U.S. Mission / Eric Bridiers Courtesy: Wikipedia
8 October 2015

UNSC and sanctions: a balanced role

The sanctions against Iran impacted the country’s oil, banking, aviation, and other sectors, and had a major humanitarian impact. But neither is armed attack a more suitable method in most instances to address allegedly recalcitrant states. What then is the middle ground? And can the UNSC assume a more proactive role in this context?

P5+1 Talks With Iran in Geneva, Switzerland Courtesy: U.S. State department/Flickr
6 April 2015

The end of the Iran nuclear journey?

With the EU, Iran, and other entities taking decisive steps on April 2 to ensure a non-nuclear Iran, President Obama must now counter interests in the U.S. that want to stymie the final agreement. But having come this far, and considering the comprehensive benefits of an agreement, all sides are sure to deliver

Refugees in Sicily Courtesy: Vito Manzari/Wikimedia Commons
13 August 2014

Change EU’s refugee policy

A refugee policy that absolves more capable and resource rich nations of any responsibility towards transnational asylum seekers is archaic and has lived beyond its time. Keeping in mind the EU's receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize for advancing causes of peace, reconciliation, democracy and human rights, it is incumbent upon it to set new standards and reform its refugee policy

evening campfire_ukraine 4_210X140 Courtesy: Flickr
22 July 2014

The dangers of tightrope walking

Eastern Europe has seen tensions rise, increasing violence and a hardening of stands. Only the softening of the stark “either/or” choice currently being demanded by western powers as well as Russia will put an end to the precarious tightrope walking of east European governments and prevent their citizens from becoming victims of increased regional instability

west asia W123 Wikimedia Courtesy: W123/WikimediaCommons
6 December 2013

Orienting to the new West Asia

Whether backdoor geopolitics rather than careful negotiations brought about the interim agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme, the next six months will determine its fate. Reactions have ranged from a furious and mistrustful Israel to collective relief by many countries, and a worried India welcoming the agreement