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1. Thrilled to see @peterfrankopan’s generous and engaging review of The New Byzantines in the @FT. 🧵
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Sean Mathews retweeted
@EmpirePodUKb@peterfrankopanIdrisi needed a patron, he didn't go to Baghdad or Cairo. He went to Palermo — to the court of the Norman King Roger II of Sicily, where Arab scholars, Greek philosophers and Norman knights worked side by side. The world map Al-Idrisi produced there in 1154 was the most accurate evcommissioned the masterpiece of medieval Islamic cartography.
linktr.ee/empirepoduk
linktr.ee/empirepoduk
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The New Byzantines w/@HurstPublishers spotted with pride of place at a bookshop in Pristina! Get ready for the paperback! And keep sending.
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US diplomats are preparing for embassy evacuations. Israeli fighter jets are conducting sorties on the Iranian border. The mood among Arab and US officials I speak with is that it’s a question of when, not if, the US and Israel resume attacking Iran.
middleeasteye.net/news/escalatio…
middleeasteye.net/news/escalatio…
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Sean Mathews retweeted
I strongly condemn the terrorist attack on the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George in Karak, Jordan. Attacks on innocent people and places of worship are an affront to our shared humanity. My deepest condolences to the victims’ families and the Jordanian people. Greece stands firmly with Jordan. We must confront terrorism and eradicate fanaticism, in the Middle East and across the world.
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Sean Mathews retweeted
التقيت بوزير خارجية تركيا في إسطنبول، حيث أكدت رفض مصر القاطع لتصديق مجلس النواب الليبي على مذكرة التفاهم الموقعة عام ٢٠١٩ بين فايز السراج وتركيا بشأن تحديد مجالات الصلاحية البحرية في البحر المتوسط. من جانبه، أكد الوزير التركي تفهمه للشواغل المصرية وأهمية استمرار التشاور بشأنها.
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Why would the US condemn a deal that is part of their efforts to unify Libya in a ground bargain between Tripoli and Benghazi. And just remember all the hyperventilating about Rubio’s acropolis speech 😂 …..
Το Στέιτ Ντιπάρτμεντ ΔΕΝ καταδικάζει την απόφαση της Βουλής της Λιβύης σχετικά με το παράνομο μνημόνιο με την Τουρκία: Δυστυχώς άλλαξε η αρχική εξαιρετική δήλωση των ΗΠΑ...
@HellasJournal
hellasjournal.com/2026/10/to-ste…
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The Egypt—Greece alliance in the EastMed tries to strike back. A good sign for Athens but as I wrote, a let down for Greece that East Libya even signed the deal. I expect Greece will lean more on this historic partnership.
middleeasteye.net/news/null-and-…
middleeasteye.net/news/null-and-…
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Greece and Egypt are solid partners. But the problem for Greece particularly, which I discuss in The New Byzantines, is that Israel's expansionism is creating other priorities. Turkey and Egypt now have mutual interests in checking Israel +Sudan, Red Sea etc.
@SeanPmathewseld of competition for many regional powers that do not always align with each other on all issues. And yes I completely agree that Israeli interests there will become more relevant as the year progresses. Egypt looks like it is lagging behind there, but politics in Libya is like moving sand. Sometimes it's better to keep your distance from it.
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This is pretty much true from what I’m told. But don’t leave out the Israel component. Israel wants saddam in power too and a Turkish role there would, by Israeli calculations, make Greece even more dependent on Israel. Bibi met Saddam last month
middleeasteye.net/news/why-greec…
middleeasteye.net/news/why-greec…
Σύμφωνα με άριστα πληροφορημένες πηγές της «Κ», έχει περιέλθει στην αντίληψη της Αθήνας ότι στην απόπειρα ενοποίησης των ενόπλων δυνάμεων ανατολικής και δυτικής Λιβύης πρωταρχικό ρόλο διαδραματίζουν από κοινού η Τουρκία και τα Ηνωμένα Αραβικά Εμιράτα (ΗΑΕ). Η Τουρκία και τα ΗΑΕ δεν είναι κατ’ ανάγκην αλληλοαναιρούμενοι παράγοντες. Σημειωτέον ότι να απλώσει «πλοκάμια» στη Βεγγάζη επιχείρησε και το Ισραήλ.
kathimerini.gr/visual/infogra…
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Greece has sought new Middle Eastern allies as the US retreats from its security role, and Turkey flexes its muscles in the region
Much of this is addressed in my book, The New Byzantines: The rise of Greece and return of the near east
middleeasteye.net/news/why-greec…
Much of this is addressed in my book, The New Byzantines: The rise of Greece and return of the near east
middleeasteye.net/news/why-greec…
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This is indeed a big defeat for Greece and it's the type of Mediterranean chess I discussed in The New Byzantines. Some interesting questions for Greece are where were its strategic partners who back Saddam Haftar. Two key backers; UAE and Israel. Why didn't they mobilize.
Huge event, and a truly strategic geopolitical victory for Turkey.
Expect blowback in the East Mediterranean.
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Sean Mathews retweeted
EXCLUSIVE: We obtained the full text of the Mecca defence pact signed by Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan
- The agreement commits the three countries to mutual defence, also barring withdrawal for the first 10 years
THE FULL TEXT IS BELOW
#BREAKING
middleeasteye.net/news/full-text…
- The agreement commits the three countries to mutual defence, also barring withdrawal for the first 10 years
THE FULL TEXT IS BELOW
#BREAKING
middleeasteye.net/news/full-text…
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Sean Mathews retweeted
📢 Our Spring/Summer 2027 catalogue has just landed!
Explore generational views on warfare (@BuchananLiz), the latest global trend of the ultra rich: private cities (@kichanova), gain fresh insight into British Muslim politics today (@Imran_posts) and much, much more!
Browse hcT
@HumphreyWrites
@findingsen
@joshuachuminski
Explore generational views on warfare (@BuchananLiz), the latest global trend of the ultra rich: private cities (@kichanova), gain fresh insight into British Muslim politics today (@Imran_posts) and much, much more!
Browse hcT
@HumphreyWrites
@findingsen
@joshuachuminski
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Sean Mathews retweeted
Truly horrible news to wake up to this morning. Aziz was not just a valued colleague; he was a great friend and taught me so much about the KSA. How fitting that my feed is full of Israelis, Arabs and Iranians agreeing on little else except that his absence is a loss to us all.
إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون
بقلوب مؤمنة بقضاء الله وقدره، ننعى إليكم وفاة صاحب هذا الحساب
سائلين الله أن يتغمده بواسع رحمته ويسكنه فسيح جناته.
ستُقام صلاة الجنازة يوم الاثنين 19 أكتوبر 2026، بعد صلاة العصر في جامع الملك خالد بأم الحمام، والدفن في مقبرة عرقة.
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الله يرحمه.
This is a real tragedy. Aziz was one of the finest men I knew in the Gulf. His conversations were enlightening and speaking with him was genuinely the highlight of my day when I was fortunate enough.
This is a real tragedy. Aziz was one of the finest men I knew in the Gulf. His conversations were enlightening and speaking with him was genuinely the highlight of my day when I was fortunate enough.
Deeply saddened by the loss of my friend, Saudi political researcher @AzizAlghashian.
A genuinely kind and thoughtful person. I always valued our conversations and his calm, insightful views, grounded in facts and free from prejudice.
May Allah grant him the highest place in Paradise.
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Sean Mathews retweeted
I am shocked and barely processing news coming out of the passing of Dr @AzizAlghashian. انا لله وانا اليه راجعون. Those who know, please pass on details of his funeral. Aziz was a great mentor, friend and one of the kindest souls I had the privilege of knowing.
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