Alen Shadunts

Assistant Professor @AUAtweets | PhD @UniofOxford | Foreign Policy, Identity, Iran.

[Robert Malley @Rob_Malley]

I don’t see much value in comparing the MOU and the JCPOA. They are fundamentally different agreements that emerged from starkly different contexts. Best to leave that debate to hardline critics of both the 2015 deal and the current understanding, who seem perfectly capable of carrying it on themselves.

The bottom line is that the MOU is far preferable to any of the alternatives on offer. Period.

[Alen Shadunts @AlenShadunts]

Iran, the post-Soviet moment, and visions of regionalism, 1989–1997 https://t.co/pUKpLWsIm8

[Tommy Vietor @TVietor08]

The issue here is that guys like Mark pushed to start this disastrous war and now Trump is left with only bad options to end it. But the neocons never pause to think…hmm maybe the stupid regime change wars are the real problem?

[Arsenal @Arsenal]

The Arsenal. Your Premier League champions.

[Vali Nasr @vali_nasr]

@ft: Israel’s future: one war after another: Netanyahu’s new security doctrine https://t.co/ceBRzhjEjp

[Danny (Dennis) Citrinowicz ,داني سيترينوفيتش @citrinowicz]

Against the backdrop of the important reports by
@BarakRavid

A. The Iranian regime has threatened to respond forcefully to any American strike on Iranian territory — including against Israel. In other words, even if the U.S. administration considers a “symbolic” kinetic strike, it could serve as a trigger for a much broader escalation.

B. Oman’s foreign minister met yesterday with Iran’s political leadership, apparently in an effort to ease tensions between Tehran and Washington, convey messages between the sides, and prevent a wider escalation.

C. It is clear that President Trump is seeking to distinguish himself from previous administrations’ Iran policies. A “non-kinetic” response may allow him to do so without sliding into a major escalation.

D. The key question is whether such an action — one that may be deliberately limited to prevent escalation — would actually affect the regime’s ability to confront the protesters, or whether it could instead produce the opposite outcome, given expectations within the Iranian opposition for deeper and more decisive U.S. involvement.

E. The dilemma is at its peak: a strong strike could potentially undermine the regime’s repression efforts, but at the same time it might lead to greater cohesion within the regime and a broader escalation. Given the absence of leadership in the opposition, such a strike may achieve an operational success but not a strategic one.

F. A non-kinetic strike would avoid broad escalation, but it is doubtful that it would significantly impair the regime’s capacity for repression, while also risking disappointment among the opposition ranks.

[Seva @SevaUT]

yes, humiliating for russia, but also consistent with the spheres of influence approach that putin wants (him, xi, and trump can do what they want in their respective zones)

[Seva @SevaUT]

whether it's bombing hospitals or being extremely rude to putin, both sides have made some questionable decisions this holiday season

[Alen Shadunts @AlenShadunts]

My latest article on Iran’s foreign policy ⁦@MidEastCritique⁩ https://t.co/j6ahKqQd6h

[Aaron Rupar @atrupar]

this is one of the most psychotic things Trump has ever posted

[Democracy Development Foundation @DemDevelopment]

📢 Call for Policy Papers

Join the Think Tank Network on the #EasternPartnership research colloquium on Hybrid Threats to #Democratic Processes in the EU’s Eastern Neighborhood.

📅 Nov 5–7, 2025
📍 Chișinău, Moldova

Apply via DGAP & IPRE.

#EaP #HybridThreats #Democracy

[Sergey Radchenko @DrRadchenko]

I don't know if @JDVance, @SecRubio et al could have telegraphed anything to make anyone feel better; but they surely have telegraphed quite a bit already to make everyone (but Putin) feel quite a bit worse. That's the problem.

[Amberin Zaman @amberinzaman]

Shame on @X @elonmusk for complying with Turkish court decision to block my account @amberinzaman in Turkey over the most innocuous of tweets. I am Chief Correspondent of an independent American media organization based in Washington DC & am doing my job. This is outrageous and cowardly. #Journalismisnotacrime #PressFreedom #freedomofexpression

[Democracy Development Foundation @DemDevelopment]

"Why Are There No #Armenians in #NagornoKarabakh?"

This fact-finding report was jointly prepared by Democracy Development Foundation, Freedom House, International Partnership for Human Rights, a group of #Armenian CSOs and international partners.

https://t.co/xqnoT8GSlk

[Lilit Shahverdyan @lilithiumm_]

You may remember my sister Nina, a teacher in bordering villages of Artsakh who tirelessly reported on the blockade and exodus on her soc. media. She was the go-to person for journalists seeking firsthand accounts of the situation on the ground. Today, she needs our support. 1/2

[Alexander Thatcher @ThatchEffendi]

Azerbaijani state affiliated media is essentially run by Groypers: what matters is that the enemy is "in hysterics," a feminized state of overwhelming anger and anxiety, while the Azerbaijanis and Turks are just "trolling." It's the language and logic of /pol/.

[Armenian Genocide Museum & Institute @ArmGenocide100]

Այսօր Հայոց ցեղասպանության զոհերի հիշատակման 109-րդ տարելիցն է

Today is the 109th anniversary of the commemoration of the Armenian Genocide victims

Сегодня 109-я годовщина памяти жертв Геноцида ар��ян

24.04.2024
#ՀիշումենքևՊահանջում
#WeRememberAndDemand
#ArmenianGenocide

[Alen Shadunts @AlenShadunts]

@MarijaAnta @unibirmingham Congrats!

[Siranush Sargsyan @SiranushSargsy1]

Anna, 38 yo mother of 3 from Chapar village, managed to flee her house before it was hit during Azerbaijan's military attack on #NagornoKarabakh on 19/09/23
She asks for a humanitarian corridor to leave #NagornoKarabakh or security guarantees for her family. #EthnicCleansing