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Articles by Toby Matthiesen
The Iran war has brought many old Gulf faultlines to the fore – and is creating new ones
Toby Matthiesen, Senior Lecturer in Global Religious Studies, University of Bristol The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced on April 28 that it will leave the global oil producers' cartel Opec. Its decision is the latest sign that the war in the Middle East has not only deepened animosities between Iran and its Gulf neighbours, but among the Gulf states too. Founded in 1960,Opecis a rare success story among multilateral organisations in the region.
The Iran war has brought many old Gulf faultlines to the fore – and is creating new ones
By Toby Matthiesen, Senior Lecturer in Global Religious Studies, University of Bristol The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced on April 28 that it will leave the global oil producers’ cartel Opec. Its decision is the latest sign that the war in the Middle East has not only deepened animosities between Iran and its Gulf neighbours, but among the Gulf states too. Founded in 1960, Opec is a rare success story among multilateral organisations in the region.
The Iran war has brought many old Gulf faultlines to the fore – and is creating new ones
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced on April 28 that it will leave the global oil producers’ cartel Opec. Its decision is the latest sign that the war in the Middle East has not only deepened animosities between Iran and its Gulf neighbours, but among the Gulf states too. Founded in 1960, Opec is a rare success story among multilateral organisations in the region.
Neuordnung am Golf : Plötzlich in einen Krieg verwickelt
Warum vermittelt Pakistan? : Es ist ein kleiner Hoffnungsschimmer: Einen Tag vor Ablauf der Waffenruhe im Krieg gegen den Iran kündigte US-Präsident Trump am Dienstag an, diese auf Bitten Pakistans auf unbestimmte Zeit zu verlängern. Er wolle warten, bis der Iran ein geeignetes Angebot für neue Gespräche in Islamabad unterbreite, so Trump. Für Pakistan als Vermittler dürfte das den Druck noch erhöhen.
God on their side: how the US, Israel and Iran are using religion to justify war
Analysis: Leaders on all sides in this war have set a dangerous precedent by using elements of religion to gather support America's secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, sports an array of tattoos with Christian messaging, including one which reads Deus Vult (God wills it), and is associated with the medieval crusades. It shouldn't come as a surprise then that Hegseth reached for biblical language while leading a Christian service at the Pentagon on March 25 to describe the war against Iran.
The US, Israel and Iran all claim that God’s on their side in war
America’s secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, sports an array of tattoos with Christian messaging, including one that reads “Deus Vult” – God wills it – and is associated with the medieval crusades. So perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise that, while leading a Christian service at the Pentagon on March 25, Hegseth reached for biblical language to describe the war against Iran.
God on their side: Faith in the politics of war
T he United States Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, sports an array of tattoos with Christian messaging, including one which reads “Deus Vult” (God wills it) and is associated with the medieval crusades. So perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise that, while leading a Christian service at the Pentagon on March 25, Hegseth reached for biblical language to describe the war against Iran.
God on their side: how the US, Israel and Iran are all using religion to garner support
The US president, Donald Trump, receives the prayers of evangelical Christian ministers in the Oval Office, March 5. Image courtesy of the White House. America’s secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, sports an array of tattoos with Christian messaging, including one which reads “Deus Vult”, God wills it, and is associated with the medieval crusades.
God on their side: how the US, Israel and Iran are all using religion to garner support
America’s secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, sports an array of tattoos with Christian messaging, including one which reads “Deus Vult”, God wills it, and is associated with the medieval crusades. So perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise that, while leading a Christian service at the Pentagon on March 25, Hegseth reached for biblical language to describe the war against Iran. He called on God to “break the teeth” and kill… Read complete article © The Conversation -
God on their side: how the US, Israel and Iran are all using religion to garner support
America’s secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, sports an array of tattoos with Christian messaging, including one which reads “Deus Vult”, God wills it, and is associated with the medieval crusades. So perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise that, while leading a Christian service at the Pentagon on March 25, Hegseth reached for biblical language to describe the war against Iran.
Alle gegen Israel: Der Gazakrieg und die neue panislamische Front
Bild: Demonstranten während einer Kundgebung gegen die US-geführten Angriffe auf Huthi-Ziele in Sanaa, 26.1.2024 (IMAGO / ZUMA Wire / Osamah Yahya) Der Krieg im Gazastreifen ist eindeutig nicht mehr auf Israel und die Hamas begrenzt. Am 25. Dezember tötete Israel mit einem Luftangriff einen hochrangigen Vertreter der iranischen Revolutionsgarden, Sayyed Razi Mousavi, in dem von Schiiten kontrollierten Sayyida-Zaynab-Viertel in Damaskus. Am 2.
How Gaza Reunited The Middle East
A New Pan-Islamic Front May Be America’s Biggest Challenge The war in the Gaza Strip is clearly no longer limited to Israel and Hamas. On December 25, an Israeli airstrike killed a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard official, Sayyed Razi Mousavi, in the Shiite-controlled Sayyida Zaynab neighborhood of Damascus.
How Gaza Reunited the Middle East
The war in the Gaza Strip is clearly no longer limited to Israel and Hamas. On December 25, an Israeli airstrike killed a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard official, Sayyed Razi Mousavi, in the Shiite-controlled Sayyida Zaynab neighborhood of Damascus. On January 2, Saleh al-Arouri, the deputy head of Hamas and a founder of its military wing, was assassinated in an Israeli drone attack in south Beirut, a stronghold of the militant Shiite group Hezbollah.
How Gaza Reunited the Middle East
The war in the Gaza Strip is clearly no longer limited to Israel and Hamas. On December 25, an Israeli airstrike killed a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard official, Sayyed Razi Mousavi, in the Shiite-controlled Sayyida Zaynab neighborhood of Damascus. On January 2, Saleh al-Arouri, the deputy head of Hamas and a founder of its military wing, was assassinated in an Israeli drone attack in south Beirut, a stronghold of the militant Shiite group Hezbollah.
Whither Sunni-Shia Relations? | by Toby Matthiesen - Project Syndicate
LONDON – Sunni-Shia relations have improved substantially in recent years as Saudi Arabia has toned down its anti-Shia rhetoric, and as some Arab Shia have tried to distance themselves from Iran (which itself has been beset by street protests). But longstanding animosities and historical controversies could easily return to the fore and re-erupt, especially given the role that Satellite television and social media now play in the Arab and wider Muslim public sphere.
I Felt the End Before It Came: Memoirs of a Queer Ex-Jehovah’s Witness
I Felt the End Before It Came: Memoirs of a Queer Ex-Jehovah’s Witness Novelist Cox (Mouthquake) examines his break with his Jehovah’s Witness upbringing in these elegant essays. The author probes the controlling dynamics of the Watch Tower Society and the complex repercussions of his “disassociation” from the group after he came out as gay via a “breakup letter to Jehovah” mailed to its elders.
Christendom: The Triumph of a Religion
Peter Heather. Knopf, $35 (736p) ISBN 978-0-45149-430-6 In this sweeping, ambitious history, Heather (The Fall of the Roman Empire), a history professor at King’s College London, surveys 1,000 years of European Christianity in exacting detail. He argues Christianity’s rise wasn’t inevitable, and that instead a complex series of historical accidents, religious innovations, and political maneuvers led to its eventual status as the continent’s dominant religion.
Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution
Rainn Wilson. Hachette Go, $28 (256p) ISBN 978-0-306-82827-0 In this heartfelt outing, actor Wilson (The Bassoon King), of Dwight from The Office fame, offers a broad array of spiritual ideas for finding hope in a cynical world.
The Consuming Fire: The Complete Priestly Source, from Creation to the Promised Land
Liane Feldman. Univ. of California, $19.95 trade paper (296p) ISBN 978-0-520-38365-4 Feldman (The Story of Sacrifice), a Judaic studies professor at NYU, presents the first full translation of the biblical priestly source in this seminal volume.
How Iran's 1979 Revolution Affected Sunni Islamists in the Middle East
by Mohammad Ataie, Raphaël Lefèvre, Toby Matthiesen Cover of al-Shahid magazine, an Arabic-language magazine discussing pan-Islamic affairs published in Tehran after the revolution. Source: Tehran University Central Library Although forty years have now passed since the downfall of the Shah, Iran’s 1979 Revolution continues to be the subject of much scholarly discussion.
Der Konflikt reicht in den Nahen Osten
Der Einsatz syrischer Söldner weckt schlimme Erinnerungen in Armenien. Beide Seiten beschuldigen sich gegenseitig, dichtbesiedelte zivile Gebiete bombardiert zu haben: Ein beschädigtes Gebäude in der aserbaidschanischen Stadt Terter. Reuters Der Berg Ararat unweit der armenischen Hauptstadt Erewan gilt als heiliger Berg der Armenier. Doch der Berg steht seit der Auflösung des Osmanischen Reiches in der Türkei.
The Coronavirus Is Exacerbating Sectarian Tensions in the Middle East
Sign in and save to read later Print this article Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn Get a link Page url Request Reprint Permissions The novel coronavirus is advancing across the Middle East, straining frail public health services and exacerbating preexisting political and sectarian tensions, both within states and between regional rivals.
Coronavirus verbreitet sich im Nahen Osten
Iran ist neben Europa und China die am schlimmsten vom Coronavirus betroffene Region in der Welt. Die mangelhafte Reaktion der Republik könnte für Syrien oder Jemen fatal werden. Ein Schrein im Norden Teherans wird desinfiziert. (6. März 2020) Ebrahim Noroozi / AP Iran ist neben Europa und China die am schlimmsten vom Coronavirus betroffene Region in der Welt. Nach China und Italien hat die Islamische Republik die höchsten Todes- und Infektionsraten. Die Zahl der Toten übersteigt schon 1500.
Black Wave — how Saudi-Iran rivalry has unravelled the Middle East
Barely one month in, the new year has already demonstrated that tensions in the Middle East show little sign of calming.
The Best Books on Saudi Arabia
Before we discuss your books on Saudi Arabia, could you tell me a bit about your background. Did you grow up in Saudi Arabia? I lived in Saudi Arabia until I was 13 or 14 years old.Then there were some political problems between my father and the government, so he left for Lebanon and I lived in Lebanon between 1975 and 1982. I went to middle school and high school in Lebanon during the civil war. My parents left Lebanon in 1980, but I stayed to finish my International Baccalaureate.
Saudi Royal Family Politics and the Arab Spring
For almost two years, since February 17, 2011, Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province has seen a protest movement inspired by the Arab Spring that called for democracy, dignity, and more rights for Saudi Arabia’s disenfranchised Shiite minority. The killing of protesters and the arrest and shooting of key oppositional clerics have spurred three cycles of protests. A renewed wave of protests and funerals was set in motion by the killing of 18-year old Ahmad Al Matar on December 27, 2012 in Qatif.
Battling over the legacy of Bahrain’s Pearl Roundabout
Battling over the legacy of Bahrain’s Pearl Roundabout On February 14, the uprising in Bahrain will be one year old. The results are depressing. The government’s brutal crackdown persists and protesters continue their efforts to return to the intersection that was colloquially known as Lulu or the Pearl Roundabout. The regime has tried everything to destroy the memory of "Lulu" not shying away from physically destroying the Pearl monument.
A Purge in Riyadh
The night of November 4 will long be remembered in Saudi Arabia as a turning point. Three events took place in Riyadh: the arrest of several dozen Saudi princes, officials, and business leaders; the resignation of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri; and the shooting down of a ballistic missile, launched from Yemen, aimed at the city’s King Khalid International Airport. What linked all of these developments was the figure of young Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
In Saudi Arabia: Can It Really Change?
Until the Wahhabi conquest of the Arabian peninsula at the turn of the last century, the mixture of sects there was as diverse as it was anywhere in the old pluralist Middle East. In its towns there lived, among others, Sufi mystics from the Sunni branch of Islam, members of the Zaidi sect, which is linked with the Shia branch of Islam, Twelver Shia traders, and seasonal Jewish farmhands from Yemen.
The World’s Most Misunderstood Martyr
In the aftermath of the execution of Saudi Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, the entire Middle East seemed eager to portray his life and death in self-serving fashion. Iran and Shiite movements across the region took on his case as the ultimate proof of the sectarian and unjust nature of the Saudi political system.
Sectarianism comes back to bite Saudi Arabia
On Oct. 15, Nimr al-Nimr, a Saudi Arabian Shiite cleric, was sentenced to death by the Special Criminal Court in Riyadh. Since 2011, Nimr has become the figurehead of a protest movement centered in eastern Saudi Arabia that has been largely denied coverage by mainstream media. The sentencing has implications far beyond Nimr’s personal fate.
Mysticism, Migration and Clerical Networks: Ahmad al-Ahsaʾi and the Shaykhis of al-Ahsa, Kuwait and Basra
Ahmad al-Ahsaʾi (1753–1826), the spiritual father of the mystical strand of Twelver Shiism, known as the Shaykhiyya, became an important religious figure in Iraq and Iran. But the Shaykhiyya also spread in his birthplace in Eastern Arabia and among migrants from al-Ahsa in Kuwait and Basra. The quietist and apolitical teachings of al-Ahsaʾi suited the Shia in Eastern Arabia, who periodically suffered from political insecurity and religious persecution.
Council on Foreign Relations
The United States, United Nations, and European Union have levied multiple sanctions on Iran for its nuclear program since the International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA), the UN's nuclear watchdog, found in September 2005 that Tehran was not compliant (PDF) with its international obligations.
Sectarianism after the Saudi mosque bombings
Just seven days after one of the deadliest bombings Saudi Arabia has witnessed in years, yet another explosion at a Shiite mosque in the country’s Eastern Province killed at least four people. On May 29, an attacker detonated his car full of explosives in front of the al-Anoud Mosque in Dammam City. On May 22, Saleh al-Qashami, a Saudi citizen, blew himself up in the Shiite Imam Ali mosque in the village of Qadeeh in the Qatif oasis, a predominantly Shiite area.
Sectarianism after the Saudi mosque bombings
Just seven days after one of the deadliest bombings Saudi Arabia has witnessed in years, yet another explosion at a Shiite mosque in the country’s Eastern Province killed at least four people. On May 29, an attacker detonated his car full of explosives in front of the al-Anoud Mosque in Dammam City. On May 22, Saleh al-Qashami, a Saudi citizen, blew himself up in the Shiite Imam Ali mosque in the village of Qadeeh in the Qatif oasis, a predominantly Shiite area.
Migration, Minorities, and Radical Networks: Labour Movements and Opposition Groups in Saudi Arabia, 1950–1975
Migration, Minorities, and Radical Networks: Labour Movements and Opposition Groups in Saudi Arabia, 1950–1975 International Review of Social History, 2014 DownloadDownload PDF Full PDF PackageDownload Full PDF Package A short summary of this paper 37 Full PDFs related to this paper
Elite fragmentation and securitization in Bahrain
In February 2011, Bahrain probably had the highest ratio of protesters as part of the citizen population of any of the Arab countries. In the preceding decade, its security establishment, while never totally absent from politics, had become less visible. In mid-March 2011, however, the security forces were able to instigate a broad clampdown against the mobilized public and ensure the survival of the regime within a matter of days. How can this be explained?
Sectarianism comes back to bite Saudi Arabia
On Oct. 15, Nimr al-Nimr, a Saudi Arabian Shiite cleric, was sentenced to death by the Special Criminal Court in Riyadh. Since 2011, Nimr has become the figurehead of a protest movement centered in eastern Saudi Arabia that has been largely denied coverage by mainstream media. The sentencing has implications far beyond Nimr’s personal fate.
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