Lebanon

Iran in the Post-Islamic State Era: Aims, Opportunities and Challenges

The “Islamic State” in Iraq and Syria is undergoing a process of disintegration and ISIS will return to its “natural state” of a jihadist terror organization, not a “state” with territorial borders. The defeats experienced by ISIS in Iraq and Syria, central among them the loss of Mosul, the battle in Raqqa and the advances of Syrian forces in Deir Ezzor, create new opportunities for Iran to increase its influence in Syria, Iraq and the entire Middle East.
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Spotlight on Global Jihad (August 17 – 23, 2017)

ISIS, which is facing growing pressure in Syria and Iraq, claimed responsibility for three terrorist attacks this week. It is unclear whether there is a connection between the attacks in these countries. On the ground, the pressure on ISIS continues.
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Spotlight on Global Jihad (August 3-9, 2017)

The Syrian forces continued to advance towards Deir ez-Zor. The SDF forces are encountering difficulties in Al-Raqqah. Iraq: Iraqi forces and Shiite militias are preparing to take over the ISIS enclave in Tal Afar, some 70 km west of Mosul. In view of the “success” (from ISIS’s perspective) of the attack on the Iraqi embassy in Kabul, ISIS called on its supporters to attack the embassies and diplomatic corps of the “infidel countries” around the world.
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Spotlight on Global Jihad (July 27 – August 2, 2017)

This week, there were no significant changes on the ground in Syria and Iraq. Syria – the campaign for the takeover of Al-Raqqah is still bogged down, in light of the persistent fighting by ISIS operatives. Iraq – the humanitarian situation in Mosul continues to be grave, and most of the residents who fled have
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Spotlight on Global Jihad (June 8-14, 2017)

The main event of the week was a combined attack carried out by ISIS in Tehran against the Majles Building (the Iranian Parliament) and the Khomeini Mausoleum compound. The combined ISIS terrorist attack in Tehran is the first of its kind. ISIS is under severe pressure on the ground. Along the Syria-Iraq border, the competition
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Spotlight on Iran* (April 23 – May 7, 2017)

The commander of the IRGC’s ground forces said his fighters would continue to serve as advisors in Syria alongside the Qods Force. Iran denounced the April 27, 2017 attack on Hezbollah arms storehouses near the Damascus airfield. Gholam Hossein Karbaschi, former mayor of Tehran, caused an uproar in Iran by publicly criticizing Iranian’s military involvement
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