Amid political paralysis in Baghdad, the populist Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is pressuring lawmakers to approve Prime Minister Abadi’s proposed reforms, says expert Mohamad Bazzi. 

Despite heavy vetting of candidates, Iran’s elections for parliament and Assembly of Experts will offer insights into whether hardline or more moderate factions gain influence, says expert Mohammad A…

The fallout that has followed Saudi Arabia’s execution of a Shia protest leader is likely to tamp down dissent at home while provoking regional conflicts, says expert Toby Matthiesen.

The battle for Kunduz highlights the military and political challenges facing Afghanistan and the narrowly defined U.S. mission there, says CFR’s Stephen Biddle.

Beyond China’s market upheaval is a country struggling with how to relax state control over the economy amid a slowdown that has global implications, writes CFR’s Robert Kahn.