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Iran, the SPI is fairly low, at 56.82, although the country scores high when it comes to meeting basic human needs (78.42) and access to basic knowledge (91.89). Syria does not have a complete rating, but it has been the location of such uncertainty that it has performed low. Syria has been at the center of disruption—embroiled in a civil war and fighting against ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, also called ISIL), designated as a terrorist organization by the United Nations (UN). Located just to the north of Saudi Arabia, Syria and Iraq have both been living under the threat of ISIS, which formed in April 2013. It is a jihadist group, meaning that followers believe in creating an Islamic state governing all Muslims. Jihadists justify the use of violence to reach their goal. ISIS members are working to establish a caliphate (a form of Islamic government) that straddles Syria and Iraq. ISIS has ruled with great brutality, with regular

Russian fighter jets fly overhead. Russia engaged in air strikes in Syria.

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S OCIAL P ROGRESS IN THE N EAR E AST