Washington’s opposition to the Shiites’ nomination for prime minister highlights the growing strain in U.S.-Shiite relations in Iraq. The reaction of some Shiite leaders suggests U.S. influence in Ir…

Pakistan is bracing for more turbulence in the wake of Osama bin Laden’s killing. This Backgrounder looks at how state support for Islamist militants has led to growing religious intolerance in socie…

Al-Qaeda and Hezbollah are supposedly rival groups on opposite sides of sectarian lines. Yet recent statements from senior al-Qaeda leadership suggest a common enemy may be drawing them together, and…

Religion’s place in the Iranian political system has long been debated among scholars, but a president who blurs the line has refocused attention on the topic

President Bush’s new "surge" plan to clear and hold Baghdad’s neighborhoods faces a tough challenge from high levels of sectarian violence.