regime and their allies. Ironically, the British who have had such a great hand in regimes in Iran for generations have openly shown little support for actual Iranians wishing to free themselves in 2026. Unfortunately, many Governments in the West have made history by ignoring every uprising for a Free Iran without fail.

The window will close soon on real change in Iran, and plans are already circling the against the alliance to Free Iranians. While peaceful protesters were being massacred in the streets, US allies were making moves to bring themselves closer to countries supporting Iran’s missile force, now violently impacting every country West of Tehran. While North American energy could be a source to stabilize China’s economy by keeping a hold on supplies in the event of a hot conflict, it seems unlikely that some Western allies are in full support of a new democracy in the Middle East. Even with experts warning US allies from moving to close to Iran’s regime allies, the insistence to resist the United States goes beyond support for their own communities, placing the reality that Iranian agents are now known to be emanating just an hour or two from the US border, if not residing inside the United States currently. With such realities, Homeland Security will not be funded soon enough. Iranians need to free themselves as soon as possible, as forces are already combining to end their opportunity for freedom. From the way Iranian protesters have been ignored for years, they are well aware of the adversaries of their allies, even in the West.

Des Hongrois hurlant leur joie aux cris de « Les Russes à la maison » après une participation record de 80%. Une page politique se tourne en Hongrie après 16 ans de pouvoir pour le Premier ministre Viktor Orban et son parti Fidesz. Le prochain Premier ministre Peter Magyar et son parti conservateur Tisza obtiennent 138 sièges sur les 199 du Parlement, loin très loin devant le Fidesz de Viktor Orban.

Attendu de longue date mais plusieurs fois repoussé, le projet de loi destiné à faciliter les restitutions par la France de biens culturels spoliés, notamment en Afrique, a été adopté lundi soir à l'Assemblée nationale. Un texte salutaire dont l’historienne Françoise Vergès espère qu’il ouvrira la porte à un réel inventaire des objets volés durant la colonisation, et bien au-delà. Entretien.

Peter Magyar a promis lundi 13 avril de tout faire pour « garantir une nouvelle ère en Hongrie », au lendemain de sa victoire écrasante contre le parti Fidesz du dirigeant nationaliste Viktor Orban, qui régnait en maître sur le pays depuis 16 ans.

Despite calls for mediation, the grouping has remained fragmented, highlighting its role as a “club” like the G-7 rather than a forum for collective action.

Génocide, annexions, agressions : Tel-Aviv et Washington ne rendent plus de comptes. Ni à leurs alliés, ni aux Nations unies ; ni de leurs fins, ni de leurs moyens, pourtant manifestement illégaux. Le multilatéralisme est mis à rude épreuve. Le « Sud global », divisé, ne s'engage qu'avec (…) / Géopolitique, Conflit, Iran, Droit international, Israël, États-Unis

« No a la guerra ». Dans le concert des nations, l'Espagne a fait entendre une voix singulière. Une nouvelle fois, après l'agression américaine contre le Venezuela, après le génocide à Gaza. Le président du gouvernement explique dans nos colonnes les raisons pour lesquelles son pays refuse le (…) / Espagne, Droit international, Géopolitique, Conflit, Coopération internationale

Vice Admiral R.B. Pandit, former Commander-in-Chief of India's Strategic Forces Command, assesses the maritime consequences of the Iran conflict and the long-term shifts reshaping the Indian Ocean's strategic order.

Trump, China, and the Iran War make this point even clearer.

While mostly used for logistics, Ukraine is increasingly using them for combat operations.

Le soulagement de l’Europe au lendemain de l’alternance historique en Hongrie, avec la victoire haut la main du conservateur Peter Magyar qui met fin à 16 ans de règne du nationaliste Viktor Orban. Pour le député LFI Pierre-Yves Cadalen, membre de la Commission des affaires étrangères à l’Assemblée nationale, cette lourde défaite d’Orban est également « celle de Donald Trump, de Javier Milei, de Giorgia Meloni et de Marine Le Pen ». Elle prouve, selon lui, que l’extrême droite et sa « politique illibérale » ne sont pas « une fatalité ni en Europe, ni en France ».

Cheng's meeting with Xi Jinping was not just about cross-strait dynamics, but about securing her own position within the KMT.

The recent geopolitical turbulence surrounding the United States-Israel-Iran conflict may become a pivotal moment for Pakistan-United Arab Emirates ties after nearly a decade of simmering mistrust. 

During Viktor Orban’s 16 years as the prime minister, Hungary became the most China-friendly EU country. Now Beijing may encounter a more united Europe.