Middle East: A Powder Keg

Alberto Mudjadju"

The Middle East is a volatile region, with a combination of factors creating an environment conducive to conflict. Geopolitical interests stand out, as it is a strategic region connecting three continents (Africa, Asia, and Europe) and harboring significant oil reserves, attracting the attention of world powers; ethnic and religious conflicts also play a role due to the region's diversity, with groups such as Arabs, Kurds, Persians, and Turks, as well as Sunnis and Shiites, creating tensions and rivalries; artificial borders, drawn by colonial powers, ignored ethnic and religious divisions, creating problems of identity and sovereignty; the presence of extremist groups, such as the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda, exploit regional tensions to promote violence and terrorism; and foreign intervention, with the presence of the US and Russia potentially exacerbating conflicts and creating new tensions. In short, these factors intertwine and feed off each other, creating a complex environment conducive to conflict. Finding peaceful and lasting solutions to these tensions is a major challenge. In this presentation, I will focus more on the issue of ethnic and religious conflicts due to the following factors: People in the Middle East often identify strongly with their ethnicity or religion, which can create a sense of belonging and loyalty. Furthermore, the region has a long history of ethnic and religious conflicts, including the Arab conquest, the Crusades, and the rivalry between Sunnis and Shiites. Not to mention the differences between branches of Islam, such as Sunnis and Shiites, which can create tensions and conflicts. Natural resources, such as oil, can be a source of tension and conflict between ethnic and religious groups. Finally, there is the issue of political manipulation, where political and religious leaders can use ethnic and religious identity to mobilize support and create tensions. These factors, combined, can create an environment conducive to conflicts in the region such as: the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; the Syrian Civil War; the Kurdish-Turkish conflict; and the Israeli-US-Iranian war. Understanding these factors is fundamental to addressing conflicts in the Middle East. The Middle East is a region with great religious diversity, predominantly Islamic groups, which are the largest religious group in the region (in terms of numbers), with two main branches: Sunnis (the majority of Muslims, present in large numbers in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey) and Shiites (the second largest branch of Islam, mainly present in Iran and Iraq, contributing to conflicts in the area). Christians are a minority in the region, mainly present in Lebanon and Syria. Jews are a minority in the region, with the majority living in Israel. Druze are an Islamic sect that lives mainly in Lebanon and Syria. Yazidis are a religious minority that lives mainly in Iraq. This religious complexity ends up triggering conflicts such as the Sunni-Shia conflict, which involves the two main branches of Islam (there are several branches) with regional implications. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which involves Jews and Muslims, has religious and political implications. Persecution of minorities is a problem. Common in the region, with groups such as Christians and Yazidis being persecuted. The conflict in Iraq, a conflict involving Sunni and Shia groups, ended up having regional implications. The civil war in Syria, involving Sunni, Shia, and other minorities, also has regional implications. These conflicts are complex because they involve political, religious, and ethnic issues, which is why it is very important to understand the history and culture of the region to better understand the conflicts. The existence of various ethnic groups in the region also contributes to the occurrence of wars. In the Middle East, there are ethnic groups such as: Arabs, who are the largest ethnic group in the region, present in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, and Syria. The Kurds, an ethnic group without nationality, live mainly in Turkey, Iraq, Syria, and Iran. The Persians are the dominant ethnic group in Iran. The Turks are the dominant ethnic group in Turkey. The Armenians are a Christian ethnic group that lives mainly in Armenia and Lebanon. To avoid conflicts stemming from ethnic or religious rivalries, several activities can be undertaken, such as including education on peace, tolerance, and diversity in school curricula, as well as creating exchanges so that people of different religions and ethnicities can get to know each other and learn from one another. This also includes initiatives aimed at reconciling communities divided by religious and ethnic conflicts, a complex challenge given the reality of the Middle East in the relationships between the various groups that exist there.

2025/12/3