Shiites

Could today’s Putin/Pope summit make a difference on Iran?
- Jul 4, 2019
Today’s tête-à-tête is the third encounter between Putin and Francis, and, in typical fashion, most global media outlets are giving it short shrift.

By John L. Allen Jr.
If Francis wants to mediate US/Iran, his best odds may be with Tehran
- May 23, 2019
Here’s the irony of the present moment: One can assemble a powerful case that the Vatican under Pope Francis actually would stand a better chance of moving the needle with Iran than the U.S. if it wanted to mediate the current conflict.

By John L. Allen Jr.
Why all of us have a rooting interest in seeing Lebanon succeed
- Oct 8, 2017
Lebanon’s a small place, home to just over six million people, but it’s a living laboratory experiment for three of the world’s mega-challenges today: Pluralism, with perhaps the most resilient and certainly most nationally influential Christian population in the Middle East; Christian/Muslim relations, with the good, the bad, and even the surreal; and the refugee crisis, with more new arrivals per capita than any place on earth.

By John L. Allen Jr.

Pakistani bombing kills 25, deputy Senate leader wounded
- May 12, 2017
A suicide bomber targeted the deputy leader of Pakistan’s Senate, killing 25 people and wounding dozens more. The deputy survived the attack for which the Islamic State took responsibility. The assassination attempt took place in an area with minority Shiite Muslims.

By Associated Press
Pope has a chance to bond with natural Muslim ally
- Sep 26, 2016
When Pope Francis makes a brief stop in the small Caucasus nation of Azerbaijan on Sunday, he has a chance not simply to improve Catholic/Muslim relations generally but to exploit the possibility of a natural alliance with Shiite Muslims, the second largest branch of Islam.

By John L. Allen Jr.

Could today’s Putin/Pope summit make a difference on Iran?