Near East Policy Forum

  • Kazakhstan’s Turn to Nuclear

    When it comes to nuclear power, Australian and Kazakhstan share many similarities with both countries currently considering their nuclear futures. While Australian opposition leader, Peter Dutton continues to advocate for the development of a domestic nuclear power industry as part of his 2025 election campaign, Kazakhstan’s government is moving ahead with construction of its first…

    Gulshat Rozyyeva

    /

    A road stop sign in front of a nuclear power plant in the distant background. Smokes billows from the nuclear reactors.
  • The Language of Landscapes in Palestine and Australia

    The Language of Landscapes in Palestine and Australia

    Earlier this year, in a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US President Donald Trump asserted the US would not only take over Gaza but transform it into what he described as the ‘Riviera of the Middle East’. His comments have been roundly criticised as tantamount to a violation of the Geneva convention, which…

    Zoe Davies

    /

  • Central Asian Migration Patterns and Their Implications for Australia

    Central Asian Migration Patterns and Their Implications for Australia

    Only small numbers of Central Asia migrants make their way to Australia yet the experience in the broader Asia Pacific suggests that this could be a missed opportunity for Australia to benefit from skilled Central Asian migrants.

    Gulshat Rozyyeva

    /

  • Turkmenistan’s Political Future amid Growing Australian Ties

    Turkmenistan’s Political Future amid Growing Australian Ties

    The strengthening of ties between Australia and Turkmenistan comes as domestic politics in the Central Asian states settles into a new pattern following last year’s leadership transition.

    Gulshat Rozyyeva

    /

  • The Assassination of Haniyeh and the Fragility of Iranian Security

    The Assassination of Haniyeh and the Fragility of Iranian Security

    The assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran not only underscores profound vulnerabilities within Iranian intelligence but also could potentially mark a shift in the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East. Likely orchestrated by Mossad, this operation exploited critical weaknesses in Iran’s Communications Intelligence (COMINT) and Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), revealing not just external penetrations but possibly…

    Mohd Amirul Asraf Bin Othman

    /

  • A Weaker Taliban After Three Years in Power

    A Weaker Taliban After Three Years in Power

    Is the Taliban as strong as it looks? The group continues to face several problems it is either unable or unwilling to solve. While seemingly secure in the short-term, it could threaten to undermine its hold on power in the coming years.

    Chris Fitzgerald

    /

  • Are the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea a Solidarity Campaign or a Ruse?  – or is not the Right Question

    Are the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea a Solidarity Campaign or a Ruse?  – or is not the Right Question

    Recently, there has been a surge of interest in Yemen following the Houthi military campaign attacking ships traversing the Red Sea. But why and how have their campaigns increased the groups popularity both regionally and beyond?

    Kamilia Al-Eriani

    /

  • Central Asia and the Conflict in Ukraine: Russia-Friendly Neutrality

    Central Asia and the Conflict in Ukraine: Russia-Friendly Neutrality

     Since the onset of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, the Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan have adopted a neutral stance towards the conflict. Their leaders have carefully avoided passing value judgement on the war which Dushanbe, for one, still calls  “an incident that occurred between the two states” …

    Kirill Nourzhanov

    /

  • Political fragmentation and slow diplomacy: Yemen’s long road to peace?

    Political fragmentation and slow diplomacy: Yemen’s long road to peace?

    In April this year, the Omani-mediated peace talks between Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis and Saudi Arabia marked a hopeful move towards finally ending the proxy war in Yemen. This was an expected step following the Iranian-Saudi détente brokered by China a month earlier. Since then, officials from both sides have met for several rounds of talks,…

    Leena Adel

    /

  • Taliban’s Water Claims Ignite Tensions with Neighbours

    Taliban’s Water Claims Ignite Tensions with Neighbours

    When the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, it raised concerns in neighbouring countries about their own security. The governments in most of the Central Asian countries, and in Iran were hostile toward the Taliban when the militant group ruled Afghanistan in the late 1990s. There are now other Islamic extremist groups…

    Bruce Pannier

    /

  • Indigenous – Palestinian solidarity networks challenging settler colonialism in Australia

    Indigenous – Palestinian solidarity networks challenging settler colonialism in Australia

    Increasingly networks are forming between Indigenous and Palestinian groups through a shared experience of colonisation. In recent years, there has been a shift at the grassroots level in Australia in support of the Palestinian cause. Solidarity networks between the Palestinian diaspora and Indigenous communities are growing wider and deeper. This has charted a new course…

    Noura Mansour

    /

In Partnership With

Quick Links

Follow Us