Central Asia

Brazil and Turkey should be congratulated for their deal over Iran’s nuclear programme. But the agreement is no magic wand.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation has kept a low profile during the Kyrgyzstan crisis. So what exactly is the group for?

Pursuing nuclear weapons makes Iran less safe. It’s putting itself in the crosshairs of its neighbours, the US and al-Qaeda.

A nuclear Iran is no certainty, says Meir Javedanfar. No matter how bombastic the rhetoric from Tehran has been.

Regime change in Kyrgyzstan is largely down to local factors. But it could still have a big impact on geopolitics in Eurasia.

An eye witness to the violence during last week’s Kyrgyz uprising shares what he saw with photojournalist Hugh Bohane.

NATO wants Afghan forces to be able to take more responsibility. David Axe reports that there’s reason for worry, and for hope.

As Russia and China vie for access to its minerals, Mongolia has turned to the US as a counterweight. But is its democracy safe?

As villages in Afghanistan turn to private militias for security, Sanjay Kumar asks if such outfits mark a return to warlordism.

The London conference on Afghanistan’s future was wishful thinking. For real stability, look to China, India, Russia–and Iran.

The Diplomat speaks with Fabrice Pothier, director of Carnegie Europe, about the security situation in Afghanistan, talking with the Taliban and the prospects for stability once US-led forces withdraw.

As US-led forces engage in a major offensive in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province, commentators in Pakistan are still taking stock of the London conference and what it could mean for the role their country plays in their neighbour’s stability. Mustafa Qadri reports that many believe the road to such stability and security will inevitably run through Pakistan–and to the Taliban.