Articles

The past week came to a close on Sunday with two undeniably significant developments. The first was Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's visit to Baghdad, where he held talks with Iraqi leaders focused primarily on economic matters. Accompanied by Energy Minister Joe Saddi, the prime minister discussed with his Iraqi counterpart the possibility of including the Tripoli refinery in the reactivation of the oil pipeline linking Iraq to Syria, with a view to exporting Iraqi oil. An agreement to that effect was signed between Syria and Iraq just days ago, and the Lebanese government is seeking to revive the Tripoli refinery's role in this context.

Leaving a Maronite recital sung in Syriac, audience members are often struck by how deeply the words and spirituality have moved them. They experience an emotional intensity that is unusual — stronger, even, than what they feel when hearing a language they actually understand. This raises a question: how can a language that has become largely incomprehensible penetrate them more powerfully than one they learned in school? The Language of the Soul Syriac lies at the very source of Maronite spirituality, as it has for other Antiochian Churches. Though largely marginalized, this language remains embedded in the essence of Maronite identity. It speaks to the spirit, nourishes the inner life, and quenches a spiritual thirst. Through its sound, its rhythm, and the richness of its poetic imagery, Syriac opens up a singular inner space.

It is true that translating Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s visit to the White House into concrete political results will require time and sustained effort, for many reasons. It is equally true, however, that appearances matter in relations between states, particularly when dealing with a president as unpredictable as Donald Trump, who is known at times to place greater weight on personal chemistry than on institutional considerations in his dealings with heads of state and government around the world. The scene in the Oval Office where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was publicly dressed down before the world’s cameras remains vividly etched in people’s memories.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup ended on a high note for FIFA, the United States, and football fans alike. Tournament revenues are expected to reach $13 billion, making this edition the most profitable sporting event in history. The result further strengthens Gianni Infantino’s position ahead of his bid for re-election as FIFA president next year. This World Cup also ranked among the most expensive sporting events ever staged in the United States. On the secondary market, ticket prices soared, with an average purchase price of $10,800 and individual tickets fetching as much as $32,000. Whether that is good or bad news depends entirely on whether one is buying… or selling.

Yemen's Houthi rebels, allies of Tehran, targeted Saudi Arabian oil facilities on Saturday in retaliation for strikes by Riyadh, marking a further escalation of hostilities on yet another front of the war engulfing the Middle East. While Saudi authorities have so far remained silent on the matter, the Greek air force — tasked with operating an air defense system in Saudi Arabia — announced it had intercepted two missiles and a drone launched from Yemen toward Yanbu. Having stepped up strikes against Gulf states in recent months in retaliation for American bombardments, Tehran now appears to be opening a new front through its Houthi allies against the Riyadh-led coalition.

The confrontation now shaking the Middle East is no longer simply another chapter in the conflict between Iran and its adversaries, nor can it be reduced to a struggle between Tehran, the United States, and Israel. Recent developments point to a reality that extends far beyond the war itself. They raise a more fundamental question: what regional order will emerge from this confrontation, what place Iran will occupy within it, and what future awaits the network of armed groups through which Tehran has built a substantial share of its influence across the Arab world. For many years, Iran’s strategy rested on a relatively straightforward equation: safeguarding its own territory while extending its influence and deterrent capability beyond its borders through a network of allies and armed groups stretching from Iraq to Yemen, via Lebanon. This model provided Tehran with what it regarded as a “strategic depth,” enabling it to exert pressure on its adversaries from multiple theatres without necessarily turning Iranian territory itself into the primary battlefield.