Another friend put it to me like this: "ICE has made the classic Nazi mistake. They've invaded a winter people in the winter."

In addition to commentary, today’s post includes a China-Iran reading list and 6 video conversations with experts on the China-Iran relationship: open.substack.com/pub/chinamen...

Fun Christmas read

Who Can Solve Iran’s Many Problems? Not I, Says the President. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/18/w...

When Wang Yi came to the Gulf the China-GCC FTA was high on his agenda. In my latest column for AGBI I write about why I don't see a FTA any time soon: www.agbi.com/opinion/trad...

The SCO is running Sahand 2025 joint security exercises in Iran. Not to inflate the organizational significance of the SCO, but it does represent a well-timed gift for the Iranian government. chinamenanewsletter.substack.com/p/sco-runs-s...

A sobering read from @yarotrof.bsky.social: www.wsj.com/world/china/...

Up next: Canada First, Not Canada Alone by @asamckercher.bsky.social and @achapnick.bsky.social. One chapter in and really enjoying

Nothing's shocking: www.wsj.com/politics/nat...

In my latest column for AGBI I looked at recent visits to the UAE from South Korean President Lee and Canadian PM Carney. Middle powers in the Middle East: www.agbi.com/opinion/trad...

Highly recommend @edwardluce.bsky.social fantastic bio of Brzezinski. Biography and history done well.

Some weekend reading: www.nids.mod.go.jp/english/publ...

CSIS director outlines security threats posed by Russia, China, Iran, India - National | Globalnews.ca globalnews.ca/news/1152323...

Just got the hard copy of this latest book for my series. Public Diplomacy between Asia and the Middle East will be useful for a lot you you. Congrats to Francesca Frasseneti, Sook Jong Lee, & Chiara Lovotti for a great contribution.

My latest for AGBI: www.agbi.com/opinion/trad...

Next week: AGSI will host a discussion on the trajectory of China's presence in the Middle East with @jonathanfulton.bsky.social and moderated by Robert Mogielnicki. Register today.

Event 9/18: Book Talk: Building the Belt and Road Initiative in the Arab World: China’s Middle East Math with author @jonathanfulton.bsky.social, moderated by Robert Mogielnicki. Register now. agsi.org/events/book-...

The Shanghai Cooperation Summit is in full swing in Tianjin, with Iranian and Turkish presidents and Egyptian PM in attendance. If you're looking for MENA-SCO content: chinamenanewsletter.substack.com/p/shanghai-c...

A lot of China-MENA content in the newsletter today, including KSA investment delegation in PRC and China-Arab States Expo: chinamenanewsletter.substack.com/p/saudi-inve...

My latest for AGBI: www.agbi.com/opinion/trad...

Fun to come home to a box full of books.

Nice to see @abuaardvark.bsky.social reviewed my book alongside the excellent recent one from @andreaghiselli.bsky.social and Mohammed Alsudairi.

Les chercheurs du CÉPI @thomasjuneau.bsky.social et @srdj.bsky.social travaillent depuis plusieurs années sur un projet consacré à la politique de défense canadienne. Le volume 1 a été publié en 2020, le volume 2 en 2023, et le travail sur le volume 3 débutera dans les prochains mois !

I'll be giving a book talk at Atlantic Council on August 27 to discuss Building the Belt and Road Initiative in the Arab World: China's Middle East Math. Register through the link and tune in to learn more about China's economic statecraft in the Middle East. www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/book-t...

I spent decades at Columbia. I’m withdrawing my fall course due to its deal with Trump | Rashid Khalidi www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

China–Middle East Analysis and the Future of China–middle East Studies.

My latest newsletter looks at Egypt as an SCO dialogue partner, among other issues: open.substack.com/pub/chinamen...

My latest column from AGBI, looking at Li Qiang's visit to Egypt: www.agbi.com/opinion/trad.... #china #egypt

A fun birthday gift: @keeganmatheson.bsky.social’s great new addition to the @bluejays.com library.

A roundup of recent developments in China-MENA relations, including a potential eVTOL deal with the UAE and an expansion of China's presence at SCZone in Egypt: open.substack.com/pub/chinamen...

I spoke with CNN for this piece on Iranian FM Araghchi's recent trip to Tianjin for the SCO Ministers' Meeting: www.cnn.com/2025/07/18/c...

If there’s a better way to write a column I haven’t found it yet.

I had fun talking with Eric Olander again for his must-listen China in the Global South Podcast. We discussed my new book and China-MENA in general. Always enjoy doing this show. Have a listen, subscribe and support the work Eric and his team is doing. chinaglobalsouth.com/podcasts/pod...

FM Araghchi is in China for the SCO Ministers Meeting. I wrote about Iran's minimal expectations here: open.substack.com/pub/chinamen...

1/I’ve obtained a farewell note a person in the human rights bureau sent out to his colleagues after being fired from the State Department today. A few tidbits from it:

Got some fantastic summer reading in the mail today - recent books by @valinasr.bsky.social and @elhamfakhro.bsky.social.

Key takeaways from Li's visit to Egypt, as well as Iran and BeiDou satellites and a joint energy transition fund for Oman. Subscribe to the newsletter to get up to speed on China-MENA. open.substack.com/pub/chinamen...

A 20% discount for my book, Building the Belt and Road Initiative in the Arab World: China's Middle East Math. Promo code 25AFLY1. Order via the link in the comment.

A special moment that never gets old, unboxing a new book after years of work on it. Please help me welcome The Second Emancipation: Nkrumah, Pan-Africanism, and Global Blackness at High Tide.

Today is Book Day! My latest, Building the Belt and Road Initiative in the Arab World: China's Middle East Math, is out in the world now. www.routledge.com/Building-the...

In my newsletter today I wrote about the myth of Chinese leverage in Iran - the idea that Beijing's economic importance results in political influence with Tehran. Have a read, share, subscribe: open.substack.com/pub/chinamen...

I talked China-Gulf with Duncan Hewitt for his China in Context podcast: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...

Fun! My book has a landing page now, and starts shipping this week. www.routledge.com/Building-the...

NEW: Israel’s bombings have shaken Tehran, upended its balance and killed hundreds of civilians. The sociologist Asef Bayat reflects on his hometown and its people’s spirit of care, resilience and quiet determination to carry on, for @newlinesmag.bsky.social. newlinesmag.com/first-person...