Xavier Villar

Xavier Villar is a Spanish researcher based in Tehran. He focuses on political Islam, particularly at the intersection of political theology and the Islamic Republic of Iran. He holds a Ph.D. in Middle Eastern studies and has built his expertise through years of research on religion, politics and society in the region. He is currently writing a book on Khomeini and the political from a critical perspective.
Opinion

Thin peace, strong hands: The politics of elite bargaining in the South Caucasus

The Armenian-Azerbaijani peace process has reached a paradoxical juncture, marked by parallel yet contradictory dynamics. On one hand, measurable, incremental…

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Op-Eds

Armenia’s response to the Iran crisis

As the joint U.S.-Israeli operation enters its fourth day, Iran faces a rupture unlike any it has experienced in decades.…

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Op-Eds

Pashinyan’s high-wire act and the hollowing of the Armenian state

Yerevan in the winter of 2026 is a city gripped by profound dissonance. Inside government offices, a narrative of historic…

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Op-Eds

Armenia in 2025: Ambition, overreach and the limits of multi-vector diplomacy

The year 2025 will be remembered in Armenia’s recent history as one of bold ambition, but also of exposed vulnerabilities.…

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Op-Eds

The South Caucasus at risk: Why Iran’s stability matters

The recent protests in Iran, with a still unconfirmed number of casualties, have sparked widespread speculation about the long-term viability…

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Analysis

Caucasus rivalries: Iran and Azerbaijan at odds over regional interests

For many analysts, tensions between Iran and Azerbaijan have reached a critical point, with numerous Iranian and regional media outlets…

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Analysis

Armenia’s constitutional crucible: Sovereignty under siege

Across the South Caucasus, 2025 has brought a moment of constitutional reckoning for Armenia. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s announcement that…

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Analysis

The strategic triangle: Azerbaijan, Israel and Turkey in the new Caucasus order

The geopolitical reconfiguration of the South Caucasus follows patterns that transcend purely regional dynamics. At the center of this transformation…

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Op-Eds

Fragile Armenia-Azerbaijan deal tilted power to Baku and Ankara

For decades, the South Caucasus has been a crucible of ethnic tension, territorial disputes and geopolitical rivalry — a place…

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